Long-Form vs. Short-Form Content: What’s Best for Your Strategy in 2019? As content marketing continues to evolve in 2019, a question remains at the center of many strategies: Should you focus on long-form or short-form content? The answer isn’t as simple as choosing one over the other. Instead, it’s about understanding what works best for your goals, audience, and platform. Long-Form Content: Depth That Drives Trust In 2019, long-form content (typically 1,200+ words) is performing better when it comes to SEO, time on page, and building authority. In-depth blog posts, comprehensive guides, and well-researched whitepapers provide readers with value and context, helping brands establish themselves as industry leaders. Google favors detailed content that answers users' queries comprehensively, rewarding this with higher rankings and more organic traffic. Long-form content also has the ability to go into greater detail, educating the audience and giving them all the information they need to make informed decisions, which builds trust over time. For brands that want to be seen as authoritative voices in their field, long-form content can establish credibility and authority in ways that shorter content simply cannot. Short-Form Content: Quick Wins for the Right Audience On the flip side, short-form content (under 1,000 words) still has its place, especially on social platforms, email newsletters, and when you're aiming for quick, digestible messages. With attention spans getting shorter and mobile-first consumption on the rise, short-form content serves its purpose in delivering quick, effective messaging that resonates with audiences who don’t have time to read lengthy articles. In 2019, people are constantly on the go, and when it comes to social media or fast-moving platforms, brevity is key. Sometimes less really is more especially when you need to engage users quickly or target impulse buyers. Short-form content has a greater ability to catch the eye and drive quick conversions, particularly in industries where immediate action is necessary. So, What Converts Better? The answer depends on the type of content, audience, and platform. For complex products or high-ticket services, long-form content tends to convert better. This type of content allows for deeper exploration of features, benefits, and use cases, helping to educate and nurture leads throughout their buying journey. The detailed nature of long-form content helps educate potential customers, ultimately leading to better-qualified leads and higher conversion rates. For B2C brands, or in cases where impulse buys are the target, short-form content can often be more effective. It’s quick, snappy, and drives immediate action, particularly when leveraging social proof or limited-time offers that encourage quick decisions. Short-form content is often more shareable, and on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, where brevity reigns supreme, short-form can maintain visibility and relevance while moving customers toward purchase. The Key to Success: Finding the Right Balance The key in 2019 is balance. Smart marketers are blending both types of content using long-form content for SEO and trust-building, and short-form content to keep the brand visible, agile, and relevant across fast-moving platforms. By leveraging both, brands can meet the needs of a wide range of customers and improve both brand visibility and customer engagement. Long-form content is powerful for establishing brand authority and educating customers, while short-form content is essential for engaging audiences quickly and maintaining brand presence in fast-paced environments. By combining both types, brands can create a comprehensive content strategy that supports long-term growth while still achieving quick wins. In short? Don’t pick a side pick a strategy. The future of content marketing isn’t about choosing long-form or short-form content exclusively. It’s about understanding when and how to use both in ways that work for your brand, goals, and audience. So, whether you’re aiming for SEO dominance, quick conversions, or building brand authority, a balanced approach to content creation is the key to success.