Last updated on September 25th, 2022 at 06:17 am
It’s been proven time and time again that long-form content is more popular than ever before on the internet. However, simply posting long-form content in a long block of text will not be enough to win over and engage your audience.
You need to know how to format long-form content in WordPress in the right way if you want people to stay on your page. How should long-form content be optimized when posting via WordPress? Learn from our five tips on how to ensure that your long-form content is formatted the right way today.
Formatting Long-Form WordPress Content
Formatting long content for easy readability, better clickability, and the best search results can be time-consuming, so let these five tips help you:
Tip #1: Always Add Images
If long-form content were nothing more than words, it would indeed be hard to get through. Long-form content that performs well, however, is packed full of interesting and useful images. It’s been shown that breaking up text with visual stimulation can help readers keep moving down the page as they take in the content.
Breaking up the content so that it is easier to digest is nearly always the right choice. By adding just one image to your content, you can increase its readability and reach. In fact, articles with one image for every 75 to 100 words get the most shares.
Images can come in many forms, such as:
- Graphic visuals
- Infographics
- Portraits
- Event photos
- Stock photography
Choose what visual representations make the most sense with your content, and be sure only to use visuals that you have permission to publish.
Tip #2: Add A Table Of Contents
Another quick and easy way to make a long piece of content easier for readers to connect with is to add a table of contents. Even if you write 2,000 words about a topic, not all readers will want to read the whole article to find what they are looking for.
A table of contents provides an easy way for them to skim the article to the areas that interest them most. It is possible to make your own table of contents manually. If you don’t know how to do that appropriately, a simple plugin called the Easy Table of Contents plugin on WordPress streamlines the process.
Tip #3: Format for Engagement
Ensure that as you increase your article’s word count, you are also increasing the number of engaging writing tactics you are using. Simply having more words is not enough; be sure you use your words in the right ways.
Utilize these writing formats for more engaging content:
- Add bullet points
- Consider using listicles
- State problems and then provide solutions clearly
- Use many “why” and “how” questions
- Keep sentences and paragraphs short
- Reference high-quality resources for further explanations
- Personalize your content
- Break up the page with white space
Doing these things as you work on your content will be easier for readers to engage with it, no matter how long the article is.
Tip #4: Do the Work Once With Wordable
Have you ever spent time or hired an editor to work on an article only to have to do the work again after pasting the content into WordPress? Moving content from Google Docs to WordPress can cause delays since you need to redo the editing work if your editors collaborate on Google Docs.
By using a premium tool like Wordable, you can cut down on the amount of time it takes to edit and format long-form content. Wordable allows you to link your accounts so that you can import fully edited work to WordPress directly from Google Docs. Stop redoing work that you’ve already put time and money into; do it once with Wordable.
Tip #5: Try Story-Focused Plugins
Those of you creating sites that entirely focus on long-form content and storytelling may benefit from adding specialty plugins to your WordPress. There are many plugins, such as the Press75 Long Form Story, specifically made for these purposes.
This tool, and many others like it, highlight intuitive ways to break up your long-form content for a more engaging story. From adding columns to breaking up text with a section quote or heading, you can easily do these things with the right plugin.
BONUS TIP: Consult with a WooCommerce Development Agency to get your e-commerce side booming on your site.
Keep Your Content Flowing
The main reason that you need to ensure your long-form content is formatted properly is to keep visitors interested in your page. If your content immediately discourages people from reading on, you won’t have a chance to convert to sales or an expanded audience.
What is the point of continuing to put effort into your content if you are constantly pushing readers away? Take some time to learn about the right way to format long-form content using the tips presented today. It’ll pay off in the long run!
