The Surprising Comeback of Long-Form Content in 2025: What It Means for Your Business

TLDR: Long-form content is making a powerful resurgence in 2025, with 70% of marketers planning to increase production. Despite assumptions about short attention spans, audiences are craving depth. For SMBs and thought leaders, long-form content delivers four key benefits: superior SEO performance, deeper audience engagement, enhanced brand authority, and more effective lead generation. With a strategic approach, you can harness these advantages without overwhelming your resources.

You’ve probably noticed it yourself lately. Amidst the sea of 15-second videos and punchy social posts, something unexpected is happening: long-form content is making a triumphant comeback.

If you’re running a small or medium-sized business, or positioning yourself as a thought leader, this shift presents a significant opportunity – but only if you know how to leverage it effectively.

As someone who’s been guiding businesses through content strategy shifts for nearly two decades, I’ve seen trends come and go. But this resurgence of long-form content isn’t just a passing fancy – it’s backed by compelling data and delivering real results for businesses ready to embrace it.

For years, we’ve been told that attention spans are shrinking and that nobody reads anymore. This conventional wisdom pushed many businesses toward exclusively short-form content – snippets, reels, and quick-hit posts designed to grab fleeting attention.

But this approach is creating serious challenges:

• Discoverability issues: Short content often lacks the keyword depth and comprehensive information that search engines reward
• Surface-level engagement: Brief interactions rarely build the trust needed for meaningful business relationships
• Undifferentiated expertise: When everyone shares the same quick tips, your unique value proposition gets lost
• Limited conversion paths: Without depth, you have fewer opportunities to guide prospects toward meaningful action

The businesses we work with often come to us frustrated that despite their social media efforts, they’re not seeing meaningful traffic, engagement, or – most importantly – conversions.

Recent data tells a compelling story about this shift. According to industry research, 68% of marketers increased their long-form content production last year, and 70% plan to produce even more in the coming year.

Even more surprisingly, younger audiences – often assumed to prefer shorter content- are embracing this trend. Nearly half of 25-34 year-olds expressed enthusiasm for more long-form content.

Why this renaissance? Four primary factors are driving the change:

Google’s recent algorithm updates, including its Helpful Content system, explicitly reward content that demonstrates Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-A-T).

For small to medium businesses, this means:

• Comprehensive answers to customer questions rank higher in search results
• Articles between 1,900-2,400 words typically outperform shorter pieces
• Long-form content naturally targets multiple keywords, increasing your visibility
• Higher dwell time signals to search engines that your content is valuable

Contrary to the “shrinking attention span” myth, audiences will absolutely engage with longer content when it’s relevant and valuable. The key is quality – not brevity.

For thought leaders, this means:

• Your analysis and insight can be properly developed and contextualised
• Readers who value your expertise will gladly invest time in your perspective
• Comprehensive resources build a loyal audience that returns for future content
• Deeper content satisfies information needs more completely, improving user experience

Building brand authority and thought leadership requires more than posting frequently – it demands substance.

For SMB owners and industry experts:

• Detailed case studies and comprehensive guides demonstrate true expertise
• Long-form content provides space to showcase your unique perspective and methodology
• In-depth analysis positions you as a leader rather than a follower
• Authoritative content often leads to speaking opportunities, media mentions, and industry recognition

Perhaps most importantly, long-form content supports your bottom line by moving prospects through your funnel more effectively.

Our clients see:

• Higher-quality leads who are already educated about their services
• Valuable content assets that serve as effective lead magnets
• Detailed case studies that overcome objections and accelerate decisions
• Content that continues generating leads for months or years after publication

Despite these benefits, many business owners and thought leaders worry about the resources required for long-form content. Here’s a practical approach that works for busy professionals:

Rather than trying to produce long-form content weekly, begin with one comprehensive resource on your core expertise. This might be:

• An ultimate guide to solving your clients’ most pressing problem
• A detailed case study showcasing your most impressive results
• A research-backed analysis of industry trends and implications
• A comprehensive FAQ addressing your prospects’ top questions

A well-crafted long-form piece can fuel your content calendar for weeks:

• Extract key points for social media posts
• Turn sections into shorter blog posts
• Create infographics from statistics or processes
• Develop email sequences expanding on specific aspects

The best long-form content continues working for you long-term:

• Address perennial challenges in your industry
• Update your cornerstone content periodically to keep it relevant
• Build internal links between shorter posts and your comprehensive resources
• Track which topics generate the most engagement and develop those further

Success with long-form content isn’t just about views – it’s about business impact:

• Track organic search rankings for target keywords
• Monitor time on page and engagement metrics
• Note which content generates leads and consultations
• Assess the quality of prospects who engage with comprehensive content

As attention becomes increasingly fragmented, the businesses that provide depth and substance will stand out. Long-form content isn’t just a marketing tactic – it’s an investment in your authority, visibility, and business growth.

At Finesse Group, we help businesses develop content strategies that balance brevity and depth, ensuring you connect with audiences at every stage of their journey without stretching your resources too thin.

Want to discuss how a strategic long-form content approach could benefit your specific business? Book a free 30-minute consultation and let’s explore how to make this trend work for you.