How to Write a Feature Article That Stands Out?

⬇️ Prefer to listen instead? ⬇️

92% of consumers want storytelling in branded content, increasing the impact of feature articles.
Companies using comprehensive content strategies report significantly higher lead generation.
Long-form content over 1,500 words ranks better in Google’s search engine results.
Articles with strong structure and storytelling double the user time-on-page.
Automating parts of content creation can save up to 75% of production time.

Feature articles are powerful tools for telling stories and showing brand authority. They go into topics deeply, unlike quick blog posts or news bites. They build feeling and trust through stories and research. Using feature article writing well helps brands influence buying choices, improve SEO, and build loyal readers.

person reading long article at desk

Why Feature Articles Matter in Modern Marketing

Feature articles are more than just another piece of content. They are long articles meant to interest, teach, and inspire readers. People have short attention spans, but they still want in-depth content. Writing feature articles gives your brand an advantage by giving rich information through stories. For small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) and content creators, they help in several ways:

Showing You're an Expert: A well-researched article makes your brand look like a leader in your field.
Getting Found More Online: Long articles with keywords are liked by Google’s ranking system.
Giving Your Content Engine Fuel: One article can be used in email series, social media posts, and sales materials.

According to the Content Marketing Institute, 70% of B2B marketers say long-form content is key to their success. It works as main material, supports campaign messages, and makes the brand look stronger.

Parts of a Successful Feature Article

To write good feature articles, you need to know their basic parts. Each part helps guide the reader through the story:

Headline This is what gets attention first. It should be clear, show a benefit, and make people want to read more. Think of it as the way into your story.
Lede (Opening Paragraph) Write a strong start that pulls your reader in. You can describe a scene or share a surprising fact. The lede sets the feeling for the whole story.
Body This is where the story is. Use ways to tell a story to split the body into parts that are easy to read. Think of it as having a start (the setup), a middle (a problem), and an end (how it was fixed or what was learned).
Supporting Data & Quotes Add detail and trust with research, stats, and words from experts or customers. These things support what you say and make you more believable.
Call to Action (CTA) Every story should ask the reader to do something next. This could be signing up for a newsletter or reading another article. Give clear next steps.

According to data from Chartbeat (2022), articles with story parts and a clear structure keep users on the page twice as long on average.

writer typing at laptop with checklist

7 Steps for Writing Feature Articles That Stand Out

Writing feature content is about having a process as much as it is about writing skill. Use these steps for writing articles well over and over.

1. Choose a Good Topic

Writing effective feature articles starts with choosing the right subject. It should:

Connect with your target audience.
Fit into bigger talks happening in your industry.
Give a new point of view or idea.

Use tools like Google Trends, Reddit talks, or customer surveys to find out what your audience really cares about. The main thing is finding a topic you can cover in depth and with a story.

2. Research Well

Don’t just skim—look deep. Good research is key to a trustworthy article.

Places to look for information:

Talks with Experts: These give fresh, trust-building ideas.
Case Studies: Show how things changed and worked out.
Industry Reports: Use current data to support your ideas.
Customer Feedback: Use what customers say or their problems to show bigger points.

Content that is weak or old makes you look less credible. According to the Content Preferences Survey by Demand Gen Report, people who make decisions value information that is useful and well-researched.

3. Write a Headline and Subhead That Pull People In

Your headline needs to get attention without being misleading. Try for:

A clear message (the benefit is easy to see).
Something that makes people curious ("What's in it for me?").
Include keywords (like “how to write a feature article”).

Add a subhead that gives more information, explaining a bit about what the reader will find.

Examples:

Headline: "How to Write a Feature Article That Gets Leads and Builds Trust"
Subhead: "Use storytelling, planning, and SEO methods to create long articles that really help your business."

4. Write Your Lede

The start should:

Connect with readers in how they feel or think.
Hint at the story or idea that's coming.
Feel right for your brand.

You could start with a strong quote, a surprising stat, or a short story that links to the main subject. For example:

"Three months ago, no one at Jensen Analytics was talking about AI. Today, their productivity is up 40%—all thanks to one piece of long-form content."

5. Use Storytelling Methods

Stories stay with people. They help readers understand the message. To use storytelling in your writing:

Show Characters: Real or made-up people your audience can relate to.
Create Tension: Show a problem or challenge.
Move Toward a Solution: End by showing how the challenge was solved and what was learned.

Stories turn ideas into things people can remember and feel. OneSpot’s 2022 study found that 92% of consumers want good storytelling in brand content.

6. Include Facts

Adding case studies, expert thoughts, and statistics makes storytelling more believable. Use:

Quotes from known experts
Industry numbers or studies (link to them)
Your own company's data or results (when it makes sense)

Supporting your story with facts keeps your content trustworthy and makes your brand look credible.

7. End with a Clear Aim

Every article should finish well. Ways to end include:

A main idea or lesson learned
A challenge for the reader to think about
A simple call to action (like, look at other articles, download a guide)

The goal is for the reader to feel happy, informed, and ready for the next step with your brand.

Tips for Research and Ideas

Getting ideas sets up writing that works. To find good angles:

Look at FAQs and support tickets: These show exactly what your audience is asking or stuck on.
Follow talks in Slack groups or on LinkedIn related to your industry.
Check what competitors are doing with blogs, but don’t copy. Look for what’s missing or how you can say things differently.
Use tools with AI help like BuzzSumo, SparkToro, or Answer the Public to find popular questions.

Mix what you know about your audience with new trends to make your articles timely.

Crafting a Story: Why Storytelling Works

People pay attention when there's a story. Even in B2B, readers like stories. Add parts of good storytelling to how you structure your writing:

Beginning: Set the scene. Who is involved? What's important?
Middle: Show the problems or how things changed.
End: Show the solution, the lesson, or what happens next.

Use storytelling in how you structure things and how you write. Even using short personal stories, comparisons, and words that create feeling helps articles stick.

Storytelling is not an option—it builds stronger brand loyalty and trust. The OneSpot study shows this, reporting that brand content with feeling boosts engagement by over 70%.

computer screen showing seo dashboard

Using SEO: Get Found, Stay Helpful

SEO is key so people can find you online—but it’s not just about making search engines happy. Good feature article writing with SEO means finding a balance between keywords and being easy to read.

Start by picking a main keyword (like, how to write a feature article). Then:

Put related keywords in different spots without putting too many.
Use words with similar meanings to sound natural (like, narrative writing, content marketing tips).
Put the main keyword in:

Title and description people see in search results

The first 100 words
Subheadings and text for images
The web address (if possible)

Linking to other pages on your site from the article helps show authority over time. According to Backlinko (2023), pages that use headers, natural keyword use, and internal links rank better in top search results.

Making It Easy to Scan

Readers often look quickly before they decide to read carefully. How you set up the text makes a difference in whether someone leaves right away or stays.

Ways to do this include:

Short paragraphs (2–4 lines)
H2 and H3 subheadings to group ideas and help search engines
Lists with bullets or numbers to show main points clearly
Quotes set apart, bold text, and pictures to break up the text

Add pictures to make your message stronger. HubSpot says articles with images get 94% more views than those without.

Also think about how it looks on phones—more than 60% of users read content on their phones.

Edit Carefully (and Get Help)

First drafts are rarely perfect. Good writing gets better when you edit it. Ways to edit include:

Cut things you repeated: Less is often better.
Check for consistency: Keep the same style and feeling.
Read closely: Find mistakes in grammar or how sentences are put together.
Check facts: Make sure claims or data are correct.

Tools like Grammarly or Hemingway App are useful, but nothing replaces a human editor—especially for tricky or specific industry topics.

Editing together in programs like Notion and Google Docs helps make sure marketing, sales, and brand teams agree on things.

person using laptop with AI tool open

Growing with Automation While Keeping It Human

We live in a time when AI can make content creation faster—without taking away your voice. Smart content teams use AI to:

Make outlines or ideas for subheads
Make existing articles better for SEO
Format for publishing in many places (blog, email, social)

Used in a planned way, automation can cut production time by 50 to 75% and give your team time to focus on bigger plans, building relationships, and making things just right.

Be careful: Content made only by AI can feel empty. Let machines handle structure and making things better for search, while you provide the creative part.

Reusing & Sharing Feature Articles Smartly

Don't let your feature article sit alone. Smart sharing makes it work harder.

Turn long content into things like:

Posts on LinkedIn you can swipe through
Small tips for email campaigns
Pictures with info or short videos for Instagram
Notes or ideas for podcast episodes

Change your main message based on where you share it and who you’re talking to. For example:

For SMBs: Focus on local connection or success stories from customers.
For B2B audiences: Point out new ideas, special ways of doing things, or results that show return on investment.

Let one well-written feature article be the start for a whole quarter of planned messages.

creative workspace with laptop and sketches

Balancing Creative Plans with Smart Tools

You don’t need to be a reporter to write great feature articles. You need a plan, to be steady, and to want to understand your audience's world.

Mix the skill of telling stories with the practical side of structure and data. Use tools when they help. Put human connection first where it matters most.

Ready to make your brand stronger with content that gets results and connects emotionally? Writing feature articles makes your message last, makes your brand matter, and makes your team work better.