The Power of ‘Listicles’: Why to Include them in Your Content Strategy

What is a listicle?

A listicle is essentially an article or blog post that is written in a list format.

Listicles can help to break down your content for users, allowing them to digest the information more easily. This can be particularly useful when writing about legal topics that visitors to your site may not be as familiar with.

Usually, listicles will consist of several numbered items, each with a few lines or paragraphs. The purpose of this is to allow readers to skim the content if they wish, so they’re able to take away the key information they need.

The most effective listicles educate users and drive organic traffic. In this guide, we’ve set out more of the benefits this style of content can bring, and how your firm can get the most out of it.

What are the benefits of writing listicles?

Listicles aren’t new. They’ve become increasingly popular in recent years, and for good reason. There are numerous benefits to writing listicles, in terms of both user engagement and search engine optimisation (SEO).

Here are our top reasons for adding listicles to your content strategy:

1. They rank well on search engine results pages (SERPs) 

You might have noticed that SERPs often display lists as snippets of text from pages displayed in the search results. This makes listicles a great option for increasing click-throughs and driving organic traffic to your site. 

2. They’re easily digestible for users 

Listicles make it easier for users to scan and retain the information they need. The format allows for quick navigation which encourages visitors to remain on the page.  

3. They're versatile and easy to create  

You can use listicles when writing about numerous topics, from medical negligence to conveyancing. They’re also relatively easy to create and update, saving your team valuable time.  

How to get started

We’ve explored the benefits of incorporating listicles in your content strategy, but how do you get the most out of this format?

1. Decide on a topic

This will largely depend on your own expertise and experience.

If your firm specialises in conveyancing, for example, you could start with a listicle featuring top tips for buying a house. Or if you mainly handle personal injury cases, a step-by-step guide for making a claim could be a good starting point.

Your chosen topic should have enough demand from website visitors to make your efforts worthwhile.

Take a look at the content your competitors are producing or use tools like Ahrefs and SEMRush* to find out what your website visitors may find useful.

*If you’d like to learn more about using keyword research tools effectively, we have a free comprehensive guide.

2. Set out your structure

Now you know what you want your listicle to be about, it’s time to plan the structure of the content.

There are several layouts you could use for your listicle. If you’re creating a step-by-step guide, a chronological approach might make the most sense. But you may prefer to list each item in order of importance if you’re writing a ‘top tips’ or checklist-style article.

Listicles allow people to easily scan and find the information they need. This is why it’s so important that you don’t make your content longer than it needs to be. If a point needs further explanation, consider linking to another page which goes more in-depth.

There will be times where you may need to make your listicle post slightly longer, though. In these instances, it can be useful to include a table of contents with jump links, so that users can quickly navigate to the sections they’re interested in.

You may also want to consider adding images to your listicle, particularly when it becomes a longer piece. This can help to make it more visually appealing for readers and could keep them on the page for longer.

3. Share your listicle

After researching and putting together your latest listicle post, you’ll want to make sure it reaches a wide audience.

Listicles are great for sharing as they’re so easy to repurpose. Here are just three ways you could get more out of your existing listicle content:

• Create an infographic to be featured on your website and social channels
• Pull some of the more important items to include as bullet points in a social post
• Use it to create a step-by-step video

Repurposing in this way will help you get the most out of your listicle content, without putting too much extra strain on your team.

As with any online content, it’s important that you update your listicle posts as time goes on. This could help you to rank higher on the SERPs as search engines will recognise that your site is providing relevant and fresh information.

To find out more about how First4Lawyers could help you boost your marketing efforts, get in touch with us today.