Long-form content makes a comeback in marketing strategies
A recent study indicates a notable resurgence of long-form content among marketers and creators, as they adapt to evolving consumer demands for engaging narratives.
In the dynamic world of marketing and content creation, long-form content is making a notable resurgence, according to research by the global creator agency, Billion Dollar Boy. This revival sees significant involvement from marketers and content creators alike, driven by an evolving consumer landscape eager for more engaging content.
The research, conducted on a sample of over 4,000 consumers, 500 marketers, and 500 content creators, shows that a substantial 68% of marketers have ramped up their production of long-form content over the past year. Looking ahead, a notable 70% plan to further increase their output in the coming year. The trend is particularly pronounced in the United States, where 79% of marketers have enhanced their production, compared to 58% in the United Kingdom. Moreover, 83% of US marketers have plans to continue this growth, starkly contrasting with 57% in the UK.
These developments reflect a strategic shift amongst marketers, who find long-form content an effective tool to combat creative fatigue and to boost return on investment (ROI). Specifically, 39% of marketers believe long-form content alleviates creativity slumps, while 33% see it as a way to increase ROI. The content formats gaining precedence in this trend include live video streams (51%), long-form videos (49%), podcasts (45%), newsletters and Substacks (42%), and blogs (42%).
This increase in demand for long-form content isn’t only confined to marketers. Content creators are also investing more heavily in these formats, with nearly two-thirds (64%) having increased production in the last year, and 72% planning further enhancements. Creators cite benefits such as the ability to share richer narratives and establish deeper connections with their audience. Additionally, long-form content allows for the generation of shorter clips, maximising content dissemination across platforms at minimal additional cost.
Creators find long-form formats offer greater creative freedom (51%), allow for audience diversification (49%), meet increasing demand for such content (41%), and foster better engagement compared to short-form content (39%). Moreover, creators see a potential for higher ROI (35%) associated with these longer formats.
The alignment in interests between marketers and creators stems from robust consumer engagement statistics, revealing that 38% of consumers engaged with long-form content in the past year. Particularly, demographics that show heightened interest in increased long-form engagement include younger audiences, with 48% of 25-34 year-olds and 44% of 16-24 year-olds expressing enthusiasm. Geographically, 40% of US consumers are showing interest, compared to 28% in the UK.
Commenting on these findings, Sophie Crowther, Talent Partnerships Director at Billion Dollar Boy, noted how long-form content is reminiscent of the early days of influencer marketing, offering a deeper, more intentional media consumption. “Creators are rediscovering the power of long-form mediums to diversify content, engage different audience segments, and sustain existing ones,” she remarked.
Piet Southey, Head of Clients, Europe, at Billion Dollar Boy, elaborated on the significance of this shift, emphasising deliberate audience engagement. He highlighted the opportunity for brands to integrate advertorial content within long-form formats but warned of the importance of balancing this with short-form content needs. “Creators are pivotal in guiding brands through this transition towards leveraging long-form content effectively while maintaining authenticity.”
This insight underscores the publishing industry’s move towards strategies that prioritise audience development and engagement, harnessing first-party data for enriched user experiences across both digital and print platforms. As the demand for immersive content experiences grows, both marketers and creators are well-positioned to capitalise on this trend, expanding audience reach while maintaining content quality.
Curated, edited, and published by our team, with stories provided by the AI news platform, Noah Wire Services.
More on this and verification:
- billiondollarboy.com/news/long-form-content-is-surging/ – new independent research by global creator agency, Billion Dollar Boy
- agilitypr.com/pr-agency-news/long-form-content-is-surging-two-thirds-of-marketers-and-creators-have-boosted-production/ – Corroborates the increase in long-form content production by 68% of marketers and 64% of creators, and the plans for further increases in the coming year.
- financialpromoter.co.uk/long-form-content-resurging-in-popularity/ – Supports the findings that 68% of marketers and 64% of creators have increased long-form content production, and the benefits such as combating creative fatigue and increasing ROI.
- kooxagency.co.uk/blog/is-long-form-content-making-a-comeback-in-2024 – Discusses the shift towards long-form content as a response to evolving consumer demands for depth, information, and value.
- scottleroymarketing.com/the-rise-of-long-form-content-a-deep-dive-into-its-impact-on-seo-and-audience-engagement/ – Explains the SEO benefits of long-form content, including keyword targeting, dwell time, and backlinks, and its impact on audience engagement.
