The Rise of Long-Form Content
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By Addy Miller, Public Relations Intern
It is no secret that there have been many changes in the media landscape and the PR and marketing industries over the last year as we have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the biggest changes we have seen is the rise of long-form content.
Consumers have been at home, often with more time to spend watching videos and reading articles than they might have had otherwise, leading to an increase in appetite for this type of media. While long-form content is generally associated with 700-words or more works of writing like articles and blogs, it can also include television shows, movies and social media videos, among others. These pieces allow marketers to provide deep information and insights into a brand for more effective storytelling. Although the definition of long-form content is broad, it gives brands and marketers endless possibilities for connecting with their audiences regardless of the medium.
Moreover, this trend is not going away any time soon. According to Core DNA, the demand for long-form content is ever increasing as it generates higher engagement, more social shares and stronger search result rankings than shorter content. As consumer expectations and the content arena are constantly evolving, it is up to PR and marketing professionals to adapt to the changing landscape in order to best capitalize on these opportunities for their clients.
At FWV, we fully embrace and incorporate long-form content and storytelling across our client portfolio and within our agency’s film production arm, Prix Productions. FWV regularly develops blog content for the Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau (WCVB), marketing the destination to both in- and out-of-state visitors by creating weekend trip itineraries and roundups of must-try activities and restaurants, for example. These pieces provide more details and tell a more holistic story of the area’s offerings than a short social media caption.
Prix Productions is set to produce both a feature film and documentary adapted from the best-selling memoir, “Not Without Hope,” telling the story of the boating accident that left Nick Schuyler, NFL players Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith, and Schuyler’s best friend, Will Bleakley, stranded at sea. The feature aims to inspire hope and strength, bringing the story to life and honoring both its tragedy and triumph through film. This is just one of several projects on the horizon for Prix.
Video storytelling isn’t exclusive to just film either. FWV worked with long-time client Wrangler on the brand’s “Legends” video series, featuring the extraordinary stories of everyday heroes, like U.S. Army veteran Zach Thomas and the Federation of Black Cowboys in New York City. Longer video content like this makes it possible for a brand to share its values and identity while creating a connection with its audience. FWV has won several industry awards for the campaign, including a gold award for Best Visual Storytelling Campaign from Bulldog Reporter.
As Bill Gates famously noted, “Content is King.” Content will continue to evolve as our culture and technology changes, but in any form, it will always offer unique ways to entertain and educate your brand’s audiences.