How To Write A Listicle Blog Post?

Regardless of what you have heard about listicles. Listicles are one of the most popular writing formats. It’s a win-win for both, writers and readers. They are quick to produce and easy to consume.

List posts pack a ton of information in an easy-to-scan format. A high-quality list post gets a lot of shares and drives a lot of traffic to your site.

In this article, I will guide you on how to write a listicle. I will also provide you with a listicle template.

Here are the topics we cover:

Table of Contents

What is a Listicle Blog Post?

Let’s understand what are listicles?

A listicle (also known as a “list blog post”) is an article in a list format. The list items are expanded using a single sentence or many subheadings and paragraphs.

The most common ones we come across are a list of 15-20 list items. The listicle has a cardinal number in the blog title.

Buzzfeed is well known for listicles. You might have heard the term “Buzzfeed Style Listicles” or “Buzzfeed listicles”.

Read: The Ultimate Blogging For Beginners Guide

Why Are Listicles Popular?

Listicles are a popular form of article writing. With the drop in the average human attention span. It’s becoming harder to pay attention to one thing for an extended period.

The readers are in a hurry. They scan and read articles on the go. Moreover, the listicle allows them to judge its usefulness by going through the blog title.

Here are some of the reasons why listicles are popular:

They are easy to plan and write.
Easy to scan and consume.
The reader exactly knows the end result.
Breaks complex topics into digestible points.
Detailed coverage of the topic
Easy to update articles.

What are the Different Types of Listicle Posts?

The first step in creating a listicle is to figure out the format. Choose the format depending on the topic you are covering.

Here are the three different types of listicle posts:

1. Simple List Post

The simple list post is a list of items. It’s a short collection of items in a list format.

The content in this type of post is thin. So it’s not good from the SEO perspective. The simple list post is useful for social media posts.

2. Detailed List Post

The detailed list post (or the “Expanded list post”). Expands on the simple list post. The simple list post contains items listed in a specific order.

But in a detailed list post, you expand on each of the listed items. We build upon the list item by providing details Thus, adding more valuable information to the post.

3. “Best of” List Posts

The “Best of” list post list out person, people, places, resources or quotes on a specific subject. These types of posts are one of the most effective forms of “ego bait”.

List out the influencers in your niche and let them know about it. Most of them will share your post all over the place. Thus, giving a lot of exposure and traffic. For E.g, Check this “best of” blog post.

How to Plan a Listicle Blog Post?

The listicle is one of the easiest posts to create. I always encourage beginner writers to start with list-type posts. Careful planning will make your post engaging and useful for your audience.

So, how to plan the blog post and generate listicle blog ideas?

Here are the steps to plan a listicle blog post:

Choose the Right Listicle Topic

The listicle blog post is useful for some specific types of topics. That’s why it’s important for us to choose the right topic.

These types of blog posts are best for topics featuring collections. They can also be useful for step-by-step articles.

Research the Competition

To ensure that your chosen topic is suitable for a listicle format. The best way is to ensure is to enter the topic in Google and scan the top results.

Apart from the search intent, the top pages show you what the searchers are looking for. If you see listicles on the top-ranking pages, your topic is suitable for the listicle.

Decide the Length of the Post

There is no ideal length for a listicle post. It depends on the competition. Check out the posts ranking on the first page. Do not include fluff in your content for outranking your competitors.

If you are able to cover the topic in lesser list items. By all means, do it.

Choose a Listicle Format

Here we choose the format of the listicle. For a blog post, you have to choose the detailed list post. The detailed list post is longer in length and comprehensively covers the topic.

Use the simple list post for your social media posts. The simple list is shorter and lends well to social media platforms.

Brainstorm the List Point

After choosing your topic, you need to find out the listicle ideas. Start by brainstorming the topic. Jot down as many points as you can think of. Do not filter out anything at this stage.

Do Your Keyword Research

Your chosen topic is your main keyword. Plug this keyword into a keyword research tool. The keyword tool will provide you with a lot of related topics. It will also give you the estimated traffic and keyword ranking difficulty score.

Choose the keywords with high volume and low difficulty.

Outline Your Listicle Key Points

Now prepare the outline for your post. For a listicle, the list items form the outline. It provides structure to the article.

Write down the list of items. This list of items should follow a sequence and flow. Now the basic structure of your list blog post is complete.
Let’s start writing the listicle.

How To Write a Listicle Post?

As with other types of blog posts, we start the post by writing the post body. We have already laid down the structure of the list post.

Here is how we start writing a listicle post:

Number the Listicle Items

The first step in writing a listicle is to number each of the list items. It will give you a number for your list of items. This number is useful while creating the blog post title or headline.

Numbering breaks down blog writing into chunks. It allows you to plan out your writing schedule.

Start Expanding the Listicle Points

Start expanding each point in the list item. The level of detail will depend upon the listicle format.

If you are creating a social media post. One or two sentences are enough. For a blog post, we need more meat. We need to explain the nitty-gritty with examples.

Create a Catchy Blog Post Title

A blog post title is the first thing a visitor views. The blog title should entice the readers to click through and read the post. Avoid clickbait titles, deliver on the promise you make in the headline.

If possible include a number in numerical form. Avoid spelling out the number like five, seven or ten. A cardinal number pops out of the headline and attracts attention. The title of the post should match your listicle content.

The blog title should have a value proposition. Show your audience the value they are going to get and in how many steps.

A Solid Blog Conclusion

A solid blog conclusion should start by summing up the key points. Follow with the key takeaways from the listicle.

The conclusion should end with a call to action (CTA). The CTA could be:

Encourage readers to comment
Subscribing to your email list.
Following you on social media
Buy your product.
Use Attractive Images/Gifs

Beautiful images spice up a blog post. It improves the post engagements and adds to the appeal of your article. The images make it easy for you to illustrate a point.

The images and gifs attract a lot of attention on social media. Especially when your post gets shared on social media.

Listicle Blog Post Tips and Strategies

For creating a post that gets a lot of attention. You have to walk the extra mile. Check out these tips and strategies to add a punch to your writing.

Focus on a Single Idea

Start your post with a clear idea or theme. What do you want to achieve with your post? If you are not starting with the end in mind. You will face a lot of problems in the writing process. It will affect everything down the line. E.g. research, drafting and editing.

Make your List Scannable

People love reading listicles because they are easy to scan. Help your readers by providing a lot of white spaces in your writing. Use short sentences, short paragraphs, and add a lot of images.

Add Value to the Listicle

The listicle shouldn’t be a dry run of list items. Make it valuable by providing detailed information. Here are some suggestions for you.

Videos
Screenshots
Infographics
Detailed examples
Actionable steps
Visualizations

Listicle Examples

One of the best ways to learn is by studying examples. Click through and read some of the best listicle examples from our blog.

Listicle Blog Post Template

Headline

Come up with a blog title that compels the reader to click through. Show them the result they are going to get and in how many steps. Avoid the text format of numbers like ‘one’, ‘two’, instead use cardinal numbers

Introduction

Hook the reader with a powerful introduction. In brief, show the benefits of reading the blog post. Try not to give away all the information.

List the main points you are including in the listicle post.

List Items

The list of items form the body of the blog post. List out your main points in a proper logic or flow.

List Item 1 [Bold]
Text……
List Item 2 [Bold]
Text……
List Item 3 [Bold]
Text……
List Item 4 [Bold]
Text……
List Item 5 [Bold]
Text……
…

Summary/Conclusion

You should end the blog post with a final statement. The final verdict depends upon the type of blog post. Prompt them for action with a CTA (Call To Action). You can ask them to comment, share or buy a product.

Conclusion

Listicles are the easiest to create blog posts. So, it’s recommended that if you are completely new to blog writing. Focus on creating a few listicles to flex your writing muscles.

Start by researching 10-15 list items. Elaborate on these items to add more content to your post.

Finally, create a catchy blog post title. A compelling introduction and a great blog conclusion.

If you enjoyed reading the post. Why not share it with your friends.
So, how are you planning to write a listicle blog post?

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