With limited time and screen space, most online browsers prefer reading content that is written in an easy-to-read format such as lists, over long paragraphs or essays. In fact, articles written in a list format are so popular that some websites focus on them exclusively, and the successful ones have no shortage of web traffic.
The popularity of lists isn’t just something the internet age spawned, but the abundance and search optimization of lists have made them an internet mainstay. Most successful article-based websites feature lists, and succeed for the following reasons.
- Keywords. List titles are like the perfect storm of SEO. Words like “top,” “most,” and “best” are some of the most commonly-searched terms, and while you’ll need to be a little creative to distinguish your list from the others, by titling your article appropriately, you already have an SEO head-start.
- Length. You could probably find a few list articles out there detailing the reasons why online readers prefer short articles, but the main things you need to keep in mind are that your reader a) is probably under a time crunch, b) wants to make a decision as quickly as possible, and c) needs to maintain interest in the article at hand in order to read further. A short, well-written list article is more likely to generate interest than a detailed treatise that examines a single topic in depth.
- Opinion. Many of the keywords in lists are unabashedly hyperbolic and subjective.This doesn’t mean that your article should contain fallacies, but that you should highlight the best things your company produces. For example, an article entitled “Customers Vote on our Top 10 Products” will show the reader that your company values customer opinion while providing them with a detailed list of your most popular products.
- Format. List articles essentially have an outline format, meaning that they have clear headings at each section. This means that a reader can skip the list items that don’t interest them and go on to read the ones that do. Compare that with pages of unmarked paragraphs and you can see the appeal.
- Links. A list article can serve as an introduction to your website and contain links to other sections that cover list items in a more detailed fashion. For example, a list article describing the services you provide would contain a link to the section of your website that describes the services or contains customer reviews of services. Another organic way to incorporate links into a list article would be to provide an FAQ page or a page detailing common problems that your company can remedy.
A good list article will keep readers interested and encourage them to explore your company’s website. In addition to increasing web traffic, list articles can serve as effective marketing tools that serve to inform, and ultimately increase, your customer base.
If you need help producing online content or are looking for creative ways to integrate keywords, links and other SEO friendly elements into your content, consult ClickxPosure’s copywriters by calling 1-888-909-RANK.
