How to write a listicle (with 6 examples)

One of the vital in style codecs for written on-line content material is the common-or-garden listicle.

55% of bloggers say they’ve revealed a listicle within the final 12 months (solely how-to articles rank greater).

However this reputation exists exactly as a result of individuals like to learn lists.

We love clicking on listing headlines as a result of they’re extremely particular and set an expectation for what’s contained in the article. We all know what we’re stepping into, and it’s satisfying to behold.

We love studying lists as a result of our brains are wired for this actual kind of knowledge sorting.

And, by the point you’re executed studying this text, you’ll love writing listicles, too.

What’s a listicle?

A listicle is a sort of content material that smashes collectively two issues: an article and an inventory. 

Merely put, in a listicle, you current data formatted as an in depth listing. Normally, accompanying every listing merchandise will probably be a number of paragraphs of description to assist the reader perceive it, to offer them background or historical past on it, or to elucidate why it issues.

Listicles are formatted in a really particular method, with every listing merchandise denoted with a numbered subheading. 

Right here’s a very good instance from a Reader’s Digest listicle of the 100 Greatest Books of All Time. Every e book’s title is a numbered level on the listing formatted as a heading. Beneath every listing merchandise is a abstract of the e book, why it made the listing, and why it is best to learn it.

Why it is best to write listicles

Listicles are one of the vital in style content material varieties for a ton of causes:

• They break down a subject into bite-sized, easily-digestible items.
• The listing format is simple to scan, which helps readers discover the data that’s most vital to them.
• When written about an academic subject, the listicle helps make clear advanced concepts and processes.
• The listing format makes difficult subjects and lengthy explanations extra approachable and fewer intimidating.

Writing listicles and publishing them as a part of your content material technique can also be helpful for assembly model content and SEO targets. 

Listicles are likely to get nice engagement – when individuals see a typical listicle headline, they’re extra prone to click on it.

In a BuzzSumo study of the most-shared headlines, articles that received the very best engagement began with a quantity, e.g., “7 distinctive methods to embellish for the vacations” or “10 of the very best books of all time.”

Half of the top 10 SEO expert columns on Search Engine Land in 2022 had been listicles. (And that article itself is one instance of a listicle.)

Don’t neglect key phrase rankings. In case your listicles are correctly researched and optimized for the proper subjects/key phrases, they’ll rank in search engines like google, seize clicks, and drive site visitors and results in your web site.

So, let’s reply the query: How do you write a very good listicle that accomplishes all these items?

Easy methods to write listicles that seize your viewers

Writing listicles might be extraordinarily easy. Nevertheless, you may take your listicles to the next level by incorporating these steps.

1. Select a terrific listicle subject

First, ensure you select a subject that lends itself to an inventory – not each subject will work for writing a listicle. 

The most effective listicle subjects are easy and simply sorted into an inventory. For those who do your sorting and are left with dangling data that wouldn’t make sense as a part of your listing, it is advisable rethink the subject or hone it.

For instance, this text you’re studying may have been a listicle, however finally all the data I needed to share wouldn’t match neatly contained in the listing format (such because the definition of a listicle and why it is best to write one). These “danglers” spoil the listing – and defeat the neatness, simplicity, and satisfaction inherent within the format.

Lengthy story quick: For those who can’t match all the data in your article neatly inside an inventory, you shouldn’t write it as a listicle. 

2. Write a transparent and particular listicle headline

Fortunately, your listicle headline ought to write itself – nevertheless it shouldn’t be clickbaity.

Click on-bait headlines promise greater than they ship. Which means your headline initially excites your reader indirectly, however after they click on and begin studying, they instantly really feel let down.

Keep away from this by getting clear and particular about what your article will embody. Describe that in your headline, together with the precise variety of steps/factors your listing incorporates.

For instance, if I used to be writing a listicle about the very best eco-friendly clothes corporations, I might phrase it like this:

“10 superb eco-friendly clothes manufacturers for the earth-conscious shopper”

Or, if I used to be writing a listicle of ideas to save cash on heating/cooling:

“5 easy ideas to save cash on heating and cooling your house”

These headlines are descriptive, however they don’t over-promise. They’re additionally front-loaded with the variety of factors within the listing. 

This listicle headline from a plumber is one other nice instance. It’s easy however efficient:

3. Define and quantity the steps or factors

Subsequent, lay out all of the steps, factors, or objects in your listicle. Write them out as a easy listing and quantity them accordingly.

That is your define – a really useful step that means that you can see your whole article at a look and guarantee it is smart from a zoomed-out perspective.

At this level, be certain that your listing objects are ordered as logically as attainable. 

• In case your listing objects are steps in a course of, arrange them within the order wanted to finish the duty.
• If the order of your listing objects doesn’t depend upon logic, listing probably the most invaluable objects or factors first – those your readers will care about probably the most.

For instance, this listicle by Baking Kneads presents 13 ideas for baking a cake. The information comply with a logical order, beginning with prepping components and ending with the proper frosting method.

4. Don’t chain your self to a sure variety of factors

As you’re outlining your listicle, don’t say, “I have to write 13 factors or else…” 

That’s a recipe for an unsatisfying listing. What when you’ve got far more invaluable data than that? What when you may simply write an inventory of 25 factors, every one in all them helpful?

However, what when you battle to give you extra listing objects after quantity 7? The rest of your factors most likely gained’t be that invaluable or attention-grabbing – and that’s how you find yourself with ineffective fluff.

As a substitute, let your subject information you on how a lot data it is advisable fulfill readers – and the way lengthy your listing ought to be. 

• Do subject analysis on Google to see what rivals have included of their lists.
• Take into consideration your model experience and add what you already know will probably be invaluable based mostly in your information and expertise.
• Contemplate what your viewers must know, and intention to supply that.
• By no means add extra listing objects simply to hit a particular quantity or pad out your listing.

Nice instance: Loads of individuals will inform you that together with a sure variety of objects in your listicle is extra partaking and can earn extra clicks and reads. Some say to solely use odd numbers, others follow multiples of 5, and some solely construct lists with 1-9 objects.

This Backlinko listicle fully throws all these “finest practices” out the window by together with 200(!) objects.

5. Make every level or step clear and invaluable

To jot down a very helpful listing article, make every level or listing merchandise as clear and invaluable as attainable. This implies being particular, actionable, and descriptive.

For instance, if I used to be writing a listicle of fall gardening ideas, it could be straightforward to be imprecise, like: 

1. Plant bulbs
2. Prune

“However wait!” my green-thumb readers would assume. “Plant what bulbs? Prune what?”

These steps solely hit one goal: They’re actionable. However, to be clear and invaluable, they should be particular and descriptive, too. Right here’s how I might edit them:

1. Plant spring bulbs like garlic, tulips, and daffodils
2. Prune hardy perennials and woody herbs

Sure, you might describe these actions within the paragraph textual content. However, you’ll make your overarching listing extra invaluable (and optimized) when you get clearer on the listing degree. For the scanning reader, particularly, that is tremendous helpful. It additionally helps search engine crawlers perceive what your content material is about.

Right here’s a very good instance of that from a gardening ideas listicle by Eartheasy:

6. Use the proper formatting for a listicle

All the time use the identical format for each listicle you write. 

Certain, you might skip the formatting and simply do no matter feels proper. However do not forget that listicles are in style exactly due to their numbered listing format. It’s the rationale they’re so partaking and attention-grabbing. So why mess with a confirmed commonplace?

Listed below are the final guidelines to comply with:

• Format every listing merchandise as a numbered heading.
• Use the identical heading degree for every level within the listing (all H2s, all H3s, and so on.).
• Describe every listing merchandise. Inform the reader why it’s on the listing, why they need to care, and, if relevant, methods to do it.
• Order your factors logically – use chronological order when you’re itemizing steps in a course of; add probably the most invaluable factors on the prime if there’s no clear ordering scheme.
• If related, add pictures for example every level. (For instance, every e book within the “finest 100 books” listing above features a picture of the duvet.)

Lastly, in case your listing is super-long, contemplate grouping it by classes.

For instance, a listicle of Christmas stocking stuffer concepts is grouped by kind of present:

Prepared to write down your listicle?

Don’t get overwhelmed when writing your listicle. Although there are many tiny particulars that may assist your content material rank better and earn extra reads, you most likely have an intuition about creating a very good listing already.

Give it some thought: What number of listicles have you ever consumed within the final week alone? The final month? For those who’re like most on-line readers, it’s most likely much more than you realized.

Take all of the stuff you love about listicles and pour them into your content material. Add in these steps and ideas, and blend nicely. Your efficient listicle will probably be prepared in your content material calendar very quickly.

Opinions expressed on this article are these of the visitor writer and never essentially Search Engine Land. Employees authors are listed here.

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In regards to the writer

Julia McCoy is the founding father of Content material Hacker, 7x writer, and a number one strategist round creating distinctive content material and model presence that lasts on-line. At 19 years outdated, she used her final $75 to construct a 7-figure writing company which she bought ten years later. Within the 2020s, she’s dedicated to instructing founders and entrepreneurs the technique, expertise, and methods they should construct a enterprise by way of inbound content material, to allow them to create extra lasting affect on this planet.