Content Marketing
Writing High Quality Listicles For Your Blog
Listicles are the content format that’s taking over the internet, and they are one of the most popular types of articles on the web today. Do you struggle to create content for your business blog? Then your content creation task will get much easier once you follow the steps in this listicle. 🙂
Listicles Explained
You’ve probably read a few listicles without realizing it. The founder is not someone you will bump into or meet online. An 11th-century creation, the listicle was said to be invented by a woman, a Japanese poet called Sei Shonagon.
Today, any article written in list form is said to be a listicle. They’re short, sweet, and easy to read. And they can be used for any type of content, from blog posts to ebooks to infographics.
Listicles are easy to share interesting facts and information on your blog or website. They’re also a great way to generate traffic and engagement.
Plus, the content format is popular with bloggers as they’re easy to write and share. Writing long-form content for your website or blog is essentially for SEO and search ranking so don’t give up on it. Use listicles to break up the monotony and share tips. For example, a listicle might be written to describe a person’s personality traits or to provide a list of the best places to visit in a city.
Lists are often used to present information concisely. In a listicle, you’d present lists of items in bullet form. The most popular type of listicle is the “10 Things” list, which presents 10 things in a list format.
How To Write High-Quality Listicles
Now you know the basic features of a listicle, let’s look at how you can write them for your business blog, including:
- How to get started on a listicle
- Finding examples
- Personalizing your listicle
1. Choose a topic that interests you
You’ll need to choose a topic that interests you so that you can write about it with enthusiasm. If you’re not passionate about something, no one else will be either.
You can find a lot of inspiration by looking at other people’s lists. Start with a simple Google search for “best”, then scroll through the results until you find something that catches your eye. If you see a list that looks good, click on the link and read through the entire article.
Example
The first list includes the top 10 things to see and do in NYC. If you’re planning a trip to the Big Apple, this list should help you plan what to do while you’re there. If you want to go to the Empire State Building, you should check out the Top Ten Things To Do In NYC.
2. Find a listicle about it
Once you’ve found a listicle that interests you, read through it carefully to make sure it’s relevant to your site or business. Then, take notes as you go along. This will help you come up with ideas for future posts. Copy the URL and paste it into a new document. Then, add some text to make it more personal. Add links to related articles and websites and any images or graphics that will help illustrate your point.
3. Write a short summary of what makes this listicle unique
Next, write a short description of why people should care about this listicle. Include any statistics or data that back up your claims. If possible, add some links to other articles that support your point. Also, in the short summary should be your thoughts on what sets this list apart from other lists. Include at least one link to the original article.
4. And add some originality by including a personal anecdote or story
Originality in your listicle is key to its success. You want all your content, both long-form, videos, and so on, seen as authority content that search engines value. Add personal experiences or stories. When you’re writing for a business blog, this task becomes more challenging, so your focus is on sharing information on the business, not you personally. Ask your colleagues to help you with stories that are relevant to your listicle topic.
Finally, make sure to include a call to action at the end of the article. This will help readers understand what they need to do next.
5. Share it with your audience
Now is not the time to be shy. You want everyone to read your listicle and, ideally for it to trend with your customers. Use your social media profiles, guest blog sites, forums, and email marketing to share the URL to your listicle. Some sites that welcome posts about well-written content include:
Use your email list to inform your subscribers you’ve written a high-quality listicle and consider other digital marketing initiatives, too, like content marketing.
Summing Up
Tired of always writing long content? Mix up your blogging with short-form listicles. As long as your content is well written and unique, i.e., not duplicate content found on other sites it will a worthy addition to your blog. Plus when the content is relevant to your visitors, and customers, your listicles will add value to your marketing and brand reputation.
