How to Leverage Long-Form Content for Your Business in 2024
Happy Tuesday, Unicorns!
If you caught last week’s edition of the Unicorn Social newsletter, you will have seen my predictions for social media in 2024. Over the next few weeks, I will break down each of these ten predictions and teach you how to leverage them for your business!
Prediction number one was that long-form content would make a comeback. Long-form content, by definition, is any written article over 1,000 words or video over 10 minutes long. In my opinion, I’d consider long-form content to be any video over 5 minutes long for Gen Z, considering our shrinking attention spans.???
In 2024, long-form content will provide an excellent opportunity for businesses to engage with their online audience in new and exciting ways. Whether it’s creating engaging video content or written long-form content, like this newsletter, there are plenty of ways to incorporate long-form content into your business’s social media strategy.
In today’s newsletter, I’ll cover three key tips for leveraging long-form content in 2024.?
1: If You’re a Professional, Leverage LinkedIn!
LinkedIn is an amazing place for business owners to get creative and leverage long-form content. In fact, in 2022, LinkedIn’s engagement rate increased by 22% and continues to rise year over year. LinkedIn shifted its focus from emphasizing “creators” to prioritizing “professionals who create.” This means that as a business owner, you have a great opportunity to create content for LinkedIn that will not only build your professional rapport but also help support your brand.?
For example, take a look at my mom’s LinkedIn profile. Yes, she’s my mom, so maybe I’m a bit biased, but the results speak for themselves. Her commitment to creating long-form content on the platform as a business owner has helped her gain business collaborations and speaking engagements. Check out her profile here to see what she posts!
Video content is especially important on LinkedIn, and 59% of executive LinkedIn users said they’d prefer to consume video content rather than text. A few ways that you can incorporate video content on LinkedIn include:
Another way to leverage long-form content on LinkedIn is through live. LinkedIn lives get seven times more reactions and an average of 24 more comments than an average post. You can go live on LinkedIn with another professional from your industry or yourself. Going live allows you to engage with your audience in real-time.?
Now, I highly recommend video and, in case you didn’t already know, we offer video-editing services for professionals at our Agency. That being said, I know that not everyone is comfortable with video, and for those who are not, a newsletter is a great long-form way to engage your audience. By providing value, just like we do here at Unicorn Social, you’ll keep your audience engaged and grow your following over time.?
2: Understand that Strategies Vary by Platform?
Each social media platform has a different strategy that you’ll need to employ with your long-form content. We’ve covered LinkedIn, but let’s talk about some of the other platforms and their specific styles.?
TikTok: if your target audience includes Gen Z or Millennials, TikTok is a good platform to create a presence on. Many big brands have leveraged the platform successfully, and you can check out the success stories by clicking here. Given the shorter attention spans of younger audiences, you’ll want to grab their attention immediately and ensure that the beginning of your video is engaging enough to encourage them not to swipe away. Some options for long-form content on TikTok include:
Instagram is very similar to TikTok but demands more polished content. Where TikTok is more informal, Instagram has a level of formality to it and generally better visuals. Instagram Reels can currently only be 90 seconds long, but you can still post video content to the platform up to 60 minutes long. One of my clients owns a boutique and uses Instagram to showcase her new arrivals, describe their customization process, and share news and updates with her followers.
YouTube is great for service-based businesses. While both service and product-based businesses can benefit from YouTube Shorts, service-based businesses can excel with long-form content on YouTube. Some video ideas for YouTube include showcasing your process from start to finish, sharing your brand story, highlighting satisfied customers with testimonials, revealing new products or services, and creating educational content.?
In a future edition of Unicorn Social, we’ll dive deeper into choosing the right platforms for your business and developing a content strategy for each.
3: Incorporating Long-Form Content Into Your Strategy
While long-form content has benefits, it’s important to continue leveraging trends and short-form content. Long-form content in 2024 demands that a viewer’s attention be grabbed immediately and held throughout, which can pose a challenge to business owners who are short on time or inspiration.?
One key way to ensure that long-form content is incorporated smoothly is by hiring a social media manager. A social media manager is a valuable resource and someone who can help develop and execute your business’s social media strategy so that you, as the business owner, can focus on more high-level tasks.?
If you’re not yet at the point where you can hire a social media manager, scheduling your content in advance is a great way to remain consistent. Additionally, pay attention to what others in your industry are doing and follow some key influencers in your space. This will help inspire your content creation efforts and give you a better chance of staying current or ahead of others.?
If you’re unsure what platform is best for you as a business owner, get started on LinkedIn and go from there. You can create long-form content like a newsletter or video commentary on trending events and topics to help you create a name for yourself. Better exposure for you helps benefit your brand and can be a more beneficial use of your time than other platforms.?
Conclusion:
Long-form content, when done right, helps to keep your audience engaged, better connected, and inspired. It’s a great way to showcase your brand’s personality, educate your followers, and grow your audience. Remember that LinkedIn is one of the best channels for professionals in 2024, whether you’re producing short-form or long-form content. Furthermore, don’t waste your time and effort on platforms that don’t serve you. Finally, consistency is key, and incorporating long-form content does not mean abandoning short-form content entirely. Find a balance that works best for your business and gets results from your followers online.?
Until next week, happy posting!