Blogs have allowed people to access that ‘human moment’ with others and it could be argued the growth in blogs has led to an increase in long-form journalism and feature stories included on news sites. Many online news site have blog sections, such as The Guardian or The Huffington Post, and the articles take the shape of either a feature article or an opinion piece, a type of feature story. The question hangs if this longer style of writing will last given that people's attention spans are decreasing.
Feature articles can be written in the third person, in the case of long-form journalism, or they can take on first person and use inclusive language like ‘we’ and ‘us’. Regardless of the style, it’s a different way of writing that allows a deeper relationship with the reader. In terms of shareability, these articles are more likely to be shared and liked due to the personal focus.
The Washington Post includes an interesting read on the future of long-form journalism. Although the article is a little dated, it's still a relevant topic.