Long-form content is an important part of any content marketing mix, but dense text can challenge even the most committed reader.
We’ve all seen examples of this done right – think of stories like this on the BBC, items long referred to as ‘scrollytelling’ – where interactivity and rich visuals keep us engaged from start to finish. These projects often require big budgets and specialised web functionality, though, which can feel out of reach for many brands.
Don’t despair.
With advances in visual software and a basic understanding of your website’s existing features, it’s possible to elevate the reader’s experience without straining budgets or back-ends. For B2B brands, this streamlined approach can lead to a more engaging content experience, while simplifying approvals processes – a win-win for both your audience and your team.
Visual storytelling
A picture might not actually paint 1,000 words, but it can make 1,000 words easier to navigate and read.
As you’re writing a piece, always have the visuals in mind – and don’t forget there are a variety of options available to you. Perhaps you want a chart to demonstrate a data point, or maybe you want to bring a quote to life, or just the fact you’ve sourced a great image.
Don’t leave it as an afterthought. As you develop your content take advantage of potential opportunities to visualise your story, so you can make sure text and image work together.
Finding the right format
Choosing the best format for a long-form piece of content is important for everything from SEO to user experience.
To get this right, you need to think about the user journey through your piece. How will you signpost them and how will the subheads encourage them to keep going? Equally, how will any of this article ‘furniture’, including lists, bullet points and imagery, ‘shake up’ the look of the piece?
You don’t want to overwhelm users with an all-inclusive breakfast buffet of formatting, but equally, you don’t want them left with just overcooked scrambled eggs.
Keep it interesting, but make sure everything enhances the story and doesn’t detract from it.
Take advantage of existing functionality
Even the most basic backend probably has more functionality than you might imagine. Work with your designers to understand what’s possible and how they can manipulate imagery to add interest.
For example, while you might not be able to embed interactive charts (and indeed you might not want to), your hosting platform might support GIFs. Get your visuals team to create a chart with some subtle movement on it, export it as a GIF, and hey presto, your content is starting to come to life.
Even simple things like bullet point lists or in-line imagery might sound obvious but can make a huge difference.
And, by not layering on new software and bandwidth-heavy executions, you avoid the risk of long load times or alienating those with slower internet connections.
Scrollytelling simplified
B2B audiences are people too, so the same principles of good design and storytelling apply when communicating with them – just as they would for any major publication.
We believe focusing on layout and design from the beginning, along with an understanding of technical possibilities, can elevate any piece of long-form content.
And importantly, for many marketers, it’s possible even in a world of tight budgets and back-of-the-queue web dev requests.
Author: Joe Myers
