A savvy content strategy involves creating blog posts that help you turn search traffic into effective, high-quality content marketing opportunities. One way to do this is by leveraging the listicle format. This type of article helps you grow an engaged, online audience—no matter which platforms you use—and can be a strategic part of succeeding as an online business.
Learn how to write a listicle for your own blog, letting this very article serve as an example.
What is a listicle?
A listicle is a type of article that uses a numbered list to give readers valuable information in a way that’s easy to read. BuzzFeed famously innovated this format as a way to quickly engage readers by making content accessible, skimmable, and fun.
So how does this work for a business? One of the most effective ways to deploy a list article is through the gift guide, which can help holiday shoppers find a collection of items that make great presents for specific people or holidays. Or, you might offer a list of product recommendations for a special occasion, as clothing brand Suta does in its listicle highlighting cocktail-party-ready sarees.
The key is organizing these items around a specific story that addresses your reader’s needs or answers their questions.
How to write an effective listicle
- Start with a strong theme
- Identify compelling list items
- Keep the copy punchy
- Add quality images
- Edit and optimize for search
Follow these guidelines as a framework for brainstorming and executing your own listicles:
1. Start with a strong theme
The first step in creating a great listicle is developing a strong theme with enough items to make readers feel the list was worthwhile. It should be specific enough for search but general enough for a broad audience.
Ask yourself what you’re trying to achieve through the post. Are you trying to reach a specific group? Take advantage of a specific seasonal trend? Let’s say you’re focused on back-to-school shopping. Is it a list of hacks to help your audience save money or a roundup of must-have items? Use a short, clear, easy-to-read headline loaded with the appropriate keywords upfront to maximize your chances of getting clicks.
For example, Branch Furniture’s “14 Office Must-Haves” article sets clear expectations with its title and subheading.
2. Identify compelling list items
Think about how you want to order the items in your list; you want each item to make readers eager to scroll to the next. A well-written listicle uses intentionality and thoughtfulness to make every bulleted item feel like it really belongs. Even if you don’t use numbers in the headline, make sure you let the reader know how many items to expect.
A high-quality list article establishes authority and gives readers a clear sense of both the methodology and length from the start. If, for example, you’re writing about the best shoes for long walks, your reader will want to understand if the items are listed in ranking order. Make it clear why you are the one pulling together this list and why someone should follow your advice. Did you try these items out yourself? Was it based on aggregating reviews or user feedback? Be honest about your approach to establish trust with readers.
3. Keep the copy punchy
Write with an authentic and engaging brand voice. Think about the voice you use across all platforms and deploy that same voice here. Since listicles tend to be skimmable, use short, snappy copy that gets to the point as quickly as possible. Listicles work best when you can succinctly explain each item and include all relevant links and information, like price or availability. Aim to keep descriptions uniform in length for an overall sense of balance.
4. Add quality images
A successful listicle always has great images, but to take your listicles to the next level, make sure you’re optimizing them for search engines. Use high-quality, clear images and make sure that the alt text you use is strategic. That means making it descriptive and leveraging keywords where appropriate. This is important because images from your post showing up in searches can also help you reach your target audience.
5. Edit and optimize for search
Before hitting Publish, scroll through the post and make sure it is cohesive and optimized so people can find it. Ask yourself:
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Have I used the right keywords? Use keyword research tools like Keyword Surfer and Google Search Console to identify the right words to incorporate into your listicle. Deploy them in the body of the post, load them into the headline, and use them in descriptions of images to improve your listicle’s chances of showing up in organic search results.
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Is it well-structured? Check that all the list headings make sense, smaller lists within sections are organized into bullet points, and any complex ideas are broken down into short paragraphs so the list is skimmable and easy to digest.
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Have I chosen a good slug? The slug is the part of a URL that describes the web page’s content in a single word or hyphenated phrase, making the URL more readable to humans and search engine crawlers alike. Choose the most distilled version of your headline—like “best walking shoes” or “essential back-to-school gear”—to optimize your slug.
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Do I have all of the appropriate links? Make sure all of your internal links work and that you’ve linked out to all products listed in the post.
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Have I included a CTA or two? Include copy that reflects the action you want readers to take. Is it buying the products? Getting them to sign up for your email newsletter? If you have a direct call to action (CTA), make sure that it is short, clear, and urgent.
Real-world listicle examples
- Gymshark: Best Dumbbell Exercises
- Glossier: DS & Durga Fragrances, Ranked
- Silk & Willow: Holiday Gift Wrapping Ideas
If you’re looking for inspiration for well-designed listicles, here are a few standout examples:
Gymshark: Best Dumbbell Exercises
Consider Gymshark’s listicle rounding up the best dumbbell exercises, which helps establish its authority as a brand by tapping into its audience’s interests. It brings in people who would naturally be drawn to Gymshark’s clothing and accessories, even if they haven’t used them before. This particular post also illustrates the power of SEO; it leverages the keywords likely to be used by someone looking for exercise tips, has a focused slug (dumbbell-leg-exercises), establishes authority through confident and clear copy, and contains images that help make the post easily digestible.
Glossier: DS & Durga Fragrances, Ranked
Glossier’s blog, “Into The Gloss,” features curated content that taps into the Glossier customer’s interests and curiosities. This ranking of fragrances, for example, serves the interests of its existing following and establishes it as an authority in the broader beauty space.
If you’re ranking items, clarify the criteria you’re using to evaluate them. The New York Times clearly explains its methodology for product rankings, for example.
Silk & Willow: Holiday Gift Wrapping Ideas
Check out Silk & Willow’s list of creative gift wrapping ideas. This particular list targets a specific type of person: Someone who wants to stand out with their gift-wrapping. This list demonstrates that a listicle doesn’t need lengthy descriptions to be effective. Instead, it relies on images to convey its message. If your business has created a successful image carousel on Instagram, that can easily be transformed into a post like this as an experiment.
How to write a listicle FAQ
What is an example of a listicle?
An example of a listicle is Silk & Willow’s list of creative gift wrapping ideas. It is an image-heavy post that shows the reader several different ideas to inspire their approach to gift wrapping during the holiday season.
How do you write an intro for a listicle?
Write your listicle introduction to pique readers’ curiosity and encourage them to keep scrolling. It should be short, clear in establishing the list’s intent and length, and help you assert authority. This introduction, from New York magazine’s vertical “The Strategist,” does this well. It’s written in a friendly, authoritative way, and it tells the reader how the list items were evaluated.
How long should a listicle be?
In general, a listicle should have at least five items. Longer lists offer the reader more thorough coverage of the subject and keep them on the page longer.
