10 Tips for Composing a Listicle

Listicles, information presented in list form, can be fun and/or informative. They are especially useful in our digital age because they come to us in scannable sight bites, saving us time when looking for answers. They work nicely as a blog post, an article or an essay. They can often make us laugh with a humorous take on any topic.

Here are 10 tips for writing an engaging listicle:

1. Pick a topic -Your topic for a listicle should be something you want to write about but also something your readers will relate to. A listicle for a publication should match the themes and content of your target publication. A blog post should match your blog identity.
2. Decide on your number of list points – a listicle with additional text may be best with fewer points (5-10). Short one sentence lists can be longer (10-20).
3. Find your focus – you might want to research what others have done with your topic. Then you can find your perspective that is unique and individual.
4. List your main points- Put points in order if your topic requires it. Otherwise, find the best order for your particular list.
5. Edit your list – You will want to edit the list for clarity and content – Does your list make sense? Does it engage the reader?
6. Make your entries skimmable - even if you are giving examples or explanations after your list points, brief is best.  To do this, you want to tighten up the writing – eliminating any unnecessary words without losing meaning.
7. Write your ending – Wrap up your points bringing the piece back around to your original nd offer useful or humorous conclusion.
8. Add an introduction – introduce your topic and include your unique perspective.
9. Pick a title – find a title that best displays the meaning and topic of your list. Don’t forget that keywords will cause your piece to be found on search engines.
10. Add images – images can enhance your listicle if they add to your information or if you are writing humor.

Listicle Samples 

Here is a listicle I wrote for DivorcedMoms.com a while back. I like the way it inspires me. It's composed of quotes and personal comments:

10-INSPIRATION-QUOTES-FROM-FOR-WHEN-MOVING-ON-FEELS-IMPOSSIBLE

Here’s a listicle from Buzzfeed that demonstrates that straight one line list which includes images, which are vital for this kind of pictorial essay.

11 BIZARRE PLACES IN THE US THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT