James Parsons is the founder and CEO of Content Powered, a content creation company. Lists of lists. I am a fan of listicles, and your write-up is very comprehensive on the topic. Athleta. Listicles are perfect for this, since the main points are often expressed in either obvious sub-headings or bullet-pointed lists which are easy to spot and read at a glance. Conservation. The most popular type of content among bloggers are how-to articles (77%), followed by listicles (57%) and news and trends (47%). Theres an inherent sense of progress and accomplishment as you work your way through the piece, which itself encourages you to finish reading. [2022 List of Top Earners], 143 Good, Fun, and Interesting Topics To Write About, way to get readers to engage with content, The Product Review Template: Your Key to Consistent and Effective Product Evaluations, Maximizing Your Blogs Potential with Featured Posts: How to Use Them to Your Advantage, Top Blogging Statistics for 2023 that are Actually Useful. Listicles! If you're writing a listicle and especially when you use a number in the title of your list post number your list items! Giving our readers enough information for that section to be truly helpful would have involved copying and pasting the entirety of our GDPR post into our listicle, and that wouldn't have been the most helpful choice (and also might've hurt our SEO). People dont want to spend too much time reading long paragraphs of text. An infographic is simply a visual way to display data in a chart or image. loadCSS rel=preload polyfill. 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. Do you? You generally want a primary keyword and a list of secondary keywords youll hit along the way. Just make sure everything makes sense. software, Theyre easy to skim for important information, Its easy to put down and come back where you left off, They can break complex topics down into digestible chunks, Each item written feels like an achievement, Lists are great for targeting core keywords, Smaller listicles can be adapted to suit long-tail keywords, Write from personal experience on the topic, Use an interesting example/case study to frame the information, Dig out obscure but useful statistics to shed new light on the topics importance, Give relevant content upgrades to encourage further action and provide extra value, Collect information from multiple sources to provide a summary, Use images and/or gifs to illustrate your points, A personal essay/experience-based listicle (X things I learned about Y), Advice from experience (X tips from 3 years of, Research roundup (a heavily sourced list of information), Reported list (more of an article turned into a list to make it scannable), Editorial-turned-list (a list being used to argue a specific point), 16 Amazing Recipes to Convert Your Friends to Veganism, Give unique examples of your topic to inspire experimentation, Tie everything back to your central argument and hammer the point home, Offer a content upgrade or have another call to action, Suggest activities or techniques to use what youve written about. Elias Kiai Listicles are also great for targeting the long-tail of a keyword, as theyre easy to write and read. For example, if the space for SEO Checklist is packed (which it is), I might look for a unique angle on it, like: Picking a unique angle, a unique spin, or a unique framing for your listicle can go a long way towards making it more relevant, even if 90% of the content inside it will be the same. Today, of course, listicles are fine so long as youre doing them right. Archy Learning is an all-in-one gamification training software and elearning platform that you can use to create a global classroom, perfect for those who are training remote teams across the globe. Board games, video games and other game formats such as conversation games that are designed to be played at a social gathering. Smaller listicles can target long-tail keywords and feed into larger listicles and topic pillars as well. Find him on Twitter here. Here are just a few reasons: If You're a Leader, You Need to Accept Some Harsh Truths. If you want to dig deeper into this topic, here are a few other resources you can use. What makes them easy to read is that they take into account our preference for processing information spatially. Viral listicles To gain search rankings, your marketing strategy should include listicle blog formats. See more. 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. At this point, you may also want to look for a unique angle for the topic, especially if the existing competition is fierce. This website uses cookies. In journalism and blogging, a listicle is an article that is structured as a list, which is often fleshed out with additional text relating to each item. 16. I suggest that we call each part of a listicle a particle. Get the list written in its base form, make sure youve covered everything you want to, and look up information from existing sources if needs be. A friend of mine told me that Google will penalize it since she had issues with these. 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 . One of the ways you can make sure you're hitting on point #2 is to direct readers to other resources when necessary. I recommend several shares on social media over a few weeks. Lists are not rotting your brain or lowering the standards of journalism. When I was first getting started, Everyone has to start somewhere. Thats it! I make each list item stand alone for very long lists and write more robust descriptions for categories. Because many states regulate hunting, it's important for hunting enthusiasts to be more proactive. Want to talk about online marketing? If this is the case, consider pointing your readers to another place for more in-depth information. Open Buzzfeed and scan the headlines. Be unique! It is a portmanteau of list and testicle, because they are usually bollocks. 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. It doesnt use clickbait techniques, and it has substance to it. 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. However, you shouldnt go overboard with them. Listicles are the easiest path to creating content for beginning content marketers so listen up, newbies. "only halfway to go" or "I'm almost done!"). Content Powered is a blog management company that helps scale companies by creating helpful blog posts. Affiliate links allow you to earn money by promoting another companys product or service. Teachers may also mark off all vowels or cross 3rd word of each sentence. No products in the cart. My listicles tend to be: Listicles are bad for topics that are deep, complex or require nuance. As marketers, we're often tasked with writing about drier topics to educate our viewers and attract leads. If you cut out the words in the images (which Google cant index), that post is 200 words long. var rp=loadCSS.relpreload={};rp.support=(function(){var ret;try{ret=w.document.createElement("link").relList.supports("preload")}catch(e){ret=!1} Buzzfeeds style of listicles is excellent for sharing on Facebook and going viral with memes, but its abysmal for SEO and marketing. Shorts - they're basically business casual. The Listicle Dilemma. You can also use images as callouts. -Alice Walker. Each list item will typically include either a few sentences or multiple paragraphs, and a listicle is meant to either educate or delight readers. While you'd initially planned on titling the piece "10 Best Instagram Marketing Tips", your research has uncovered plenty of other angles you'd like to include, such as "why Instagram Marketing is important" and "how to create compelling content on Instagram". 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. 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. Plus, it makes the content more interesting to read. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Want some free consulting? For example, earlier this week, we published "5 Steps to Create an Outstanding Marketing Plan [Free Templates]". Having said that, you shouldnt add new points for the sake of it. This makes listicles a simple kind of content to keep up to date for search ranking purposes. Do you think you could get away with writing a 200-word blog post for your marketing site? When youre ready to publish your post, submit it to social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc. It has comforting structure. 7 benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training. It becomes a listicle primarily because its numbered items in an order. Under no circumstances should you just take what the current top-ranking post has said and turn it into a list. HubSpot uses the information you provide to us to contact you about our relevant content, products, and services. First, you need to choose your topic. So, there you have it - my addition to the roster of ways to use listicles for marketing. Fashion Reels like this highlight how brands can squeeze so much out of a short-form video. Take a Course Build your list. Self care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life. Thank you so much! A "listicle" is an article made of a list, usually with some kind of extra detail to each item. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. I recommend aiming to make your listicle an odd or unusual number of items. List articles can take a complex topic and break them down into digestible chunks. Whatever you choose, its worth creating a document in your writing app and taking notes on your choice. Give you an example: St. Louis' Lance Lynn. That doesnt mean you should skimp on the conclusion. Even if 15 of your 35 items are the same as their 15, you have more than double the value in the post because of all of the unique items you added. Lists make the world neater For many a reader (But this is a limerick so testicle). Use a combination of text and points to relate a personal experience. . setTimeout(function(){link.rel="stylesheet";link.media="only x"});setTimeout(enableStylesheet,3000)};rp.poly=function(){if(rp.support()){return} Here are a few ideas: While this post has shown you how to write a basic listicle, that doesnt mean every list has to be short or easy. Heres an example of a more article-focused listicle: This is closer to a typical article, with each section digging into a specific aspect of an overarching subject. If theyre shorter lists, I might go through one after the other, skipping items that are repeated. 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. You 100% need a site dedicated to the format for the format to work. A listicle is an article in the form of a list. Listicles are a suitable format for a site, so long as theyre robust enough in terms of content that can be indexed and so long as they are relevant and full of value. It lists a ton of tools 52 of them in specific categories. For instance, I could write a list of the top SEO checklists on the web. This advice holds true for most blogging and article writing in general; the key is doing it consciously until it becomes a habit. Include hashtags in your posts so that people can find them easier. They have short, punchy, descriptive titles that tell the reader exactly what theyre going to get, often before they even click on the Google search result or the social media link. Pick a topic, set a number, and fill it out. The lesson? 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. 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. Hidden in the vast, sprawling hills of Kentucky are many surprises. Are you? Lori Ballen brings you the best tutorials, guides, and software lists for blogging, and affiliate marketing. Listicles are one of the most talked about devices on the web. If there are indeed only 10 significant points to make, consider going into more detail, having a more scannable structure, or even adding bonuses to make your piece stronger than the competition. Some listicles explore an incident in your past and how it can help others. Listicles are a great way to showcase examples in any niche. Kindly replace the link with https://elitecustomessays.com/article-writing-writing-ideas-academic-work/ The listicles articles of Buzzfeed are a classic example of it. Buzzfeed-style listicles with a heavy emphasis on clickbait were penalized, specifically on Facebook with their algorithm. Listicle | Board Game | BoardGameGeek - Help us reach our goal of 18k supporters this year! A listicle can help the reader scan for information they need and feel less overwhelmed by the amount of content. And while every point you make on your list might not be new to all your readers, if a reader walks away thinking, "Well, I already put numbers 3, 4, and 6, into practice, but I can't believe I've been missing out on numbers 1, 2, and 5!" Though, Buzzfeed is still around. 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. 2. Here's some suggestions for making your listicles really count (pun intended). And we just feel very comfortable with the idea t of having dealt with a topic conclusively, even if we may be aware that that is, of course, an illusion. However, they offer more value to your readers and will help you earn more money. I have a question- does this article actually qualify as a listicle? I would be thrilled if you would include it in your articles (https://elitecustomessays.com/article-writing-writing-ideas/academic-work/), Best Regards, You can even fluff it up with a little more formatting, like if the Qualaroo article added subsections for URL, Price, or other information to the description. Listicles take a complex thought and break it down into digestible chunks in the form of a list. 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. Also, Id like to suggest that the popularity of listicles is at least partly because the unavoidable number in their title insinuates completeness. What's in the box List Article = Listicle. Use your analytics to tell you what's working. Whether you're new to short-form video or just need some fresh ideas, we've got you covered. 3. The first and most basic list article format is the 'listicle' which Shepherd refers . The title you craft can also help you stay focused. /*! #1. 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. Hes been a content marketer for over 10 years and writes for Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc, and many other publications on blogging and website strategy. Irregular numbers are also more eye-catching than standard figures like 15 or 20. The biggest indicator of a lousy list post is one that contains a ton of fluff and no real, valuable takeaways for the reader. Identify The Article Topic. An example is Best Practices for Writing Effective Press Releases. This is a great opportunity to use what youve learned about your competition and what you already know personally about the topic. The truth is, they were, but also not really. 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. Get in touch! 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. The key to avoiding this is knowing how to properly plan and write your content. This interactive game allows the player to brush up and practice some common math vocabulary to ease and aid their understanding of the lessons. A listicle is an article that contains a series of bulleted lists, each with three or more items on it. Heres. Of course, some listicles are meant to be more fun, but that doesn't mean you can't include valuable takeaways. A listicle is an article made of a list, usually with some kind of extra detail to each item. listicles game examplesspecialized structures of banana. Infographics and listicles have an ambivalent relationship with consumers. Formatting is essential because you want every item on your list to be the same. Write the list. It has been your support, financial and otherwise, that has allowed this site to become what it is today. The key here is to keep your examples general so that everyone can relate. The link mentioned has a 404 error. This involved a formulaic approach to looking at a keywords competition, then crafting content which was better and having a set outreach plan. Do you have to wonder what this post will be about? 9) Checklists: Todays Parent created a checklist containing items every new baby should have. Definitely not. Add any extra information you want to work into your article. Sit down with your team and brainstorm challenges your readers might be facing, and then decide whether that challenge can be solved with a step-by-step guide or a list of tools (that includes yours). Is your blog earning you business? I realized how easily numbers five and six would flow into each other, and how number five would make more sense after discussing points two, three, and four. A daily dose of irreverent and informative takes on business & tech news, Turn marketing strategies into step-by-step processes designed for success, Explore what it takes to be a creative business owner or side-hustler, Listen to the world's most downloaded B2B sales podcast, Get productivity tips and business hacks to design your dream career, Free ebooks, tools, and templates to help you grow, Learn the latest business trends from leading experts with HubSpot Academy, All of HubSpot's marketing, sales CRM, customer service, CMS, and operations software on one platform. To start making money from writing listicles, you should focus on creating long listicles. With a little more effort and planning, you can thoroughly dominate search rankings with advanced list-based techniques. Carnival published a list-style article on what to pack for a cruise. Use these to find a keyword with a decent amount of traffic (volume) and as low a difficulty rating as possible (to make it easier to rank for). If you dont have one already set up, check out our free blog pre-publish checklist for a handy checklist to get you started. This helps you figure out how long your list will be and thus how much writing each element will require. While many Evergreen content is an open secret to running a successful blog. Lists of actionable steps you can take. Ideally, youll either find a wide-open keyword (which is rare) or a bunch of mediocre lists that you can take, merge, add value to, and sculpt into mega-content. 7. Sitting down and saying you're going to write a list consisting of 14 items makes no sense. Listicles are easy to read quickly, which is important for the increasingly fast pace of the modern world. 3 Kinds of List Article Formats. A listicle is an article that is a list. Listicles are great for surface-level topics, mid-level topics, and resources. The person who completely made up a DM from Seth Rogen . March 30, 2012. For example, ITD, a soft skills training provider gives out free tip sheets for communication, assertiveness, . hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(53, 'ccc95db5-9007-49cf-b69c-94bb5c46b366', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); Simply put, a listicle is an article written in list-format. Heck, Im guilty of doing the same thing from time to time. Even a little bit of clickbait can be acceptable. Typically, they have a short introduction, a series of list items relevant to the topic at hand, brief descriptions of each item, and, usually, images for each. Site designed in California by the Content Powered team. 5) Images:Images add visual interest to your listicle. There are many different ways to structure a listicle. The common letter here is 'z'; now, the students need to figure out what this Z stands for. Then theres the mental aspect of listicles; its similar to the psychological effect of having a checklist or task list. And how are these listicles put together? Theyre formatted in a way that is exceedingly easy to skim to get to the exact information you want, making them a massive victory for fast access to information and usability. Mind . Thanks to you, I actually think my article is pretty comprehensive and awesome. Humorously enough, there are many published listicles on reasons to love or hate them"179 Reasons to Hate Listicle Articles" & "Five Reasons Why Millennials Love Listicles" are examples for each side of the debate. 7) Numbered List: Numbers work well in listicles because they are easy to read. Some topics naturally fit into a list. This is the same reason why updates are easy to make. Make sure that its quality content. Even if you don't think you know anything about anything important, don't sweat- just choose a topic and ask 3-4 other people to contribute a . Dont forget to use bullet points! Let's go!!! 6) 25 Celebrities That Look Like Mattresses One of my all-time favorite BuzzFeed lists, of course. It's the core of a solid, long-lasting FAQ: What is a Listicle? And it's consistently one of the most popular email newsletters in the world. 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]. You can do several things to ensure that you create great listicles. Sometimes, if you can write a listicle about a complex issue, you can get special attention for the novelty. List of SEO Items to Check Before Launching a New Site. Listicles typically include a humorous title; numbered subtitles; a static or dynamic image; and text that elaborates on the subtitle and/or image. Longer paragraphs will take longer to read, which decreases the likelihood that readers will click through to your website. They include numerous images; you will feel tempted to scroll down and view one after the other. They also have a very high click-through rate, so you can easily make money from 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. There you have it! 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. Listicles are easy to update. 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. listicles game examples. Listicles, otherwise known as list-posts, are articles structured around lists. Listicles summarize their main points in a sentence or two each (the list items themselves) and then elaborate on them. Listicles are everywhere. Heres an example of a clickbait listicle: Buzzfeed is packed full of these kinds of listicles. Add links to other websites so that people can easily access additional information. For example, we recently wrote a list post entitled, "Email Deliverability: 5 Quick & Effective Ways to Increase It". You could even create a landing page to target a main keyword and then use it to link to a collection of listicles which target all of the long-tail variations of that keyword. Listicle examples There are lots of types and forms a listicle can take, so to give you a better idea of how listicles may look and work, I've categorized them by goal: 1. 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. Easy to skim: Consistent formatting and pleasant spatial organization make it easy for readers to identify and extract the information they need. Even the most dedicated of readers can quickly zone out if theres nothing but text to occupy their attention. 3. Some love them. We've earned our black belts in both. To create a high-quality listicle, it's vital your content is consistent and parallel. Inside this tutorial: How to Create a Buzzfeed-Style 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. 1. Content marketing has two ingredients - content and marketing. A typical listicle will prominently feature a cardinal number in its title, with subsequent subheadings within the text itself reflecting this schema.The word is a portmanteau derived from list and article. If a new point needs adding you can just slot it at the end of the current list and change the title. 4. I wouldn't worry about a penalty as long as it is high-quality, unique content. To save even more time, many (myself included) like to skim-read articles to get the important information without having to read the whole thing. 2023 Content Powered. Best of all, if readers are already familiar with some steps in the process, they can skip to sections most applicable to them. Examples of listicles. Then proofread it once more to make sure it reads smoothly. Whatever you decide to use, make sure you have the appropriate permission levels to use it. Hi Sharon, you're welcome! Items Included 250 Category Cards 15 Bonus Letter Cards 8 Answer Pads 8 Pencils 1 BuzzFeed Die 90 Second Timer Game Instructions Proud Partner Buffalo Games is proudly partnered with BuzzFeed Games, bringing the BuzzFeed vibe to our games catalog. Definition, Tips, and Examples, Content Writing Tips for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide, Evergreen Blog Posts: Content Ideas, Examples, and Tips, 12 Reasons Why ChatGPT Won't Replace Your Content Writers, The Importance of The XML Sitemap Priority and Changefreq Tags.