How to Write a Listicles? (Example + Ideas)

Regardless of what people think about listicles, there is no doubt that they give a large amount of information in small and easy-to-read sections. The quality of blog content increases day by day, and listicles are only getting a bad reputation. However, it is unfortunate, but there is a need to understand it. There is plenty of high-quality content posted on the internet. It means that the listicles certainly have a great place in the world of high-quality blog content. However, listicles can be susceptible to plagiarism due to their structured nature. It often covers common and trending topics that lead them to plagiarism. Consequently, it becomes essential to check plagiarism of content online.

Listicles are important and help you generate high-quality content and engage the reader. Over here, we will dive into what is a listicle and how to write it?

What is a Listicle?

The listicles definition (“list posts”) is simply an article made up of lists with ideas and items. Many people assume that BuzzFeed has invented listicle content, but the fact is another way around; such articles have existed for a long time. However, Buzzfeed is the one that has made the listicle articles popular as online content. In addition, the content creators and digital marketers also feel easy to present information in bite-size portions. 

Listicles help in producing content easily, and it is also more enjoyable while consuming. They are surrounded around lists, and the information is expanded on each list item with additional information for making the content useful for the readers. 

Why Are Listicles Important in Content Marketing?

There are several types of content that can be utilized for boosting your content marketing strategy. One of the most effective forms of content is jotting down listicles. The listicles are the one that provides a large amount of information in segments. The listicles are also incredibly shareable on social media. There is a natural inclination in the readers to get drawn toward list posts. The listicles are the ones that make the reader know what to expect. 

Additionally, the listicles are also easy to scan, and a number-based headline will certainly increase your click-through rate in comparison to a standard headline. Now, after getting to know that listicle content is a valuable addition to your content marketing strategy, let’s get to know about the nuts and bolts of how to write a list-based post.

If there are content gaps in the content, then the reader will not be able to comprehend how long the post will be. The list-based articles are also the ones that make drier and dense articles easier to read and skim. It is because the article is broken into several sections. Therefore, the listicle versions are less intimidating for the readers. 

How to Write a Listicle?

Writing down a listicle article is easy; all you need is to open up a blank document and list a bunch of things, and the listicle is ready. However, penning down a listicle that has the potential to drive traffic and people want to read it is quite complicated. So let’s get to know how you can start writing a listicle blog post:

1. Chose A Topic

Choosing the right topic that fits a list format; otherwise, the article won’t earn as many clicks as you expected. There are some topics that have a tendency to fit into a list-based article. The how-to guides can also be broken down into distinct steps for making lists. Here are some of the listicle examples that can help you understand better.

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These listicle ideas help you determine whether a topic can be listicle or not. You simply need to google search for the targeted keyword and get to know whether a list can be made against the keyword or not. Suppose there are a number of listicles articles, then you can write great content against that particular keyword. However, it also indicates that the searchers are also looking for list-based articles against that particular keyword. Therefore, you need to choose the topic wisely to avoid any mishap.

2. Outline Listicle Content Points

After choosing the right topic and targeted keyword, you now need to get into the listicle content. You can start out by looking at the content produced by your competitors. After that, you need to brainstorm and jot down all the points you think are relevant to your listicle. After that, go through all the points that you have written down. You need to organize them in the best way possible and also merge the redundant points. You also need to split any item that appears to be weighty. Along with that, you can cover the topic thoroughly so that the points may not be left out.

If you are creating a step-by-step guide, then there is a need to add up examples to explicitly explain the points. While writing the content, you also need to make sure that in-depth information is added up where necessary. It will help you to make the content detailed.

3. Number the List Items

The creation of lists in a listicle format is quite good for giving a better user experience to the users or readers. While the users scroll down, giving out a numbered list to them will give a sense of progress. It also helps in giving out a feeling of accomplishment. It helps the readers to be motivated and keep reading. The readers will be able to keep track of their progress through numbered lists, especially when it comes to lengthy list posts. 

The numbering of points is also helpful when sharing or referencing a specific point. Referring to the section in an article is certainly difficult in comparison to a point. Many people often ask how many points you are required to use. However, there is no set standard or pattern for it, but you can use a figure like 10.

On the contrary, the odd numbers are catchier, and they pique the reader’s interest. It also depends on the topic you are writing down and the competition. If your competitors write down 10 points, you can go for 25 or even 30. If the listicles in your niche are long enough, then a short snappy post can work best in such a scenario. 

4. Add Interesting Images

There is no doubt that retaining users with just a wall of text is not easy. The images contribute a lot to making your content more visually stimulating. There is an essential ingredient of a successful listicle. It also helps in improving the readability of posts for increasing traffic. The images and gifs are the ones that capture the readers’ attention easily. People tend to follow steps elaborated in images instead of the word alone. 

The articles that images are likely to perform better than those without images. The listicles articles of Buzzfeed are a classic example of it. They include numerous images; you will feel tempted to scroll down and view one after the other. However, you also need to ensure that your chosen images are relevant to the content. If you add unnecessary images in your content, then there are chances you will get no results out of it, and then it will also increase your bounce-back rate. Getting assistance with the image search can prove to be helpful as they can help you find relevant images according to your query.

Adding up custom photos is ideal when choosing images for the listicle article. For example, suppose you are reviewing products in your article, then adding relevant images of those products will be perfect for retaining the user and getting their attention.

5. Avoid Clickbait Titles

You might be wondering that digital marketers always recommend clickbait titles. However, there are cases where creating clickbait titles isn’t a good practice. If your title is crappy and doesn’t deliver to the users, they will surely drive away. Titles that intrigue or pique curiosity is quite powerful, but if you aren’t delivering what the users need, they will disappoint them, and they drift away from your blog post. 

The listicles are generally considered to be clickbait, and they have a bad reputation, for that matter. There is no need to create sensational titles; otherwise, your listicle reputation will be spoiled. Headlines that deliver what they promise are a good-to-go option.

Why Are Listicles Popular?

The listicles are quite popular among the audience, no matter which particular niche you are working in, people will surely be interested in it. The content is easy to digest, as everything is broken into bite-size chunks. The average human attention is no more than 8 seconds; therefore, the articles that are hard to skim or digest are less likely to perform well. 

On the other hand, the listicle content structure is quite simple. You need to start it with an introduction and then move on to the list of ideas or items. In the end, you need to add up a conclusion. The structure makes it easy to produce content in comparison to other types of posts.

The listicles are also popular because their structure is predictable, which gives a sense of satisfaction. Digital marketers also love listicles because they certainly get a high chunk of clicks. 

Bottom Line

The content marketing strategies are cropped every other day. The only constant thing is the creation of high-quality content. Now, digital marketers are smart enough to know the importance of high-quality content, and they are investing their resources to impress the readers by delivering value to them. The content format doesn’t matter a lot; all you need is to formulate great content to generate traffic and leads. 

The listicle posts are truly the one that delivers quality content and an easy-to-understand structure. It helps in turning the audience into avid readers. All you need is to carry out the content with the right angle, format, and topic and add extra efforts to get the desired results. You also need to bear in mind that the listicles serve the same purpose as any other piece of content. You need to work in the right way to attract the audience to your services or products.

Furthermore, always try to put your efforts in the best way possible. Then, you can sit down with your team and brainstorm the challenges your readers might be facing. Afterwards, you can develop the right strategy to ensure that everything is carried out smoothly.