Listicles are easy to read and easy to create, making them a popular format.
That means competition is fierce, and it can be tough to make your listicle stand out in search engine results.
What separates the best listicles from the rest is offering better solutions than the competition. To do so, you’ll need to know exactly who your audience is and what it wants.
When done well, listicles can be a valuable part of your content marketing strategy to drive traffic and create awareness of your brand.
Keep reading to learn how to write a listicle that’s better than your competition.
1. Understand What Makes the Best Listicles
Despite their reputation for being clickbaity, listicles are still popular and valuable content formats for your brand.
A 2021 study by Semrush found that including one list every 500 words results in 70% more traffic.
To write the best listicles possible, you need to understand why they work.
People love reading listicles because they are:
- Satisfying to read: The numbers inform the readers of the extent of the article and give them a sense of accomplishment as they progress.
- Easy to skim: Consistent formatting and pleasant spatial organization make it easy for readers to identify and extract the information they need.
- Shareable: The numbers make it easy for readers to discuss the posts on social media.
These attributes are part of the reason why listicles are so widely shared on social media.
Listicles make up digestible and satisfying ways to serve sequential information or roundups. Keep that in mind when you select a topic that fits that bill.
2. Research Your Audience’s Search Intent
Knowing precisely who your audience is and the issues it faces is the first step in creating the best listicles.
If you’re targeting a keyword with your listicle, you should understand the search intent of the keyword you want to rank for. Search intent is the primary problem your users want to solve when they enter a particular search keyword.
Examine the types of content that Google serves for your keyword.
For example, take a look at the search results for “ideas for artist dates.”
You can see that over half of the results include numbered lists, which is a strong indicator that this topic works as a listicle.
3. Optimize for Search Engine Results
By now, you have a general idea of what’s out there. It’s time to dive further into what makes the best listicles on your topic.
First, take a look at the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) of your target keyword to see the number of sections the top-ranked articles include.
As shown in the screenshot, articles on the topic of e-commerce platforms include 6-11 e-commerce platforms, so 10 platforms would be an appropriate number to aim for in your listicle.
There are usually two ways to beat the numbers. Either include more points than any other search result — or less.
Idea roundups — a listicle that aggregates ideas on one theme — are an example of a type of listicle you’d want to increase your content offering. Examples of idea roundups include:
- 35 Social Media Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses
- 95 Simple SEO Tips To Improve Your Traffic Overnight
- 25 Newsletter Templates To Engage Your Audience
How to’s and guides are listicles you want to reduce your listicle number:
- How To Conduct an SEO Audit in 11 Steps
- 9 Easy Ways To Build Backlinks
- 4 Ways To Revamp Your Customer Retention Strategy
Keep in mind this is just a general guideline. It’s more important to think about your audience and create the best listicles you can. If there aren’t hundreds of valuable insights on a topic, don’t force it. If simplifying something even further would cut out important information, don’t do it.
Similarly, pay attention to the descriptions of your competitors. If each point is well-explained in their listicle, you don’t want to create a listicle with only a few lines under each number.
If you see a featured snippet on the SERP, make sure to optimize for it. For that, assign header tags to your list, keep titles brief, and avoid the first-person language.
4. Prioritize Unique Value
The best listicles don’t copy previous content. They create new value for their readers.
Wondering how to write a listicle that adds value? Consider these four tactics:
- Unique Content: Cover topics in great detail, include proprietary data, source expert quotes, or use personal insights no one else can offer.
- Unusual Quantity: Add more tips and tricks than any other resource.
- Functional Structure: Organize your article with topic buckets, add a table of contents to make navigation easy, or make your content sortable with filters.
- Free Assets: Include relevant images, offer downloadable worksheets, or create custom illustrations.
For example, FTD created custom illustrations to enhance their quote listicle.
Brainstorm ideas using these as jumping-off points before you start. Use your insights into the audience and your perspective on the topic to develop a unique offering.
5. Craft An Attention-Grabbing Title
Getting the title of your listicle right is crucial. Your title should draw readers in while also accurately communicating expectations.
Avoid overdone and misleading tactics like “You Won’t Believe #14… ” or calling something “Mind-blowing.” Don’t oversell the results or overstate the benefits.
Instead, use accurate attention-grabbing information to encourage users to click on your article, known as your click-through rate or CTR.
What does that look like? These title additions can increase interest:
- [X examples/ scripts / printables / tools]
- Based on X years of experience
- Updated for [current year]
- X Actionable Tips
- From X Experts
- According to [Specific Expert]
Take a look at this example from our blog:
The advice from a “Six-Figure Freelancer” makes the title more clickable as it indicates that the article features a unique angle and expert advice.
What makes your title interesting will also make your article interesting. If you can’t think of anything that would make your listicle stand out, it may be time to rethink your strategy.
Final Thoughts: How To Write the Best Listicles — 5 Straightforward Tips
The best listicles deliver on the users’ search intent and find ways to add distinctive value.
Take your time in the planning phase to understand your audience’s expectations and analyze your keyword competitors. Find ways to cover the topic more thoroughly or from another angle than what’s been done before.
Striking this perfect balance of strategy and creative insight takes talented writers. The team at Blogsmith would love to help you craft expert-level listicles and more.
Get in touch to learn more about our writing services.
