9 Ways To Write A Bomb-Ass Listicle

A listicle is an article in list form. Listicles can be for entertainment, information, advice, and many other purposes. They can be found all over the internet: Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, etc. There are even entire websites dedicated to them. Businesses use them for advertising on the internet, and many people read and write them for fun. As attention spans have decreased, they have become increasingly popular. Different listicles target different audiences; there is a listicle out there for everyone from you to your grandma.

1. Be Original.

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When writing a listicle, you must get the audience to want to stay reading, and even share your publication. For that to happen, your work must be original—no one wants to re-read the same kind of listicle they just read. To be unique in the largely-popular, listicle-making community, some quick research regarding similar topics could go a long way in preventing you from sounding repetitive. A quick tip to be sure your idea has not already been done is to Google your listicle's title.

2. Be Organized.

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Organization will make or break your listicle. Have a flow to your listicle. Number your sub headlines so that the reader can subconsciously mark off how far they've read. It also allows you to section off your listicle into categories or themes.

3. Be Knowledgeable.

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Choosing the topic for your listicle depends on your knowledge and experience of it. A high-quality listicle can’t be written if you don’t know anything about the topic, that’s like a medical doctor designing fashionable clothes. Even if there is some knowledge of the topic or you have had some experience with it, research should be done to clarify certain aspects of it.

4. Be Concise.

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A popular listicle can’t be too long. When readers are reading the listicles on their phones, computers, or other devices, they are just scanning the content and aren’t going to read every word. So, keeping it short and concise is key for popularity. The word count for each listicle will vary based on the number of subheads, but it should usually be around 600-1300 words. If there are more subheads, then there can be less writing for each.

5. Be Attention Grabbing.

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Creative hooks are your friend. Attention-grabbing components of listicles span from the title to visuals used throughout. The title is the most important aspect of the listicle; it's what determines its success. To create an attention-grabbing title, use numbers and relatable words. Intriguing numbers are odd and prime numbers. They catch the reader's eye and intrigue them. Prime numbers cannot be easily absorbed, so the best attention-grabbing title contains an odd prime number: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29... etc. 29 has proven to be the perfect number.

To intrigue readers even more, it is beneficial to use words that connect or relate the audience to the listicle. Using celebrities' names, popular movies, songs, or games relates the readers to the listicles since they already know about these topics. Attention-grabbing titles and visuals contain information that readers are interested in reading about to learn more or to connect them to people they deem entertaining.

6. Be Visual.

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Unlike lengthy novels, visual aid is a huge advantage for “sharable” listicles. Visuals could consist of an image, a GIF or a video. For each subhead, you could add a visual aid to help you get your point across. When deciding to include pictures or videos, make sure that they are relevant. Depending on your writing style, they could be silly, serious, sad, etc. Apart from actual images, it is always worthwhile to pay attention to detail. Numbering each subhead allows the reader to visually organize your list.

7. Be Relatable.

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Connecting to the audience is key in order to have a successful listicle. You must be aware of who your audience will be depending on your topic and visuals. For younger audiences, you can be more successful with less. Relate to youth by using visuals containing admired celebrities and a friendly tone. For an older audience, it is more relatable to use fewer visuals and a more informational tone. You could have any type of audience on the internet—mothers to video gamers to veterans—so it is important to know where and who your listicle will be reaching.

8. Be Controversial.

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A controversial title will evoke an emotional response from readers, possibly making them more likely to click on and read your listicle. It will definitely get them talking. Imagine scrolling through Facebook and seeing an article titled "15 Reasons All Dogs Should Be Banished." Now, some people might agree, but a majority of others would fight to the death to keep their dogs. Anger is a powerful tool in writing. Be careful what you claim though, because the backlash could be extreme and damaging. Try to have legitimate reasons backing up your views.

9. Be Consistent.

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Consistency is key. The theme throughout your listicle should remain constant, and your subheadings should act as road signs leading your audience through your thought process. The way you title your subheadings should also be like each other. Notice the subheadings of this listicle, and how they are all commands starting with the word "Be." People are drawn to things that look nice.

The way you talk about your topic should also be consistent with your topic. If you are talking about how you can deal with grief, sarcasm is probably not your best mode of communication. If you are writing about why The Joker is the best superhero, knowing full well that he is not a hero at all, sarcasm, irony, and comedy are very appropriate.

Now that you know how to write a listicle, why not give it a try yourself? Listicles are incredibly useful and relatively easy to make! Login to Buzzfeed to test out your writing skills. Listicles are timely, and you should not expect to see them go anywhere anytime soon! They're here to stay, so we might as well embrace the lists and make them work for us. :)