A listicle, which is a portmanteau of the words ‘list’ and ‘article,’ is, appropriately, an article presented in the style of a numbered list.
They can be found widespread across every writing genre, from “The 4 Best Fat Loss Workouts” to “The 6 Scariest Movies of All Time” to “The 10 Craziest Foods From Around the World (You Won’t Believe Number Eight).”
Listicles allow the writer to focus on a handful of pre-selected bullet points, while the reader enters the article with a relatively clear idea of the material they expect to find. This lays the groundwork for a cut and dry, “one and one make two” writing project. Simple, straightforward, and potentially beneficial on all fronts.
The listicle format can sometimes be a writer’s best friend but, if you’re not careful, it can quickly turn into a counterproductive crutch. Here’s what you need to know.
Three Reasons to Avoid Listicles
1) They Look Like Clickbait
Yes, this is literally judging a book by its cover, but it’s human nature. Listicle articles can sometimes come across as cringey or possible clickbait (both of which cast you in an unprofessional light). This is especially true when titles are presented in a negative or pessimistic tone.
“4 Leg Exercises You Should Never Do” or “3 Movements to Avoid if You Value Your Spine” can come across as arrogant and dismissive, which may dissuade potential readers from even opening the page.
Never mind the fact that dealing in absolutes such as “never,” “always,” “the best,” or “the worst” paints you into a corner should you ever change your mind on a given topic.
2) They’re Too Easy
Listicles are enticing to write because they follow a template like the old Mad Libs. “The [NUMBER] [BEST/WORST] [EXERCISES/WORKOUTS] to [FIX/BUILD/GROW/BURN/TRAIN] Your [BODY PART] … or… “The 12 Best Exercises to Grow Your Biceps.” Figure out your top 12 list, knock out three paragraphs each, and you’ve got an article.
However, because they’re relatively simple to do, you need to resist the siren’s call. You don’t want to fall into the trap of creating nothing *but* listicles, because your credibility can take a hit (explained more in the next point) and you miss the opportunity to create articles that promote your in-depth expertise on a given topic.
For example, one extremely popular and highly qualified strength coach began writing by producing a whirlwind of listicles: The Five Worst whatevers, Three Exercises You Need to something-something, Seven Ways to Fix everything else.
Not only did readers eventually see a numerical title and sigh with disappointment (detracting from clicks and decreasing site traffic), but it also became an issue of editors wondering if he was even capable of writing any other type of content. In hindsight, he was, but it took a long while before he was offered the chance because he trapped himself in a listicle prison.
3) They Can Be More Style Than Substance
Given their bite-sized nature, listicles don’t allow room for a thorough explanation of any particular issue. This is especially true as lists approach or breach the double-digits. It’s hard to write a lot when you’re covering 12 different ways to train your hamstrings, for example, because each individual item needs to be laser-focused to maintain a reasonable total article length.
This also makes listicles a shorter read, leading to viewers spending less “time on page.” If you’re writing for an online publication, this is a crucial metric and one that essentially indicates how interested readers are with a particular website. Because listicles practically invite speed reading or skimming, readers tend to show up, buzz through the material, and click away. That’s bad news for overall site traffic.
Three Reasons You Need Listicles
1) SEO and SERP
Google loves lists. The end.
Yep, The Big G tends to rank listicles high in searches because they present a clear offer and they (should) deliver uncomplicated information. That’s why they’re a tactical way to score for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SERP (Search Engine Result Pages).
Google appreciates, from a reader’s perspective, that someone looking for fat loss ab workouts will probably want to read “Seven Workouts for Ripped Abs”, so that article will likely rank higher than an article explaining why ab workouts don’t matter since nutrition is what really counts for fat loss, yadda, yadda.
Not to mention they’re also a chance to score big for popular keywords. Keep listicles in your toolbox as a way to build content, so if readers search for squat tips or back exercises or high-protein foods, your own info is out there for the finding.
2) They’re Firestorm of Attention
Quick question: Who’s the greatest Mr. Olympia? Answer: It doesn’t matter what you say, because 17 people online will explain why your answer’s wrong and theirs is right.
Especially on social media, everyone has an opinion on every topic. If you have the audacity, or the bravery, to create an article listing the nine best fill-in-the-blanks, your comment section is almost guaranteed to explode with disagreement, discussion, and debate.
This high level of engagement is another key indicator of readers’ interest in a website, whether it’s a publication or your own social media page. You can boost engagement even further by diving into the comment section yourself to support fans or (respectfully) confront the opposing team.
3) An Opportunity to Stand Out
Listicles give you a perfect chance to highlight your unique point of view as a trainer. Sure, many coaches would say that the squat, bench press, and deadlift fit the bill for “The Three Best Exercises for Total-Body Strength.” But what if you approached that same article to explain why the front squat, chin-up, and power clean were your picks?
It’s true that most coaches will agree on 80 to 90% of *general* training principles – the big picture stuff. Use strategic lists to highlight the 10 to 20% that separates you from the crowd. It’ll showcase what you bring to the table that no one else can match.
In the end, listicles can definitely be an effective way to score big points in searches, and condense your training knowledge into jam-packed takeaways. Just make sure you don’t get carried away and end up on the list of 5 Career-Killing Mistakes Made by Fitness Writers, and You’ve Probably Already Done Number Four!
The Write Spotters 
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