Best Practices for Writing Valuable List Posts
The list post, aka listicle, includes text, pictures and videos arranged in a numbered list format.
Once upon a time, list posts were all the rage, even going viral on sites such as Buzzfeed:
They get frowned upon a lot these days. The main reason for the hate is that too many of these listicles share content that people do not find valuable.
Still, many blog owners and content managers go the route of churning out these types of articles. You see them on both WordPress blogs, as well as on publishing platforms like Medium.
Despite the bad reputation, list posts are actually important to create.
Why?
They are great for SEO and improving website traffic
Readers tend to share them a lot on social media
It is easy for skim readers to find the details they are looking for due to the layout of list posts
They make content easier to remember
Listicles easily draw attention in Google search results
Studies show that 80% of readers never read beyond the headline of blog posts. A listicle with is expected to at least encourage readers to click. The simple reason is that readers are intrigued by the number placed in the headline. When it comes on to list posts, the headline is extremely important. But the resulting content has to be exceptional for this strategy to work in your favor. Pure clickbait headlines in list posts breaks the reader’s trust and can result in them avoiding your website altogether.
This leads to the big question – the reason this blog post was created – how do you make great or better list posts? Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind the next time you set out to create one.
Avoid the fluff
One of the main reasons why list posts are widely abhorred is because a lot of them contain a lot of fluff. In a bid to fill out a pre-arranged number of tips or steps, useless content is added to fill up the space. In the end, the content may fail to explain to readers the how, why, what, where or when. Of course, it is quite likely that the items you are listing are old information. That doesn’t mean you should simply regurgitate what’s already out there. Include research data where possible and look for new information and details that would add a new spin on the topic.
Ensure your list post provides an answer
As a general rule, content marketing is about helping the target audience solve a problem. When someone clicks on a post with the headline “5 Security Measures for New Homeowners,” they are likely to be actual newbie homeowners, who want to know more about things they can do to make their recently bought homes more secure. Likewise, your listicle needs to tell them why these five measures you are suggesting are worth their time. Even if all the points do not apply to the reader, many will be satisfied if at least one of your tips gives them an idea as to how they can solve the problem they are having.
Find an interesting angle
Apart from being a list article, is there anything else you can do to make it stand out? This is where finding a great angle comes in. Giving an interesting slant to your list post can mean the difference between boring the reader to the point of exiting your website and keeping them glued from start to finish.
Finding an interesting angle is sometimes one of the most difficult parts of writing a list post. Here are a few tips:
Make a controversial or weird claim (but be sure to back it up with facts and statistics).
Make statements that are contrary to what people expect. For example, “5 Reasons Why Songwriters Should Practice Writing Very Bad Songs” would be a contrary topic for novice songwriters who are looking for ways to improve their songwriting abilities. There is a high chance they may decide to read the article to find out what the writer is getting at.
Ask a common question and then answer it in a unique way. Here is an example: “How Important is Sleep to Your Body? 10 Ways Getting Adequate Shut Eye Boosts Your Immune System.”
Pick a rare or niche subject to write about.
Write about what you know
It is easier to write a valuable article if you know what you are talking about. If the post sounds generic, lacking words and phrases that only someone in the particular industry would be aware of, readers can often tell if it was created by someone with expertise on the topic or not. In addition, writing about a subject you are unfamiliar with can result in a vast amount of research time.
Work towards an overarching end goal
Are you trying to attract more buyers, grow your readership, or establish yourself as an expert in your field? All of the above? Whatever the case, having an overall content strategy will help you to create list posts with a definite purpose. On the other hand, creating random list posts with no specific goal in mind will lead to content that is just as aimless. Even if you write a few that have valuable information, the lack of direction will result in readers being unable to connect the dots as to what you are trying to achieve.
Focus on providing valuable content
Google searching certain topics may make it seem as if list posts are about who can come up with the most number of points in a single article. That is not the case. For starters, most readers will shy away from reading an article that mentions high numbers such as 50+ things. The best approach when writing list posts is to focus on crafting valuable content. If that means you wind up with just three or four points then so be it. Likewise, if the article requires 15 points to get your point fully across, go ahead.
Related: 5 Brilliant Ways to Energize Your Blog Post Titles Using Number Psychology
Spend time coming up with the right headline
Many listicle headlines are simply clickbait. They lure the reader in and then offer little evidence to support what was promised. You want your headlines to be as potent as the body of your list posts, so you need to start adding value from the very first word. This means spending time to work on coming up with a suitable headline. You can do this by writing down several possible headlines then picking the best one that captures the essence of what the post is about.
Although numbered list posts are severely overused, people are still prone to reading them. Putting some real thought into creating your list posts, therefore, can allow you to reap the potential benefits.
Until next time!
Casey
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