These days, the average person is bombarded with sooooo many notifications each day, be it from messages from loved ones to various promotions from lots of sources.
That’s why in today’s marketing and content landscape, short content has become the key with engaging an audience that’s always on the go.
In some sense, it would even be reasonable to assume that SHORT content is king.
That’s why for today’s edition of “Write with the Pen of the Masters,” we’ll walk you through the world of short form content and help you know how and when you can leverage it in your writing!
Short and Sweet
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Short-form content refers to text, videos, or any other form of media that delivers a message or provides value in a limited timeframe.
In the context of writing, blog posts, news articles, emails, social media content, and infographics are typically composed of less than 1,000 words.
Ultimately, the goal of short-form content is to get your message across to your audience quickly without overwhelming them with a bunch of information… and since people tend to engage with shorter content these days, creating this type of content is advantageous.
So, what does short-form content have going for it and… against it?
Pros
- Easy to digest
- Mobile-friendly
- Takes less time to create
- Has higher engagement potential
- Can be paired with effective call-to-actions (CTAs)
- Shareable across multiple social media platforms
Cons
- Could lead to oversimplification since you can’t cover a topic in depth
- Can seem repetitive if utilized and planned poorly
- Relevance can fade quickly
- More competitive since almost everyone else is using it
- Not a great choice if you want to establish yourself as an authority in a particular topic
Now that you know the pros and cons of leveraging short-form content in writing, it’s time for you to know when you should and should not use it.
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Set your goals
Opting to go long or short depends on what your goals are.
If you want to build engagement on social media, promote customer loyalty, find new prospects, and drive immediate conversions for sales-oriented promotions or event sign-ups, then short-form might be the way to go.
On the other hand, if you want to build brand awareness, nurture leads for offerings, and establish your brand as a thought leader in its field, then you should probably opt for long-form content.
In cases like the one mentioned above, long-form content shines because it gives you the space to explain everything there is to know about your brand and offering.
Don’t forget: Never think of short- and long-form content as two opposing strategies. In most cases, short-form content can help you enhance the long-form content you’ve written since the former works well as teasers that entices audiences to learn more.
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Understand your audience
Aside from setting your goals, the next thing you need to do is learn about and understand your target audience’s preferences and behaviors.
For example, short-form content works well when you’re targeting younger audiences like Gen Zs and Millennials, since these age groups tend to favor this type of content.
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Think about which platform to use
Some platforms are better suited than others depending on the type of content you plan to use.
For example, X (formerly known as Twitter) has a character limit of 280 characters, which means it’s well-suited for short-form content that provides readers with insights they can consume quickly.
Alternatively, Instagram and TikTok also work well for short-form content since these platforms encourage this type of content in the first place.
While these platforms are typically associated with video content, they’re also highly useful for text-based postings.
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As the world of digital content continues to evolve, so does the demand for digestible, concise, and engaging content.
Short-form content effectively fills this need since it is great at generating engagement from target audiences. However, remember that it’s not a one-size-fits-all strategy.
In some cases, you’ll need to leverage long-form content, especially in instances where you want to establish your brand as a thought leader in your industry.
Now that we’ve given you everything you need to know about short-form content, you’re well-equipped to utilize it in your content strategy.
Go ahead! Don’t be afraid to try it out.
Happy writing!
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Wednesdays: Write with the Pen of the Masters”
Who doesn’t find content writing to be a skill that requires a lot of practice and effort?
In fact, many people may even find copywriting very intimidating.
However, you can be a good writer as long as you have the right tools. You won’t always get things right the first time, but with enough time and practice, you’ll get the hang of it!
When you write copy for any brand or for your company, your aim is to make an impact and…
… to get people to remember.
Getting people to remember means getting consumers to buy your product or avail of your service.
… and when you get your content to deliver the results you want, THAT is great copy!
Every Wednesday, we publish content based on tips and insights from the masters of content writing, copywriting, and storytelling.
Become more familiar with ways to write great copy that helps you gain ROI from your efforts, drive profitability, and achieve your business goals.
Learn time-tested tactics that better capture the attention of your target audience, and maximize the benefits of great copywriting.
Hope you find this week’s insights interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Wednesday’s “Write with the Pen of the Masters!”
Cheers,
Dyane Diasanta
Senior Content Writer
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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