How to Write a List Blog Post: Planning, Formatting and Tips
There are many different types of blog posts out there, but one of the most popular types is the list blog. As the name would suggest, a list blog post is one that has an ordered list with items. They are typically used to share tips and information in a concise way. They’re popular due to the information being easily digested – perfect for people looking for inspiration and motivation.
If you’re looking for some inspiration, this post will cover how to plan and format your own list blog posts as well as provide tips on what to include!
What is a list post (a.k.a listicle)?
A list post is a type of blog post that has an ordered list with items. They are typically used to share tips and information in a concise way, which makes them easy to digest for readers browsing on the internet.
You will have seen list blog articles all over the internet, they’re particularly popular with websites such as Buzzfeed, as well as bloggers who want to quickly and concisely share information, such as 20 Mental Health Journal Prompts.
What can be included in a list post?
List posts can include anything from lists filled out by one person (i.e., the author in charge of writing the list) to collaborative lists with other people. The list can include anything under the sun, but typically it’s used for sharing tips and information in a concise way. It’s common practice the ‘cite your sources’ when creating collaborative lists, giving your contributors a link back so your readers can head over to their website if they wish to.
Planning your list style post
When planning your list post, think about what you want to cover as well as how many items there will be on the list. When thinking of content around each item, you want to be able to write enough to make the post engaging but not too much that it becomes long-winded. Typically, list posts are rounded up numbers, such as ‘10 reasons why’, ‘5 ways to’, and ‘50 ideas for’.
Be sure that you don’t overdo it with descriptions of your points as you don’t want your readers to lose interest after reading the first sentence of a list item.Therefore, you need to think about what’s important for them and what they would find interesting.
Understand the problem that your readers need solved.
Another important part of planning a list post is to think about what problem you’re solving. Are you helping someone find five options for the best email marketing company? Or ten of the best releases on Netflix this year?
Knowing what you’re solving for will help guide the content of your list, and make it more valuable to readers. Remember that when writing a blog of this type, your content is about helping other people, so you should be writing for your audience and not for yourself.
What’s the strategic goal with the post?
The final part of the post is to think about the strategic goal of the post. Most commonly, you want to get this type of post shared on social media. They may not be the best for organic traffic but people love to share and comment on them. You can also use them as a lead generation tool, by including an email capture form at the end of each list post. This type of blog post also does particularly well on Pinterest, thanks to it being easy to digest and visually it is quick and easy to read.
What are the benefits to your audience?
The other reason for planning posts is understanding what you’re going to offer readers in return for their time when they read it. Are you sharing insider tips on how people do a certain thing or what they love most about something? These types of posts are about building trust and credibility with readers. Sharing your knowledge and making your reader’s lives easier is the main goal when creating a list type blog post.
Writing your list post
Once you have a pretty good idea about what you are writing about and why, there are only a few more core elements you need to include in order to make it a great list blog post that gets shared.
Start with an attention-grabbing heading
Headlines are super important for any type of blog post as they’re the very first thing a reader sees. You always want to start the heading with the number of items on your list in the post along with your main keyword for good SEO.
A solid introduction that keeps them reading
When writing your blog post, make sure you start with a good strong introduction. You want to explain what the list is about and why you’re writing it. How will this list blog post benefit your reader? Why should you continue reading your blog?
The introduction is probably the most important part of the post as this will be what gets readers hooked and willing to keep reading.
Keep the list organised logically
Some lists can be a bit random in their order but others will need to be organised logically. For example, if you are writing about 25 new books released this year, you might want to group them by genres such as romance or horror.
Alphabetical lists can work if there’s no clear logic or you don’t want to seem like you are favouring one entry over another.
Useful and in-depth content
How in-depth you go with each item of your list depends on the purpose and style of the list. You always want to be sure the list is useful and that the reader gets some benefit from it, but you also don’t want them to lose interest reading paragraphs of text for each item on the list. You could use this as a spot to add affiliate links such as to an Amazon product for a book you discuss or for a free trial for software you are mentioning.
Always make sure there’s a call to action
Lastly, it is important to always add a call to action (or CTA) as this tells the reader what to do next. Do you want them to buy a product or subscribe? Should they leave their email address so that they can be among the first to be notified when the next list post is published? Perhaps you simply want them to comment about their own experience or share your list post on their social media.
Editing the post
The final step is to edit the post and make sure that it is well formatted. Aside from the usual checks you would make for any blog post, for example spell checking and ensuring there are no grammatical errors, there are also a couple of best practices for list posts to consider.
How to make it scannable
With list posts, it is always a good idea to make sure it is scannable. That means using good heading structure and bullet points where possible such as explaining the pros and cons of something or the basics facts about it. This means that readers quickly and easily read the information you’re presenting them with.
Use good heading structure for longer lists
If the list is longer than one paragraph, it can be helpful to use good heading structure. This way readers know what they’re reading about and don’t need to read every sentence of a list item in order to understand what’s being said. Ensure you’re using H2 and H3 formatting to make sure that your list is easily read.
Harness the power of the listicle
This blog post includes a list of items that should be included in the list style blog post. It also provides formatting and stylistic tips to make sure your posts are more shareable on social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, as well as how to plan for it.
Ready to get started? Follow these steps and start creating successful, informative, shareable blog posts.
