Are you looking for a way to boost your company’s content marketing strategy? Look no further than listicles.
Listicles, or articles presented in a list format, have become increasingly popular in recent years because they are easy to read, visually appealing, and highly shareable.
But did you know that listicles can also supercharge your company’s content marketing strategy?
In this article, we’ll explore how listicles can take your content marketing strategy to the next level and help you achieve your traffic generation and audience engagement goals.
The psychology of listicles and snackable content.
In today’s fast-paced world, online content writers have a short window of time to capture and hold a reader’s attention.
Eye-tracking studies show that users only read 20-28% of the words on the average webpage.
This means that content writers should cater their materials to the average reader who is more likely to skim a webpage than read it word-for-word.
For example, stylizing your content to visually direct readers to the most important information on the page using headlines, bold fonts, lists, and bullet points.
Listicles are a gold standard format for guiding the everyday reader who want to just skim through the main points. This type of content gives writers more control over what information they want to highlight, allowing them to prioritize key messages or insights.
Additionally, listicles can help structure complex topics into manageable sections, making them more accessible and understandable to a wider audience. They are snackable, easily digestible articles that give readers the option of casually skimming or fully diving into the content.
How listicles supercharge search engine optimization (SEO) strategy.
Listicles are not just a favorite for readers; they are also a favorite of search engines in determining website rankings. When used correctly, a listicle can serve as an organic magnet for traffic, boosting a website’s visibility and authority in search engine results pages (SERPs).
This is because search engines read and analyze pages in a similar way as humans, scanning the page for keywords in titles, headlines, and keyword density throughout the text.
For this reason, we can often apply the same psychological strategies when writing for ranking systems.
Humans also play a role in why listicles outperform other writing formats in SEO. Search engines use dwell time, or how long a reader stays on your website, to determine rank as well.
This is why it’s important to create content that both attracts and holds attention, keeping them on the page for as long as possible.
Listicles have a virality factor, in part because they are highly shareable. Studies show that list-style content receives 70% higher traffic than non-list content and gets the highest number of shares on social media.
Sharing is important because it increases the number of eyes on a post, but also because it tells search engines that your content is popular and should be ranked as high-quality content.
All of these factors play a role in getting your content on the first page of search results and in front of the largest possible audience.
Why are listicles so effective for branded content?
We’ve already established why listicles are so effective as online content, but what can they do for your brand? This is where branded content comes in.
Branded content is sponsored content that promotes a brand or business with an emphasis on storytelling over selling to generate positive brand perceptions.
It is usually developed in a media partnership with a publisher or advertiser and is more subversive than traditional advertising techniques.
See: Fortune 100 Brands Stopped Advertising And Started Telling Stories—Here’s Why
In the realm of branded content, listicles help increase your brand’s reach, drive traffic to your website, and grow your brand’s reputation. This is especially valuable for businesses looking to get on the public radar and grow their customer base.
Listicle-style branded content can also be used to promote events, announce new products or services, and even create interactive experiences for your audience.
Skyline Studios offers listicles as a format option for branded content, which can then be distributed to newspapers throughout the Southern California region including all eleven SCNG websites, The T.E.A, SoCal Home & Living, SoCal Fomo, and SoCal Moments.
Previous branded listicle-style content from Skyline Studio:
SoCal’s Best Pumpkin Patches You Must Visit, Featured in The Orange County Register’s The T.E.A
Must Try Latte Spots in Southern California, Featured in SoCal Fomo
Fam-tastic Fun: Things to do at the 2023 Los Angeles County Fair, Featured in SoCal Moments
Our branded listicle-style content allows businesses to get their name in front of our audience of over 8 million readers across Southern California by way of some of the most trusted news sources in the region.
Consumers prefer branded content over traditional advertising because it doesn’t feel like they’re being sold something. Instead, branded content is integrated into articles and story formats that SCNG readers expect and enjoy.
Listicles are a powerful and cost-effective tool for boosting your company’s content marketing strategy. They are easy to read, conversational, visually appealing, and highly shareable. All of these qualities make them the perfect format for driving traffic and increasing audience engagement.
When you partner with Skyline Studios for your listicle-style branded content, your business can connect with customers across the Southern Californian region. Contact us for more information, or book a free consultation below: