A listed content is a comprehensive blog post that seeks to inform readers about a particular subject area. It lists a number of reasons, tips, methods, best ways, step by step, secrets, types, ways, trends.
Listed content help present a large amount of information in small, easy-to-scan, numbered sections.
List posts can cover all kinds of topics, from the more educational posts on HubSpot like “How To Build Wealth | 10 simple Hacks to Wealth Building” to the crazy Buzzfeed lists like “21 High Paying Side Hustle For Lazy People.”
In this article, I’ll guide you through how to create an effective listed article. Before we move further let’s go on to define what a listed content is.
What is a Listed Content?
Listed content discuss a particular subject area in a manner of priority, usually going from the best to the least.
For example, if you were to see content with the title “13 Most Expensive Houses in 2021”, your content will focus on listing the most expensive houses starting from the most expensive sitting on the number one spot to the least expensive sitting on the number thirteen spot. In some other cases, the order is usually descending.
Moving on, we’ll outline the step-by-step process of writing a listed content on this platform.
Structure of a Listed Content On This Platform
The listed content is divided into the following sections:
Introduction
The introductory statement otherwise known as the opening statement gives readers an insight into what your post is talking about. Here, you are expected to capture your readers in the best way you can, using fewer words.
This part of a listed content plays a huge role in your writing as it goes to determine whether a web visitor will continue reading your post or bounce out.
Your first 100 words in the introductory section should contain your keyword. Moreso, your introduction should not exceed three paragraphs at most.
A great way to summarize your introduction would be to outline the core aspects of conversations that your content will cover. This will be the last aspect of your introduction you must capture to get your writing off to a smooth start.
Queries
After your introduction and a promise to inform the readers, this is where you now dissect the top into constituent parts that better explain the topic.
For instance, if your topic is “Best Cars in the world”, your article should answer the following queries; What makes a car exceptional, Where can I find the best cars in the world, How much does it cost to buy a good car, Best cars in the world, etc.
With this, you’re giving your readers an in-depth overview of what the topic is all about by canceling out all possible doubts and grey areas.
In this section, you are expected to flesh out relevant details that answer each query in the active voice using a conversational tone that makes it easy for the reader to understand and grasp.
Each of your queries should border around your keyword.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Frequently asked questions, or FAQs as they are known, are a great way to improve your customer’s experience of your website. It allows you to answer the questions that are most commonly asked surrounding your product or service. Here you are expected to capture at least 5 related questions from your topic and answer them in the simplest form.
Conclusion
This point marks the end of your writing. When you’re ending a blog post, writing a summary is a great way to go. For a listed content, your conclusion should highlight the key takeaways and make actionable points that will educate your audience.
Additionally, it’s important to remember that your summary conclusion shouldn’t contain any fluff. That means all the information should be relevant and tie everything together.
References
Every piece of writing is gotten from somewhere. At the end of your writing, ensure you spell out the sources you got information from. This shows the credibility of work and expertise.
Recommendations
This is where you are expected to make a list of related topics and content that you want your reader to see too.
Step-by Step Outline of How To Write A Listed Content
Here is a detailed step by step outline of how to write a listed content on this platform:
Step 1 – Ask for your topic
The first step to starting out is by getting your topic. This goes on to determine the format and pattern to adopt.
Some topics naturally fit into a list. For example, how-to guides can be broken down into distinct steps:
- 10 Ways to Get Free Tennis Shoes Like Nike & Adidas | 2021 List
- 10 Ways To Get Paid To Message Guys In 2021
You can also find topics like;
Step 2 – Do your keyword research
The aim of every listed content is to rank high on Google search. For this reason, before you start writing, ensure you do keyword research.
Keywords are the phrases that people put into search engines to find information on a specific topic. They are also the phrases that Google and other search engines use to determine the subject of your blog post or web page.
When you optimize your listed content for particular keywords, your page is more likely to rank and appear as an option when people search for those terms.
You can use free tools to do keyword research such as Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest.
Step 3 – Outline your queries
After researching your topic and looking at related search results, make a list of related queries that will add details to your main topic.
For example, while creating a listed content about “Richest Kings in the World”, take a look at what’s already been written about rich kings and draw some questions from there.
Look at “People also ask” questions in Google. These are questions that people commonly search about the same topic. They’re an easy way to make sure you’re covering the topic thoroughly.
This will help you to create better content than what everyone else has already published.
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Step 4 – Answer each query
Next, brainstorm, research, and jot down any points you think would best answer your query. After that, carefully go through all the points you’ve written down to ensure that they are presented best in a particular order.
When it gets to the point where you have to list, number the listed items in either ascending or descending order. As readers go through the article, moving down the numbered list creates a sense of progress. There’s also a feeling of accomplishment, which motivates readers to keep reading. It also makes sense to number the items if you use a number in the post title.
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Step 5 – Add Images
An image tells a great story about your content, giving the reader a pictorial view of what your post is all about.
At the end of each content always add relevant images where the need is and also indicate the URL of where you got the image from. You can source images from free photo sites like Pexels, Canva, Freepik, Shutterstock, Pixabay, etc.
Your Images must be high-quality images downloaded in JPEG format and with no trademarks or copyrights.
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Step 6 – Incude your meta description
The meta description is a snippet of up to about 155 characters which summarizes a page’s content. Search engines show it in search results mostly when the searched-for phrase is within the description. So optimizing it is crucial for on-page SEO.
Here you are expected to briefly summarize all you’ve written in few words that contain your keywords. It must be a readable sentence that spurs curiosity.
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Additional Information
Other factors to note;
- Each query/subheading shouldn’t exceed 300 words.
- Each paragraph shouldn’t exceed 150 words.
- Float your keywords (focus keyword and additional keywords) at least 10 to 15 times in your content.
- The focus keyword must be found in your introduction, at least 2 subheadings (queries) and conclusion.
- Beware of consecutive sentences. No 3 sentences must start with the same word.
- Write more in active words (present tense) than in passive voice.
- Do not use ambiguous words. Let the sentences be comprehensible.
- Write correct senetnces. Master grammar and sentence construct.
- Do not use filler words to make up the word count. Instead, an additional query can suffice.
Samples of Listed Content Formats
Here is what a listed content format looks like:
Example 1
Topic: 17 Highest Paid Massage Therapists | Best Countries And States
Keyword: highest-paid massage therapist
Your content should cover the following:
- Is massage therapy a good career?
- Why become a massage therapist? Is being a massage therapist worth it?
- Can you make good money as a massage therapist?
- How much do massage therapists make?
- How much do massage therapists make in Canada?
- What are the 7 highest paying countries for massage therapists in the world? List and review each country, how massage therapists work, and their pay.
- What are the highest paid states for massage therapists? List out what massage therapists earn in each state. Then review the top 10 states and their pay.
- Answer at least 5 FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) related to the keywords. The answers should be straight to the point; no need for long explanations.
For instance, If it is a “what is” question, just go straight to the point. If it is a “how-to” question, you can just list the steps. have a preamble before the listing. - Conclude and include your references. Also, write the topic picture source (the URL).
PLEASE WRITE YOUR META DESCRIPTION, ADD EXTRA KEYWORDS TOO! Also, your keywords are in accordance with SEO. Kindly float them at least 10 to 15 times in your content.
Example 2
Topic: Best Mother Theresa Quotes
Keyword: Best Mother Teresa quotes
Write a good introduction on Mother Teresa quotes. Your content should explain the following:
- Who is Mother Teresa?
- Why do you need Mother Teresa quotes?
- List 50 best Mother Teresa quotes on giving
- Conclusion
- References
- Meta description
- Image source (URL)
Example 3
Topic: 15 Highest Paid Retail Jobs In 2021
Keyword: Highest Paid Retail Jobs
Give a captivating introduction to the highest-paid retail jobs.
In this listed content you are expected to cover the following:
- What is a retail job all about?
- How do retailers make money?
- Is retail job proitatble?
- How much does retail jobs pay?
- How to become a life insurance agent.
- What are the highest paid retail jobs? List and review each retail job and their pay.
- Answer at least 5 FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) related to the keywords. The answers should be straight to the point; no need for long explanations.
For instance, If it is a “what is” question, just go straight to the point. If it is a “how-to” question, you can just list the steps. have a preamble before the listing. - Conclude and include your references.
- Image source (the URL).
SAMPLES OF PUBLISHED LISTED CONTENT ON THE PLATFORM
