So… this is a blog.
You know it’s a blog because when you go to the Likeable Lab website and click on the ‘Blog’ tab, you end up here.
Also because of its style and length. It’s conversational, informal and far too long to be a social media post.
Or is it?
A trend is emerging on Instagram where, shock horror, people are writing lengthy soliloquies.
Some people are scribing… wait for it… hundreds of words, with pure disregard for the unspoken rule that Instagram is primarily a platform for pretty pictures.
But that’s the thing with social media. It’s constantly evolving and, like any vehicle for communication, its direction is dictated by those behind the steering wheel.
With the rise in digitalism came a hunger for bite-sized nuggets of content that were easily digestible.
The ‘less is more’ approach called for copy that was clipped and cool.
But is our hunger for ‘fast content’ waning? Is the proliferation of puns and emojis becoming like empty calories. A quick fix but not satiating. Are we seeing the emergence of a collective craving for wholefood content, rich in real conversations?
This trend towards longform social media copy is in its infancy, but it’s definitely on the rise, and it’s coming to a phone near you. So be prepared to scroll… and scroll some more.
Apart from the risk of getting scroller’s finger (that’s a thing right?), there are definite pluses for social media marketing.
Organic engagement, or any engagement for that matter, is getting harder and harder to achieve.
But with longform copy you can tell more of a story. Something hearty that the reader can tuck into. Something that starts conversations.
A longer word count enables you to:
Educate
With more words you can move beyond content that entertains, and start to build in some weighty messaging that shows off your expertise, and in turn strengthens your brand.
Motivate and inspire
As human beings we are naturally aspirational and constantly looking for ways to better ourselves and our lives. If you want to take your audience beyond #hairgoals and #scrunchies, longer stories that share real experiences build a community of engaged followers that won’t dump you for the next hair trend.
Optimise
When it comes to blogs and SEO, longer is always better. Google loves long form content. The longer the copy, the more search hits you’re likely to get.
With greater word counts on social media comes the ability to repurpose blog content. Okay, so maybe don’t post a 1000-word blog on Instagram (although if you do, we’d be interested to know how you get on), but you can edit it into a shorter version without losing the main message of what you’re saying.
Connect
If brevity is the soul of wit, then what is expansiveness the soul of?
If we were to hazard a guess, we’d say ‘connection’.
Emotional connection can happen in the briefest of moments – a look, a touch, a gesture. But when communicating via a digital medium, words are key in conveying the subtleties of your message.
Storytelling is as old as humankind. By ‘spinning a yarn’ and creating a narrative, you draw people in on a deeper level.
And, essentially, that’s what marketing is all about. People believing in you, feeling that they have an affinity with your brand and, ultimately, employing your services or buying from you.
So, fair scribes, go forth and write with wild abandon… Find writing onerous? We love to write. Give us a call.
