Different brands and blogs require different types of content in order to please their audiences. Depending on the exact niche, particular content styles may be preferred or even required by select audiences; even in situations where this may not exist, a varied approach is usually recommended to ensure optimal reach.

List-based posts (sometimes called “listicles”) are increasingly popular and can be used to entice readers to click and engage. Despite this, there are right and wrong ways to create list-based posts – especially if your goal extends beyond catching someone’s attention with clickbait-style titles.

Today, we’ll take a look at how you can begin creating awesome list-based posts that stand the test of time.

Establish Format, Length and Focus Beforehand

To ensure that your content ranks well and is circulated organically among target audiences, knowing what they crave is paramount. While a bit of basic research can unveil this information, pinging users with content that follows established formats and lengths from your competitors can simplify the process.

Most people aren’t looking for list-based posts that contain the top 100 options or choices: this is simply too long for most to appreciate. Whether it be the top-5, 10 or 15, most people embrace list-based posts because they can be fully read in just a few minutes.

Knowing how and what you want to focus on are also important considerations. Keyword tools can help you uncover just which keywords and phrases are best-suited for the purposes of targeting SEO. However, some list-based posts may also feature prominently in other forms of organic and paid marketing. When in doubt, scour the web to find out which pages and list-based posts are most appealing to your target audience.

Create Digestible Content

List-based content – by definition – breaks up segments and discussions to make it easier to read. This is why so many people enjoy list-based content in the first place! However, there are other measures that should be taken to ensure your content is as awesome as possible. One of the simplest is to create additional breaks and “distractions” in each post.

While this doesn’t mean going off-topic or otherwise inadvertently convincing the reader to do something else, the insertion of images, quotes, page-breaks and other elements help further improve the digestibility of content. Often used in many forms of written content, images and media in particular can help keep readers engaged while simultaneously not overwhelming them with text.

Elaborate, Elaborate, Elaborate

All too many list-based posts fall into the trap of only providing minimal description or context. If you really want to be pinging users with top-notch list-based content, then you need to elaborate on each point!

It is arguably better to do a list of 5-10 key points that are fleshed out instead of including dozens of entries that only feature one or two sentences. Even if list-based posts provide a quick and easy read, most people still want enough information to learn something from the experience. As such, tinker with this dynamic if you’re currently producing short-winded list entries: your readers will thank you.

Overall, list-based posts provide a seamless, simple and appealing content option for readers and content creators alike. By following these tips, you can ensure that your readers resonate effectively with each post and generate optimal reach and impressions!