5 Reasons to Love Listicles – And Why Every Brand Should Use This Tactic

Laura Malm
March 15, 2022

While you can distribute many forms of content, listicles remain a great way to promote content in a fun article-style format that leans on images to support your message. While many thought that listicles were a trend that would quickly fizzle out, listicles are here to stay as a content marketing tactic. Sites like lifehacker.com and Better Homes and Gardens implement listicles in their content strategy to offer readers a more image-heavy option supplemented with shorter captions.

Listicles are especially great for listing out recipes, products, trends and more. We’ve outlined some great reasons why you should be using listicles in your content strategy – reasons your clients and stakeholders won’t be able to ignore.

Here are five reasons listicles are great for both readers and marketers.

1. Pictures draw readers in

There’s no arguing that readers process an image differently from copy. One quick glance at an engaging photo draws curiosity to learn more – no skimming through lengthy paragraphs necessary. Because photography is the most prominent aspect of a listicle, it is perfect for appealing to online readers who expect more out of the content they are consuming. Consider a listicle a mini storybook for adults.

2. Our brains love lists

Lists are captivating. Lists are easily digestible. Our brains simply love this type of ordered copy because it makes it simple to process information. This is particularly important for the online marketer who must captivate readers who spend mere seconds on a page before deciding to stay or click away. Listicles are snackable forms of content that appeal to the short attention spans many of us have when reading content online.

3. Branded photojournalism is fascinating

In the Internet age, readers are savvier than ever. Traditional advertising is not as effective as it once was. Most readers will skip right over that boring banner ad for a listicle any day – especially if the topic is compelling. That’s a prime opportunity for brands to inject subtle key messages into the context of the listicle so intriguing information is balanced with a few instances of promotional copy.

In an ActiveCampaign blog post, author Ernie Santeralli points out that “people don’t hate all ads, they just hate the intrusive ads. Sponsored content offers a solution to this by putting ads in places that people are already looking.” By utilizing sponsored content as a brand awareness tactic, you’re taking a break from the in-your-face advertising that’s become so common and providing the consumer interesting, fun information.

4. The opportunity to have some fun

Every brand approaches its content marketing and public relations tactics differently. The great thing about listicles is that they provide an opportunity to try something fresh and new, and brands can have a little fun at the same time. Topics can be creative, lighthearted and even slightly bizarre. Listicles often have an element of surprise that rewards the reader with something unexpected – which is a big reason why listicles have gained such notable popularity.

5. Get extra mileage from your listicle

A digital marketer’s dream, listicles are ideal for sharing online. And who doesn’t want the momentum that comes when a listicle trends on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, etc.? Just remember to include sharing buttons when publishing to make it easy for readers to share on their social media profiles.

All in all, listicles make sharing content fun

Listicles allow us to present content in a simpler, more digestible way that captures readers’ attention. Brandpoint’s listicle offering lets you distribute your listicle to our network of publishers, picking up guaranteed coverage and gaining awareness around the topic you want to talk about. Reach out for more information on crafting and distributing a listicle with Brandpoint.