Don’t believe those online ‘gurus’ and their nonsense. Not everyone has the attention span of a gnat. #
If there’s one thing I can’t stand in the marketing world, it’s those ‘case closed’ pronouncements. How about you?
“SEO is dead. Facebook is for grandmas. No one watches ads anymore. TV commercials? They’re just background noise, completely ignored.”
I say, Chad, none of those things are dead. It’s just that you don’t know how to use them correctly, or they don’t apply to your specific industry.
Look, even an ancient platform like MySpace still has people successfully marketing on it today!
Today, I want to talk about one particular narrative that grinds my gears more than any other: “No one reads long-form content anymore, so shorter is always better.”
Wrong! Absolutely wrong!
I’ll tell you why – and I’ll back it up with hard evidence (!) and a case study of a new homepage I built for a client: it’s a dense wall of text, no video, no fancy transitions, nothing at all.
Where Did This ‘Long-Form Is Dead’ Nonsense Even Come From? #
Fragmented attention spans, information overload, technological advancements that help us so much but leave us with less and less time… no time for anything.
Pick any one of them – these are all reasons marketers prematurely declare long-form content ‘dead.’ What’s worse, most are at best half-truths, and they represent a correlation, not causation, with the decline of long-form content.
I’d argue this ‘demise theory’ is purely a self-fulfilling prophecy, nothing more. One ‘guru’ says it, ten ‘henchmen’ cheer it on, and hey presto, now this outdated advice is everywhere.
No, people’s attention spans have not actually gotten shorter! They can devour Tolkien’s massive tomes and binge-watch an entire season of their favorite TV show in one sitting.
It’s just that not everyone is Tolkien, and not everyone can captivate an audience like a good director.
People Aren’t Actually Skimming as a Standard Practice #
I’ve seen this play out countless times:
Write short sentences, even paragraphs shorter than sentences (yes, paragraphs can now be shorter than sentences), because ’no one reads anymore, they just skim.’
And so
We end up
Writing like this
Especially on
Social media
This is literally…
‘Broetry’ (and it’s painful to write!)
Skimming isn’t some ’new way of reading.’ People skim to quickly figure out what’s worth reading and what isn’t. So, formatting your content well is fine (using subheadings, bullet points, paragraphs, and occasional bolding to emphasize key points). But that ‘broetry’ style is completely unnecessary; it’s actually harder to read than normal paragraphs.
Why You Need Long-Form Content #
Short-form content, the kind you scroll past on social media, aims to grab your attention. A clever turn of phrase, a compelling hook, or even an occasional selfie can make you pause your scrolling.
They can hold your attention for a fleeting moment.
However, that’s not the ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is to retain attention, not just attract it.
If you can get your audience to move from reading your hundred-word social media post to actively engaging with your long-form emails, blog posts, or extended videos, then you’ve truly won.
Because those who are willing to invest their time in your long-form content are far more likely to convert into actual customers.
If they trust you enough to give you their valuable time, then they are very likely to trust you enough to give you their money as well.
Using Data to Debunk the ‘Gurus’: Why Long-Form Content Reigns Supreme Across Platforms #
Recent Google algorithm leaks have revealed a secret SEO experts have known all along: user dwell time (also known as ’time on page’) is a crucial factor in ranking.
Even if the session ends in a bounce (the user doesn’t visit other pages), Google’s algorithm considers the page useful because people spent time reading it. The longer the dwell time, the better the outcome.
In the SEO realm, all other factors being equal, long-form content consistently achieves better rankings.
Countless studies point to the same conclusion: the more you write, the more relevant keywords you can incorporate, and naturally, the better your ranking.
This is why I’m very satisfied with the average dwell time on my own website. Some pages exceed 4 minutes, and the overall site, including short pages like email sign-ups, averages over 1 minute – which is excellent.
Rule of thumb: You want your overall site’s average dwell time to be over 30 seconds, and for key pages, aim for over 2 minutes.
The same principle applies to YouTube videos – the longer you retain user attention, the higher your video ranks.
Now, let me show you one of my proudest moments from last year:
The Most Unconventional Homepage You’ve Ever Seen: An 1800-Word Wall of Text #
This page was written for one of my agency clients. It looks nothing like any other homepage out there.
Most homepages are like ADHD triggers, packed with shiny buttons, videos, images, multiple colors, and so on.
But this page? It sends one clear message: either read it properly, or move on.
So, did they read it?
They did, absolutely. Since we launched this page, my client’s conversion rates have increased by double digits. In the XaaS (Anything-as-a-Service) space, that’s a monumental leap.
At the time of the screenshot, this page had only been live for a short while and hadn’t been fully indexed yet. Even so, it had already generated significant interest and delivered tangible results:
- Dozens of emails from LinkedIn contacts
- Investor attention (!)
- Widespread discussion on social media.
Why It Succeeded #
First and foremost, it succeeded because it’s different. Since it’s not the usual platitudes you see on a homepage, people are naturally curious. The word ‘sucks’ at the beginning also played a role.
And so, they kept reading.
Furthermore, it’s incredibly authentic and transparent. There’s no empty boasting about being ’the best,’ just an honest story of a 15-year journey in this industry.
You don’t need clickbait headlines or pathetic ‘broetry’ to stop users from scrolling and increase dwell time. What you truly need is quality, transparent content; length is simply irrelevant.
Everything else is just a cheap trick. And cheap tricks never get you very far.
So, Should You Turn Your Homepage Into a Giant Wall of Text? #
I admit, I’ve been tempted myself. My clients wanted this format because they knew their story, combined with my bold and incisive storytelling ability, was the perfect match for creating a ‘manifesto.’
Of course, I’ve considered replicating this for my own site. Maybe I still will, it’s too soon to tell.
But that doesn’t mean it works for everyone.
You see, my clients are industry leaders, veterans in the iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) space; they even shaped the industry themselves. So they have the capital to go against the grain, to dare use a word like ‘sucks’ in a page title, to say, “To hell with best practices, we’ll make our own rules! Haven’t we always?”
By the way: their team is also incredibly daring. They’re willing to try any suggestion I’ve ever made – and we’ve been working together for seven years. You need some genuine ‘guts’ to even consider an experiment like this.
Honestly, not every homepage needs to be revolutionary or long-form. If you’re relatively new in your industry, it’s probably best to stick with a conventional homepage as an introductory touchpoint for your brand.
If your business relies more on visual appeal than on information, then a conventional homepage is also preferable.
But No Matter What You’re Selling, You Need a Place for Long-Form Content. #
Whether it’s your homepage, your blog, your YouTube channel, or your emails – you need a way to retain the attention you’ve worked so hard to attract. You need to give people an opportunity to truly get to know you, your philosophy, and your values.
Often, people choose to buy or select a service provider from many options – especially in the consulting industry – not because of some dazzling outcome. It’s more about word-of-mouth and whether your values align with theirs.
Do you sound like someone I’d enjoy having a drink with? If so, I’ll be more inclined to buy from you than from someone whose values are completely different.
So please, stop listening to those ‘gurus’ and their nonsense. Long-form content works, and it always will!