First, you need to choose what type of listicle youre going to write. Affiliate links allow you to earn money by promoting, The Most Frequently Asked Questions About ChatGPT, Ranking on Google: Using ChatGPT to Choose the Right Topics for Your Content, How to Create a Surfer SEO Content Brief for on-page optimization, How to find Low Competition Keywords in SEMrush. That's intentional. This can be anything you like and will largely depend on why youre writing the article. Read world-renowned marketing content to help grow your audience, Read best practices and examples of how to sell smarter, Read expert tips on how to build a customer-first organization, Read tips and tutorials on how to build better websites, Get the latest business and tech news in five minutes or less, Learn everything you need to know about HubSpot and our products, Stay on top of the latest marketing trends and tips, Join us as we brainstorm new business ideas based on current market trends. workflow While there arent any real set formats for your list article, the rough categories are: Each has a different appeal and its up to you to decide which best suits your goals with the article, along with what you can provide in terms of the angle you approach it from. It doesnt use clickbait techniques, and it has substance to it. Some listicles explore an incident in your past and how it can help others. 4) My Favorite Things: One of the most popular favorite things style blogs ever is Oprah Winfreys Favorite Things. A good example of a mind sport is chess. Just wondering! The game of ridiculously random lists! Generally consisting of 5 or more items, a listicle format is a great way to get readers to engage with content and generate traffic. Yes, they bring simplicity and order to stories. That way you dont have to keep looking them up to know what you need to aim for and surpass. Keywords are essentially the words that search engines associate your article with. If your sources have citations, follow them until there are no more links to follow. Hidden in the vast, sprawling hills of Kentucky are many surprises. Short listicles are easier to write than longer ones, but they dont provide as much value to readers. Shorts - they're basically business casual. Theres definitely something appealing about the number in the title. then you've probably got yourself a high-quality list! The rule of thumb is: just be comprehensive. Heres an excellent example of a recent, high-quality listicle: It has a lengthy intro that digs into the topic and tells you why you should care. The primary hallmark of a thin listicle or a clickbait list is that each list item has a heading, but the actual content of each post is an image. A listicle is an article that contains a series of bulleted lists, each with three or more items on it. This includes a variety of sub-categories such as family games, children's games and ice breakers that may be used at meetings and events.A game that is played verbally without any equipment or physical . People dont want to spend too much time reading long paragraphs of text. Fashion Reels like this highlight how brands can squeeze so much out of a short-form video. Lists are not rotting your brain or lowering the standards of journalism. They are, essentially, themed compendia of micro-articles, each one self-contained. Each item of your list will include a few sentences, or multiple paragraphs to explain the list item. If an existing point needs changing, the format will make it easy to find and tweak. This is an easy one. Hi Sharon, you're welcome! Arent Listicles Penalized by Google and Facebook? Lets hop on a call and talk about what we can do to help. Here are some elements that make a great listicle: 1) Easy to Read: This is probably the most important element of a listicle. Because many states regulate hunting, it's important for hunting enthusiasts to be more proactive. Yet on the other hand, marketers have hijacked them to use our natural love of lists to lure us into their sites. It was unorganized and all over the place. BuzzFeed Listicles from Buffalo Games | Full Game Review - YouTube Today TTPM is reviewing BuzzFeed Listicles from Buffalo Games. 9) Best of List: Scott Taylor published a blog about the top neighborhoods in San Diego for Millenials. How Should You Plan and Write a Listicle? Make up your own lists of seven things that fit a given. A listicle is simply data in the form of a list; an example would be " 8 Tips . No wonder list posts have a terrible reputation. Let me know what you think in the comments below! Real examples are ideal, but sometimes even a hypothetical one works just as great. Whatever you decide to use, make sure you have the appropriate permission levels to use it. Use quotes from famous authors or celebrities to show how popular the idea is. Content Powered is a blog management company that helps scale companies by creating helpful blog posts. 5) Images:Images add visual interest to your listicle. Sometimes a particular order might be more effective but, in general, any extra items can be added to the end of the list without disrupting whats already there. Finally, decide on the level of detail that will accompany your list and whether any extra material (eg, content upgrades) will be provided. At HubSpot, we don't agree. Listicles are also great for targeting the long-tail of a keyword, as theyre easy to write and read. listicles game examples Alternatively, examples of a category are named, until another player can guess what is the category. And it's consistently one of the most popular email newsletters in the world. Like 7 Ways to Clean Your Sink (Number 4 Is Astonishing!). Add a step to check for filler words and remove them. First, you need to choose your topic. This advice holds true for most blogging and article writing in general; the key is doing it consciously until it becomes a habit. Other times, it just becomes an exercise in frustration. So, there you have it - my addition to the roster of ways to use listicles for marketing. . Hes been a content marketer for over 10 years and writes for Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc, and many other publications on blogging and website strategy. Youve also seen normal lists and clickbait lists, and the line between the three of them is pretty blurry. That makes it easier to skim and easier to write. One of the best examples of this is Brian Deans skyscraper technique. "5 Steps to Do X"), and sometimes there won't be as obvious a story (e.g. It becomes a listicle primarily because its numbered items in an order. Do you think you could get away with writing a 200-word blog post for your marketing site? 15.Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. We create blog content that converts - not just for ourselves, but for our clients, too. Speaking of which, its time to move on to actually writing your listicle. For example, a checklist of SEO items to monitor. Even if there isnt a list which naturally fits a given topic, you can create one by looking at the subject with a certain angle. By checking these results you can see both the type of information your audience is looking for when they look up the topic and what quantity and quality of information youll have to surpass to get significant traffic. #1. This very listicle How-To post includes 10 steps for writing a listicle, because that's how many I thought were individually valuable and indicative of a high-quality list post for this particular subject. There is an almost unlimited number of ways in which you can use listicles to make your argument, explain a topic, sell a product, and so on, but I feel like thats enough to get the basic idea. If a competitor of yours writes the top 15 content marketing tools list, you can quickly write a top 35 content marketing tools post and blow theirs out of the water. Listicles are articles formatted into a list, usually focused around a particular niche, like: 5 best gaming laptops in 2020 Updated: Indoor cricket and indoor soccer are two such games. While we sometimes still write lists posts containing six or fewer items, we don't include the number in the title for those posts. The biggest indicator of a lousy list post is one that contains a ton of fluff and no real, valuable takeaways for the reader. return function(){return ret}})();rp.bindMediaToggle=function(link){var finalMedia=link.media||"all";function enableStylesheet(){link.media=finalMedia} I'm not as strict about this one as some list post purists, but in general, I agree that your listicle should have a consistent and parallel look. Have you seen how every website has a bevy of top 15 X lists? /*! 2. How many words is that post? A listicle can easily hit 3,000+ words, depending on the topic and the number chosen. Mind . I make each list item stand alone for very long lists and write more robust descriptions for categories. Then youve seen a Listicle. If your information isnt in some way unique to your own post, theres also little reason to link back to you instead of your sources. Great list posts are comprehensive, so they can get pretty long and unwieldy. Does that mean you should come up with three more lower-quality items just to achieve your goal of 14? This will mostly depend on what you feel suits your topic best, and what you think will be ideal for covering the points you want to in the most direct and interesting way. 6. The person who completely made up a DM from Seth Rogen . At best, thats thin content that will get ignored, and at worst, it can penalize you. If you're writing a list of best practices, you should only have best practices in your list sneaking a few examples in the list will just confuse your audience (and you can always create another listicle for examples, later on). Use the same header style to highlight your individual list items, and make sure it stands out. 4) How To Sleep Better In 94 Seconds They don't tell you to inspect the comfort of your mattress, but there are some good sleep tips here. The angle needs to provide value that nobody else can; otherwise, your post could be easily eclipsed by someone taking what youve written, adding their own expertise, and not even having to reference you. Listicles work for many of the same reasons that traditional lists do we just like to read them. Self care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life. Usually, they expand on each list item with additional information to make them more useful for readers. He has never received even a single Cy Young vote. The "Top Ten Best Ads of 2020" can be mostly visual, but it's still important you include advice your readers can use to create better ads for themselves. The truth is, they were, but also not really. Choose your keywords. Healthline created a list of 7 benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training. Genre: Time Loop Puzzle Game. Thanks for your comment! 4) Lists: If you create a listicle, you need to ensure a clear separation between each item in the list. Instead, try to use the conclusion to do something extra. You might read a fun listicle, like 'The Top 10 Movies of 2020', or a more informational one, like '7 Steps to Build a Website'. This is what comedian and writer for Parks and Recreation, Harris Wittels calls, 'false humility'.It allows the offender to boast his/her 'achievements' without any sense of shame or guilt. After reading that, most people will want to close the article and get on with their day. The Listicle Dilemma. Whatever you decide to do to beat your competitors, note it down in your plan along with the rough information, number of points, and level of detail in other posts. The most popular type of content among bloggers are how-to articles (77%), followed by listicles (57%) and news and trends (47%). Cheers. Do you? To start making money from writing listicles, you should focus on creating long listicles. Listicles are one of the most talked about devices on the web. 1. As for why they are so popular to produce, there are a few reasons (aside from their popularity with audiences): Listicles are easier to plan and write than traditional articles because they dont have to worry so much about the order of their points. When you sit down to start drafting your listicle, decide how granular you want to make your topic. You could write a listicle which is nothing more than a title, five sub-headings for each list item, and a picture or gif below each. 2. However, you shouldnt go overboard with them. Quick note; its always best to try to find the original source of your information to link back to rather than using a second-hand source. Before we dive into how to create your own listicle, let's explore a few examples to inspire you: Now that we've explored some examples, let's dive into how you can create a listicle of your own. James Parsons is the founder and CEO of Content Powered, a content creation company. Before you begin writing your listicle, conduct research to ensure your topic actually fits into a list-format. Fast Company published a list-style post using subheadings only rather than bullet points about what they learned teaching the top 1%. When we published "34 Millennial Stats That Marketers Need to Know", we broke up the statistics into five sections: "General Stats and Market Opportunities", "Social Media & Digital Habits", "Behaviors and Financial Factors", "Education and Work", and "Political and Societal Views": If some of our readers don't care about the average millennial's financial situation, they can easily scan the post and avoid that section. [c]2017 Filament Group, Inc. MIT License */ You have to choose what kind of listicle youll write before you even begin. Even then, its mostly the parenthetical that does it. 3. Some topics naturally fit into a list. 12 Minutes. They satisfy our need to consume and retain information with little effort. Thanks for subscribing to the Process Street Blog! Metacritic score: 76%. Free and premium plans, Content management software. 1. The first thing you need to know about writing a good listicle is that there are two kinds: short ones and long ones. What's in the box As an online retailer that publishes articles and content, it is important to understand the 3 primary kinds of BuzzFeed list Article formats as described by BuzzFeed's Editorial Director, Jack Shepherd: #1. if(link.addEventListener){link.addEventListener("load",enableStylesheet)}else if(link.attachEvent){link.attachEvent("onload",enableStylesheet)} Its beneficial to SEO efforts if the primary keywords are used in the subheadings. Our end-of-year support drive ends in 13 days, 2 hours and 50 minutes. Depending on how much of an expert you are on the subject, you may do more or less planning. Kindly replace the link with https://elitecustomessays.com/article-writing-writing-ideas-academic-work/ Dont forget to use bullet points! Save time creating blog posts with these free templates. Titanic.. 4. Not only will you have to heavily reference that post in your work to avoid plagiarism (which will only make its ranking stronger), but there is literally no reason for someone to read yours instead of whats already ranking. Viral listicles Here's some suggestions for making your listicles really count (pun intended). 7) Numbered List: Numbers work well in listicles because they are easy to read. You should be shooting for long-form content whenever possible, even in listicles. Google never really penalized listicles because they punished thin content, copied content, and valueless content. The format, however, is flexible. If youre writing on your personal blog it could be a topic that youve wanted to tackle for a while. When I was first getting started, Everyone has to start somewhere. My listicles tend to be: Lists of tools. First, we need to understand why listicles are so effective. Theyve been done to death, and a lot of us are sick of them. Examples of listicles done well What is a listicle? Examples, Writing Tips, and. homestead high school staff. For example, a list of WordPress plugins to boost your SEO. Search for your competition. The main thing to consider when selecting or creating an example is to keep it as relatable as possible to your readers. 3. People see lists and have been trained to think clickbait. Listicle | Board Game | BoardGameGeek - Help us reach our goal of 18k supporters this year! These Seven CEOs Explain Why. The Listicle. For shorter lists, I might write longer or multiple paragraphs for each item or create categories for information such as pricing, industry/niche, or subject for each. Just make sure everything makes sense. Add any extra information you want to work into your article. Hashtags are keywords that appear after a symbol. Here are just a few reasons: A listicle is a digital text that combines the words "list" and "article.". It's the core of a solid, long-lasting FAQ: What is a Listicle? At this point, you may also want to look for a unique angle for the topic, especially if the existing competition is fierce. Inside this tutorial: How to Create a Buzzfeed-Style Listicle. Whatever you choose, its worth creating a document in your writing app and taking notes on your choice. Listicles typically include a humorous title; numbered subtitles; a static or dynamic image; and text that elaborates on the subtitle and/or image. Every individual item on a listicle has, typically, 50-100 words worth of content. Number one was a great starting point, and number 10 made the most sense last, since that's likely the last thing you'd tweak when writing a list post. It has a defined and logical structure so users can browse to precisely what they want to see. Plus, it makes the content more interesting to read. Be unique! Sites like Buzzfeed have made this style of content incredibly popular, but it's been around for a long time. Then theres the mental aspect of listicles; its similar to the psychological effect of having a checklist or task list. Sitting down and saying you're going to write a list consisting of 14 items makes no sense. Finally, let's explore some listicle ideas to help your marketing team brainstorm highly engaging content for your readers. A statistic quote with a link is always beneficial. 6) Quotes: Quotes are another way to add personality to your listicle. 10. If you cant explain the value of the list item in that amount of space, youre not making a listicle; youre making a resource post. However, just because theyre easy to read and write doesnt mean you can be lazy with your content and expect to get away with it. The Help: During the civil rights movement of the 1960s, an aspiring . As we mentioned before, listicles can easily become unwieldy. In addition, AI tools including ChatGPT have been used to create portions of the content on this website. This website uses cookies. Listicles tell you what to expect. The key to avoiding this is knowing how to properly plan and write your content. Audiences have been exposed to so many listicles at this point that you can easily run the risk of being seen as producing clickbait or worthless drivel. 2 Listicles are extremely skimmable. Conservation. Smaller listicles can target long-tail keywords and feed into larger listicles and topic pillars as well. Carnival published a list-style article on what to pack for a cruise. I teach entrepreneurs how to get more website traffic, generate leads, and make more money online. Listicles can target core keywords while still hitting an array of related long-tail keywords. For instance, listicles about a certain film or TV show should be pitched right as that film or TV shows are set to come out. 2) How-To Guide: Ryan Fitzgerald published a listicle on his real estate website about how to sell a house by owner. Here are some examples: 1) Top List: Keller Williams Realty Las Vegas Summerlin included a top list of local mechanics in the Las Vegas area. I have a question- does this article actually qualify as a listicle? We'll explore a few more tactical pieces you might write for an ecommerce, B2C, or B2B company, but we'll also dive into some fun, "trendier" ideas if you work for a publication looking to expand your reach. Do your research into the topic and keyword. See more. Wolf's Gaming Blog Whether it's this travel piece from The Guardian, or this 101 ways to ruin a party listicle from VICE, they dominate the internet.. Listicles are the annoying younger sibling of the 'how-go' guide (and they're even more annoying that the inverted pyramid structure) but they're often essential reading if . For instance, in HubSpot's listicle "17 Fun (Not Cheesy) Ice Breaker Games Your Employees Will Enjoy", #6, Two Truths and a Lie, needed clarification for readers who haven't played the game before. Best of all, if readers are already familiar with some steps in the process, they can skip to sections most applicable to them. I noticed there is an error in the link indicated in the comment above. Always think twice before posting. An infographic is simply a visual way to display data in a chart or image. .rll-youtube-player, [data-lazy-src]{display:none !important;} As marketers, we're often tasked with writing about drier topics to educate our viewers and attract leads. It's unfortunate, but definitely understandable. Readers may also like to reference certain points on a list later or share them with others, and being able to refer to a specific number rather than having to say "I think it's near the bottom of the list" or "It's the fourth bullet point down" is a much more user-friendly experience for your blog audience. For example, if you work for a plumbing company and you're writing a listicle about the various ways you can unclog a drain, you might decide to stick to "The Top 4 Ways to Unclog a Drain," rather than writing a lengthy list post covering "The 50 Different Ways to Unclog a Drain.". If you do, it might become difficult to tell where one number ends and the next begins. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I was really nervous to have posted a listicle. When you write a listicle, it's extremely important for people to be able to skim it and pick out the most important points in just a minute or two. The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any. Each item has an associated image (even if its just a screenshot of their website) and a paragraph or two describing what it is and why its relevant. You generally want a primary keyword and a list of secondary keywords youll hit along the way. In general, clickbait can be taken as something which uses its title to promise something unrealistic or plain doesnt follow up on what its title claims to do. I'm a full-time blogger. Let's go!!! I wouldn't worry about a penalty as long as it is high-quality, unique content. For more information, check out our, How to Write a Listicle [+ Examples and Ideas], Download Now: Free Listicle Blog Post Template, 13 Influencer Marketing Campaigns to Inspire and Get You Started With Your Own, 6 Secrets to Achieving Work-Life Balance, According to HubSpot Marketing Managers, 10 Genius Ways To Cook Pasta That Actually Work (And Taste Amazing), 10 Literary Quotes That Perfectly Capture Parenthood, How To Design a Website in 8 Simple Steps, Email Deliverability: 5 Quick & Effective Ways to Increase It, 17 Fun (Not Cheesy) Ice Breaker Games Your Employees Will Enjoy, 34 Millennial Stats That Marketers Need to Know, 5 Steps to Create an Outstanding Marketing Plan [Free Templates]. If theres no citation but theres a reference to the source (eg, from a 2016 study) try entering the information into Google along with the rough source. Thank you so much! listicle definition: 1. a newspaper, magazine, or online article that is in the form of a list: 2. a newspaper. You can easily drown in a sea of particularly low-quality, low-value listicles like the "7 Signs You're Monica from Friends" post I read earlier. Your email address will not be published. It is a portmanteau of list and testicle, because they are usually bollocks. I often make a spreadsheet of tips, with the ones I can think of, the ones I can find, the ones in other lists on the same topic, and so on. Dont believe me? It is a competitive game requiring a certain set of cognitive skills to succeed. If You're a Leader, You Need to Accept Some Harsh Truths. Identify the logical order of your instructions and use numbered lists Use headings and bold to identify key stages in your step-by-step guide Use photos and videos as much as possible to provide context to your reader List-based content style Lists are a great way to consolidate information and provide your user with a quick and simple read. 8) Bolding: Bolding is a great way to emphasize certain words within your article. Some hate them. For example, unrealistic claims could be: As long as you stay away from making bold claims which are completely (or even mostly) impossible to meet, you should be fine. In some cases, you might turn a personal essay into a listicle this way. SEO expert and Web blogger @ elitecutomessays.com, Hi 8) Items to include: when packing, camping, or moving. Whether you're new to short-form video or just need some fresh ideas, we've got you covered. Thats what this post will help to avoid and prevent. Get a Website
For example, The teacher might give words like- BZG, CZT, ZND, ZPPLE. Your listicle shouldn't just give readers a list of things to do and expect them to figure out how to do those things themselves. setTimeout(function(){link.rel="stylesheet";link.media="only x"});setTimeout(enableStylesheet,3000)};rp.poly=function(){if(rp.support()){return} Find affiliate links if youre writing a list post about a product or service. This is a typical listicle; its a long list, its punchy with short descriptions, but its not too short. The listicles articles of Buzzfeed are a classic example of it. (function(w){"use strict";if(!w.loadCSS){w.loadCSS=function(){}} For example, the listicles we've all seen on Buzzfeed are advertorials. This website contains affiliate links that benefit me. Keywords can guide your content, but you dont need to be ruled by them. Most listicles (and articles in general) have lackluster conclusions which either summarize whats already been said or give a short sentence with vague comments. 2. Listicles can make excellent bottom of funnel pieces of content. It has been your support, financial and otherwise, that has allowed this site to become what it is today.