Ever wonder why blogging posts with numbered lists become so popular? Blogging posts with numbered lists are a great way to increase website traffic as well as increase blog popularity. I’ve highlighted several reasons why using numbered lists in blog posts are more effective and more attractive to readers than regular posts. Ironically, I’ve chosen to use numbered-list format for this post to explain why numbered lists happen to be so effective!

Why are numbered lists considered highly-effective?

1) They appeal to social media networks — People using StumbleUpon and Digg want to read something interesting, something simple, and something quick. Seeing a big chunk of text without a numbered list, (even if it is quality content), can make for a very quick website exit and “thumbs down” on StumbleUpon. The majority of people using programs like StumbleUpon take a quick glance at the page — if they like how the page looks, then they dive deeper and may actually take time to read your content. Making a good first impression on social media networks is definitely key and one of the best ways to impress readers is by creating a quality list! Want your post to soar on the Digg network? Chances are in your favor if you make a list! I use StumbleUpon frequently and notice that the majority of posts in numbered-list format get the most thumbs ups and comments.

2) Lists catch interest quickly – Look at all of your standard blog posts, then compare them to the posts in which you used numbered lists. Which ones happened to be more successful and receive the most comments? Posts with numbered lists usually work their way up to your “most popular posts” status much more quickly than other posts — or at least that has been my personal experience. It’s something about the ability of numbered lists to draw attention that makes them successful. Be sure to use them to start catching the interest of other bloggers!

3) They make your post “stand-out from the crowd” — Using numbered lists definitely will make your post “stand-out” from the crowd of standard-paragraph blog posts. With my experience, numbered lists always attract more attention than an average post. I will personally vouch for their attention-grabbing ability: when I see a numbered list, I am much more likely to check it out. Most everyone can truthfully admit that seeing a numbered list definitely attracts their attention quicker than most other types of posts. Sure numbered lists are used a lot nowadays by bloggers, but that’s mostly due to the fact that they happen to be so successful! Make your post stand out from the crowd and start using a numbered list!

4) They are “easy-to-follow” – Numbered lists are very simple to follow and the simplicity of posting in a numbered list type format is what attracts readers. When readers see a big paragraph of text with a small bold title, they will be much more likely to look at the title, skim the article and exit the page quickly. Not everyone just skims, but if you want to trap visitors that do skim and get them to actually read your full article, a numbered list is an awesome way to do it! Numbered lists happen to be very easy to follow because they are usually “to-the-point” and written in a clear, concise format. Readers are able to just read the bold points and still gain valuable knowledge. Numbered-lists also look above-average when printed out. If your readers decide to print out your post and tape it up on the wall, (or post it next to their computers for easy access), they will be able to clearly read each bold list-item and follow along without having to re-read the entire post “word-for-word.”

5) They look clean and organized – Seeing text in paragraph form can definitely be organized, but it’s not competing on the same organizational level as numbered lists. When seeing a top 10 list, the reader already knows that it is well-organized and easy to follow — which increases the likelihood that they will actually read your content. And, not only do numbered lists look clean and organized, they actually are cleaner and more organized! Highlighting key points in a numbered-list format is a much easier, more effective organizational tactic than writing double-thickburger sized paragraphs in standard blog format. By using numbered lists, you are laying out key points that readers should be aware of! Use numbered-lists to keep your blog entries looking clean and organized.

6) They highlight important points – A huge benefit of using numbered lists is that they highlight the important aspects of your blog article. Highlighting important points makes the entry much easier to read and follow. Readers know that just by looking at the main points on numbered lists what the article will be discussing. Keeping articles simple and highlighting important points draw in readers. Highlighting important points tells the reader specific aspects of the article that the author wanted them to take and remember.

7) They make great first impressions — Since numbered lists catch the eye much more often than regular posts, most first-time readers will see the list and be drawn to read it. If they find your numbered list entry helpful, chances are good that you have just gained a new community member and frequent reader! Not only will creating numbered lists help make a great impression on social media networks, they will also draw in Entrecard traffic. When people see a list, they are naturally drawn. Entrecard traffic can be difficult to keep on your site because there are many frequent droppers that don’t even take the time to read your articles. Use numbered lists to start making an awesome first-impression and trapping Entrecard traffic!

8) They are valuable – Just like any post, numbered lists can be packed with a shrine full of helpful information. A lot of people are beginning to undermine the value of numbered lists and I’m here to represent the numbered list format. Just because a blog post is in a numbered-list format should never mean that it is lacking in content or quality! Many numbered lists may be lacking in quality, yet there are many high-quality posts that are written in numbered list format.

9) They are easier to write — Yes, plenty of effort should go into crafting each of your blog posts. I personally find that numbered lists are easier for me to generate quality ideas and describe each individual idea. Why are numbered-lists easier to write? It’s much easier to think of key points than focusing on writing an entire body of information. You also don’t need to waste time putting each individual key-point in chronological order, though it does help to have smooth transitions between numbers.

10) Numbered-lists are successful – Are your blogging posts a success story? Want to increase your current success ratio? Using a numbered-list format will definitely help. Give a numbered-list blog post a shot and see for yourself how well they work out! They appeal to both social networking users and your frequent blog readers. Want to know more about why using numbered lists are so successful? Re-read this entire post!

If you have been using the numbered lists tactic in your blogging posts and have found it to be unsuccessful, something went wrong. If you have been using the tactic and want to benefit even more from its use, continue reading. Below I’ve highlighted helpful ways to increase the success-rate of your numbered lists and help them gain the readership that they deserve!

How to make successful numbered lists:

1) Make each item on the list bold — Many people skim the context of blog entries without reading them word-for-word. If you want key points to stand out from the crowd of boring text, be sure to make your list items bold. By making them bold, everyone will be able to quickly read the key points of your article and determine whether or not they are interested. Though your blog article may be packed with awesome content, not everyone actually does take the time to read your articles word-for-word. Be sure to make a good impression for the skimmers out there.

2) Capitalize at least the first word in the list – Some lists look great, some lists as Borat would say, “Notsa much.” If you want your list to look decent and not look like your running a low-rate blog, be sure to capitalize at least the first word of each item on your list. I personally think that capitalizing every word on the list is a little bit overboard and doesn’t look as good as only capitalizing the first word. Everyone is different, you be the judge… but at least have the decency to capitalize the first word of each list item. If you skip capitalizing that first word, most people will be turned-off and think that you’re a new blogger without much experience. Be sure to capitalize that first word to achieve maximum success!

3) Be “to-the-point” – Rambling is a very effective method to bore your readers — (possibly to death…) If you find that you don’t have much to say about an item on your list, don’t be afraid to cut it short. Many times people think that readers like to see a big body of text — newsflash: not if it is full of rambled information.

4) Pack each list item with plenty of information — The items on your numbered list should be packed with as much information as possible. If there isn’t much information to write about for each key aspect, then be clear and to-the-point. When there is a lot of information to convey, using a list can break up large amounts of text to appear more reader-friendly. Never use lists as a way to cut back on writing more quality information — this is a mistake! Pack each numbered item with as much quality content as possible and move on.

5) Add a picture – There’s something about pictures that attract visitors. I don’t know about you, but every time that I view a blog and there is a picture in the post, I am much more likely to check that post out. When there is a picture and a numbered list, you bet more people will want to read it! Not only does adding a picture increase the likelihood that people will check out your numbered lists — it increases the likelihood that visitors will read your other blog posts.

6) Make the list a step-by-step process — When writing a step-by-step process, a numbered list is definitely the best way to go. Readers will have clear understanding of precise instructions to follow in a sequential order. Seeing a simple step by step process with each step fully described will make the blog entry much more user friendly than writing a large paragraph of text. Step-by-step processes facilitate simplicity and organization — 2 things that most readers particularly enjoy. If at all possible, make the list a step-by-step process!

Final feelings about using numbered lists:

Some people aren’t a big fan of numbered lists and think that they are an overused tactic in the blogosphere. Wake up and smell the coffee people: most successful blogs frequently use numbered lists as a way to clearly convey information! By ruling out numbered lists or trying to cut back on using them, you are probably decreasing your post’s chance to be popular and successful! You can definitely expect Andrew Pavelski dot Com to have plenty more numbered-list type blog posts in the future. I am not going to stick strictly to using the numbered posts tactic, but I definitely will not hold back from creating one when I feel necessary!