Are Blogging Lists the Killer Technique?

When I was first introduced to this theory in our first Saturday class meeting, I instantly remembered all the lists I'd seen on blogs. All of my friends LOVE to post list off the social blog Buzzfeed. And I always feel inclined to read them even though I have no interest in the topic discussed. I also see the importance of formatting words, headlines, and quotes in a blog post. It really draws the eye of the readers to continue reading.

Until the NMDL opening lecture, I didn't realize how frequently I gravitated towards number lists when I choose which articles I read online. I want something quick, concise, and to the point when I'm roaming the internet so it only makes sense that other people are considering the same thing. Losts are an effective way to get information accross, without going overboard with fluff and irrelevant detail. Things that resonate with me follow these rules without even being aware of it. This is helpful in application to my own blog posts so that I keep in mind more than just what I'm saying, but how I'm saying it.

When I first heard that lists were one of the best techniques to blog I was a little worried because my blog is more of just an opinion. I wasnt sure what I would put into a list when I didnt have a specific way to do something or a number of best's or whatever. I hoped I could still maintain a good blog without using a list format, which I believe I still could but after repeatedly hearing about list effectiveness Ive decided to give it a try for my next post. After reading these secrets and brainstorming I think I can pull off a pretty cool list blog with my topic. Secret #3 about starting a conversation will definitely enhance my post, Im excited to try it.

I love reading blogs with listed content! I just started blogging (thanks to this class :) But I have yet to generate a blog that listed only main points. Most the time I only read the title of each new point, but it's so convenient and that's all the information I need. I mainly view post about natural hair regimens, so the quick tips (in the titles) are great. Majority of the time, right below is a description of the listed product with its advantages and disadvantages, if you misuse the products. Either way, I love it and the lists gets me everytime!

I found this blog post really useful when I was creating my own blog this week. Since I decided to make my blog a how-to make crafts blog, I made sure I followed secret number 7 by listing the steps instead of simply explaining what to do next. Something I found interesting that I had never considered or noticed before was that you should avoid lists that end in 0 and 5. In fact, I feel as though I often turn to these lists when choosing a blog to read. Since reading this article I have began noticing the numbers a lot more often. Another item I have always noticed and found easy to follow is secret 5, repitition. I find it helps keep you in reminder of what you are reading and helps the blogger from going off on other topics.

This is an incredible list. I always thought off point pricing was kind of easy, but the conditioning fact is legit. I usually see Top 5, Top 10 or Top 20 lists, so that is really interesting to me. The fact that you put in nuggets is great for reoccuring fans. Is that something that you do for every post or just when you can think of something great? Overall, these 9 - not 10 - secrets are great and I can't wait to implement them in my posts.

Its crazy to think that number cn be so off-puting,  while reading that first couple of paragraphs about 5's and 9's it does make sense why they use the numbers they do as sales numbers.  And by avoiding ome of these numbers it csn help your blog.  And i relly like the idea of deleting soemthing to make it so it isnt even or end in a multiple of 5.  Makes sense and it allows you to still use what you want by only doing minor modifictions.  Repitition works on me so i know it work on many other people.  I like the way that you use the people who __, i think it keeps the reader thinking and involve with your blog post.  Very intereting stuff!

I thought this was really interesting! Reading this post, I found myself agreeing that little elements such as numbering a list for the reader really do make a difference! It's so much less overwhelming reading a numbered list and posting organized content makes the reader more eager to see what you have to say. I am not very familiar with blogging personally, however I will be sure to incorporate these tips as I start my blog for this course. I agree that spicing things up and using an odd numbered list makes the material seem more reliable and unique. So often we as readers see, "Top Ten Remedies for...." and so on. Personally, I know coming across something that says, "Top 17 Recipes for Healthy Eating" or something a little different would strike my attention.

I will be sure to keep this in mind, along with the idea of repetition. As readers, I think we cling to things that are patterened and stay the same. We like lists, bullets, and consistency. Sticking to a theme similiar to your example of "People who....." will keep consistency in the blog, and allow readers to grasp the information quickly.

Thanks for the tips! 

This is very interesting. I knew that there were some proven tricks for creating lists make your posts more likely to be read, but I didn’t know about all of these. I think that it is very interesting that certain numbers are best avoided, like 10s or multiples of 5.

I like the idea of repetition. That is something that I have used in blog posts before and it always make for an easier, engaging read

I have a personal blog and try to make as many list posts as possible, but sometimes it is hard to incorporate a list when I just have a short, narrative post. Now, I am going to pay more attention to  how I am crafting lists when I do a list post.

I think it is impressive how the "science of blogging" has evolved. What appears to be nice post contains so much serious preparation and consideration. I love how human psychology included in Secret no. 1 is taken into consideration. Not even psychology but also physical elements like breathing described in Secret no. 6 demonstrate that the world of blogging and possibilities to apply other scientific disciplines (besides marketing) are extensive. Thanks for that post which has broaden my scope regarding blogging!

Very interesting article! It got me thinking a lot about how I as a reader get soaked into these hidden tricks also. In 1, I just laugh because what you said about how we look at items that are 99 cents and would purchase them over an item thats a dollar. So true! I also do this. These hidden tips are very helpful and I enjoyed reading them.

All of these blogging secrets were interesting to me. Secret No. 1 particularly caught my attention because it’s not something that we frequently think of, but once you pointed it out then it was extremely obvious. It’s bizarre that we can make a decision on whether something is credible or authentic based on one number difference. The two secrets to help start a discussion were also intriguing. More people will read your blog if people are talking about the posts. Lastly, Secret No. 9 about the hidden messages was hilarious. It allows the writer to be creative and continue to have fun with the blog instead of getting sick of writing for it. It also gives an incentive to your frequent readers because they get the joke while others don’t understand. 

1. As I was reading this post, all I could think about was why didn't I read this earlier!?

2. This article gives a lot of insight to the world of lists and its importance. And I agree to that.

3. The world is becoming fast. People want things to be done in no time. Even when it comes to reading they want it to be precise. List is the best way.

4. One aspect I was facinated by was about secret number 9. I am definitely going to try decipher some hidden messages in the next list I read.

5. Keep it short and simple. K.I.S.S. As my social marketing professor says. This works best for the lists.

6. 7 best ways to earn money sounds more appealing than how to earn more money. So yes, lists win for me.

7. I know this was the worst attempt at making a list but just wanted to prove a point. That yes Lists are the Killer Technique.

Blog is no longer a new thing in the world, but it's still a complex. So many people find that it's hard to run a popular blog. Why? Cause if we don't konw what are our audiences looking for, we can't have their attention. Let's assume that we already have a good content to write. The technique to write is another critical element that contribute to a successful blog. Listing the items can make our posts seems organized and be read easily, it is definitely an effctive methods to appeal our audiences.

As more and more people are writing their own blog now, people become more captious than ever. Except for Listing items, using photos is a new way to draw readers' attention. With technology growing, some social media websites are even trying to provide 10 seconds to one minute long video sharing options for their users. They believe by providing this service can increase amount of users, and mobile devices will help them to achieve the goal.

I thought that this article was extremely interesting and beneficial. I found “Secret No. 1” particularly interesting because I have always wondered why prices always end in 9s and not rounded up to the next dollar. I strongly agree with the “be concise rule” because I know from personal experience that I never begin reading anything at all if it is too long. Most people are too lazy to read long drawn out posts, so it’s definitely essential to be concise in order to keep the attention of most readers.  I also thought that it was funny that the article suggests to always number your list items because I’ve noticed lately that everyone is always posting some type of list to Facebook. I feel like there is a list for everything these days.

Although I may be deciphering what you are saying in a different way, creating a hidden message within a presentation can be a great way to reitterate a point and make the idea stick in one's mind.  For example, I have been studying for the CPA exam over the past month or so, which although horrible, has not been as bad as it could be.  This is due to the fact that when there is a list of items that one needs to memorize regarding a certain subject, the lecturer will give you a relevant acronym to help you remember the list better.  Although the letter allocated to the acronoym from each line item may not be the first letter, they will circle it for you so it spells out a clear, logical, and remerable acronym.  Without acronoyms such as MYLEGS, PANICTIMME, MAIDS, and others, I don't know how I would ever be able to remember such detailed information.

It seems like there is a general theme of using some sort of "hook" to both grab and hold a readers attention. With that in mind, I would add that an additional benefit to arranging your list chronologically or more specifically, from least to most, worst to best, smallest to largest ect. may cause people who would have lost interest at some point in your post to continue to reading knowing the best is coming. 

This was a very good read for me because of the in-depth techniques the professor use to be successful. It's always a pleasure to learn from one of the best.

I have to agree with you. I find myself reading stories, blogs, facebook posts that are lists. It's a way to not have to read long posts but still gather the lots of information, entertainment, etc which readers love. The list always being a odd number, I see 9 a ton. Numbers like 5 and 10 are easy to scroll right by, but 9 draws some eyes.

Improving on my blog writing skills is something I look forward to most about this class. I have written blog posts during my internship on behalf of the CEO, clients and other municpalities but always struggled writing them. Improving that skill will provide a great professional skill for me as my career in public relations continues. I'll be sure to apply these skills while writing my next blog post. The listing method and keeping the blog concise are the two skills that I be referencing the most. The hidden message trick is a cool way to test your readers and to find out how smart your following actually is.

This was a very worthwhile read for me because going into the Chemistry department, it can be a very lonely road even with many friends around me.
Thus a solution is to become an avid blogger and this gave me some very good head-ups.

I never knew about how using odd numbers can be more effective while blogging. I will try out some of these new techniques next time I do one of my blog posts.

This was a very worthwhile read for me because going into the Chemistry department, it can be a very lonely road even with many friends around me.
Thus a solution is to become an avid blogger and this gave me some very good head-ups.

I never knew about how using odd numbers can be more effective while blogging. I will try out some of these new techniques next time I do one of my blog posts.

I found that this article was very imformative and helpful taking into consideration that I know nothing about blogging. I always looked at blogging as a one and done type of deal, and did not realize how much work is actually put into a successful blog. The section on the numbered list really caught my eye because of how much buzzfeed has blown up, expecially on facebook. I'm much more likely to read a numbered list than a few paragraphs describing something. I feel like lists are easy and concise, and I'm a "get to the point" type of person. I think these tips and tricks will really help me out when creating my own blog! 

This for me was definitley and eye opener. I'm not much of a blogger and I'm excited to learn about blogging and how to keep a blog maintained. On this topic of lists It was extremely eye opening to see that certain numbers  (1's 3's 7's and 9's) are what we should be ending lists with. It is good to see something that we have learned in our advertising classes that repitition does work and really does leave an idea in a readers head. Number 6 was a little mind-blowing to say the least. Reading number 6 I did notice that by the way you did set it up with short sentences, in turn was controlling my breaths, also I have noticed that when lists are set up like this it makes them a way easier read. 

  Although I don't read many blogs, I frequently visit BuzzFeed.com, an entertainment site that post a multitude of list about a vairety of topics. I never noticed how they also use odd numbers on their lists. But, I have noticed that I am much more likely to read lists and articles that follow secret no. 4, be concise. As technology gives us more and more things to do (or more and more ways to procrastinate if you're me) I feel like my attention span gets smaller and smaller. Today we have things like the 140 character limit of Twitter, emojis to send a smiley face when you just don't feel like typing out "that made me smile", and even snapchat, where you can pretty much have a conversation by just sending pictures of your face to a friend. It makes me wonder how much more concise we will get with social media interactions. Maybe in the future we'll just scan our fingerprint onto a phone and it'll send our friends our memories from the day so we don't even have to tell them what we've been up to. Who knows...

In the age of websites such as Buzzfeed, Thought Catalog, etc, this blog post was not only beneficial for the blogs that we're going to be working on throughout the semester but also informative for what to look for or avoid as the reader.  I had no idea that there was somewhat of a 'science' on how to create interest for people to read a blog post.  I love secret number five, it amazes me how lazy we can be as readers while still wanting all of the information out of the article.  I'm excited to see how I match up to these techniques and how many readers I can make interested in what I have to say.

Interesting, but you hide Secret No. 10, or you might already given to readers as a hidden Message: blogers better Always Make their Lists Bold. It makes the messages easier to catch visually. Blog readers seemingly cannot wait to get an idea of a post and shut down the brower tag and go back to their work/study. blogers needs to make all efforts to make sure readers understand what we are talking about and after closing the tag, still remember what it was about,and find it impressive or funny.  The techniques you shared all works for a goal to make the message conveyed compelling and at the same time easy to remember. 

I'm glad this was posted as a follow up to our class discussion. One of the skills I am most excited about improving on this semester is blogging, so all tips are appreciated! Over the last few months, I have seen hundreds of BuzzFeed articles being posted or retweeted by my friends. When reading about your tips for successful blogging, I couldn't help but think about the BuzzFeed posts and wonder if that is why they are so often shared. They are almost always numbered lists, and now that I think about it most of the ones I've read lately were odd numbers. It's crazy how easy it is to spot these tips in action on successful blogs across the web. Hopefully one day if I am blogging for a company, I will be able to use these secrets to my advantage to create better content. 

Secret 1. made me laugh. Who would have thought our minds would be programmed to prefer certain numbers? But I do it--we all do. Most of the articles on the entertainment website Buzzfeed are numbered randomly, and I didn't realize that until now. Point 6- I need to work on that! I'm always needing to shorten up my writing. I can see how being concise is important in blogging--because although what you're saying is really important to you, it may not be to whoever's reading your post. It is really all about easy readability and keeping readers attention! Thanks for all the awesome tips, I'll be sure to use them when making my blog!

I have never been a blogger, nor have I really ever had interest in blogging. However, I did find this article very interesting. I have never thought about the approaches people take when they write a blog. These techniques and strategies could be very helpful to me if I ever find it important enough to post on a blog. The techniques that stand out to me the most are secrets 5 and 6 because they focus on making the post easy to read. I believe if a post is easy to read then the reader will have a better time understanding the message that the post is trying to give (I can relate to this). I am not very crazy over the idea of no even numbered lists. I will read a list if the topic is interesting to me, the number of items on the list have no impact on my interest unless the list is extremely long. But hey, maybe people with more experience or interest in blogging will have a different opinion then me on that. 

I love this post. The odd number thing is something I've never realized before but it's absolutely true. I think another reason I go for the "9, 17, 21, 23, and 27" type lists because not only do they stand out, but they stand apart from the 10, 15, 20 lists that remind me of a boring manual to build your new desk or something. As far as the lists that are a countdown to something (biggest celebrity scandal, etc.) I find myself guessing what I think is going to be number 1 and looking forward to it. Overall I just think lists keep everyones attention more. While reading for a boring class I'll constantly check how many pages I have left and with a list you don't have to, anyways it's usually short enough or interesting enough to keep my attention. Go lists!

Also, I'm not even OCD and I'll freak out if you don't number a list. It's just wrong.

I loved your secret tips. It's impressive that you got me to read the entire article without a headline advertising the fact that there were 9 items on it! All jokes aside, these tips are definitley going to stick with me when I start my new blog. My favorites: odd numbers, ways to get people commenting (play into their ego or be a comment catalyst by saying you disagree with common conceptions), include numbers (you'd think this would be a no-brainer, but I have actually read a lot of "lists" that lack numbers), concision, and repition. I might need a little bit more experience before I can pull off a hidden message though.

Also, I checked out your blog and saw some pretty funny stuff!

I found this article to be very interesting.  I liked the point about asking a question in the title.  I think that get the attention of readers, and throughout reading a blog post, that question seems to resinate with the reader.  Avoiding a humble approach can also create some controversy and latch people on to a post.  Having people post their opinions to what has been asked can create a diverse conversation.  This can snowball into other topics that readers can begin to discuss as well.  When it comes to the list aspect of blog posts, I think elliminating your weakest point can be something that enhances the value for the readers.  Sometimes people may feel that they need to write more and think about quantity over quality.  Writing in shorter, simple lines really does make the article easier to read.  When I am surfing the internet, I am drawn to shorter articles that are displayed in quick segments.

I think that this article was really interesting. I have never been a big reader and the “Secret No. 1” about how people looking at lists are more prone to read lists with numbers 9, 17, 21, 23 and 27 makes complete sense. I think that grabbing the attention of the reader is important because people could see an article and look right over it because they think it’s too long.

Being concise is also important to writing and reading blogs because people do not want to sit and read paragraphs and long articles. People like to read short comments with spaces in between each sentence. I learned that writing short lines makes your reader pay attention. Using these simple tasks will help to attract and keep the attention of the reader.

This post was really interesting, especially because my instinct and personal preference would be the opposite. It says that, "“Top Ten” seems less realistic and less researched than does a 'Top 17'." Whenever I see crazy numbers on websites like Buzzfeed, I always assume they just kept listing until their coffee ran out and posted it, rather than a Top 5 list which implies there was careful thought put into research and then selection. Evidently most people don't agree with me on that, so thanks for the great article! I'll be sure to use the tips in future posts.

Having this be my first time at ever blogging I found these tips to be incredibly helpful and interesting. I really liked how they give strategies on how to get in the mind of the reader and how to appeal to them the most. The simplest thing as using odd numbers, short lines, and numbering your post. I thought secret 9 was really interesting because of the hidden messages in blogs that people don’t even catch. I have always found secret messages so interesting and hope to find some skills in the future in doing this. I also hope to be able to do this more in the future with articles I read and seeking out secret messages. 

I found this article to be very fascinating to read because a lot of people, especially college students, are able to relate to it. Now a days, “buzzfeeds” are very popular on Facebook whether it be friends posting “buzzfeed” links on each others walls, or posting it for all of their friends to see. While I was reading this article, I found myself relating it to the “buzzfeeds” and also noticed that many of the methods used throughout are also used in “buzzfeeds”. I can definitely see why these have become very popular on Facebook. 

I had no idea that there were so many things to think about when creating a blog post. I am not much of a blogger, and I usually only read blogs that my friends post to their Facebook. After reading that article I give way more credit to people who create blogs and appreciate their work more. These tips will definitely come in handy when I create my blog. The tip that I think would attract me the most is the repetition. It is an easy to follow along and it keeps up with the theme of the title. The numbering tip is something that would have never crossed my mind, but as I read it and thought about the blog posts that I have read, the blogs that have numbers in them are never in a multiple of five. 

I want to focus on BuzzFeed, this website has built itself entirely on lists and has been extremely successful. I am a huge fan of BuzzFeed and am always reading their latest posts especially when I should be doing homework. Besides being entertaining they follow most of the secrets listed above. They know their audience and construct posts based on what their audience wants. Their lists are short and usually contain graphics. Though not all, the majority of their lists are an odd number and less than 30. Even if the lists are greater than 30 it’s okay because they really are funny and you want to read more. Another reason BuzzFeed has gotten so popular is because their posts are easy to relate to. For example, "21 reasons you know your best friends" ... chances are I will post this on my best friends Facebook page.  

I enjoyed reading this article because I, myself, am not an avid blogger (yet..) and can use all the tips that I can get. It was neat learning all these "easy to apply" secrets that I can now use when setting up my own blog. Secret No. 1 and Secret No. 6 both really stood out to me when I was reading over the article. It's so interesting how the human brain works and how it is conditioned to believe certain numbers are more trustworthy. With something as simple as changing your Top Ten List to a Top Nine List, you could potentially gain more readers and I found that really interesting. While I was reading Secret No. 6: Control Your Readers Breath, you managed to immediately gain and keep my attention with the use of short short sentences. And who doesn't like short, easy to read, and to the point articles? I'll definitely be using this 'secret' when writing my own blog posts. Thanks for all the tips! 

This article was interesting to read because I feel like people can relate to it. With all of the social media going on today we have all posted a link to our friends walls that a buzzfeed list or a list pertianing something to our lives. I never thought there was a special way going about blogging lists but after reading this blog it has made me realized that there is. I was comparing it to Buzzfeed the whole time and most of the lists I read always catch my attention with the title and then the numbers. There usually is always the odd number with 1, 3, 7, and 9's. As someone who is learning about being a better blogger these tips are very insightful. I would have never known that bloggers keep secret messages in the lsits or even certiain numbering can get your blog more attention than another. I have noticed that keeping things short and to the point is the best way to keep a reader attention. If something is too long I catch myself becoming disinterested in the post. I have seen new websites using lists as a way to get attention from people. These techniques will help on the path for me to become a better blogger. 

I am currently analyzing content-heavy websites like Thought Catalog, BuzzFeed, and HelloGiggles that use some of the techniques discussed in this article for another class. I've always wondered why lists were so popular aside from how easy they are to read—I never thought about how readers are particular to the number of list items. That just seems ridiculous (but true, apparently). I'm down for the control of other people's vital functions, though. 

The most popular postings on facebook right now are "buzzfeeds". Mainly its a huge listing of popular topics that can somehow relate to users and be something fun to share between friends. While reading this post, I found myself comparing it to these buzzfeeds and I found that many of the techniques suggested were used in the buzzfeeds.  Must be why they're so popular... Very interesting post!

Very interesting read. A lot of these tips are things that I can recall seeing once you point them out. A couple I had already seen or learned from having a blog for a while. I loved the ideas about generating reader feedback. That's the one thing I like about blogs over more traditional media is the opportunity for instant feedback and response. The most successful blogs generate a ton of feedback. It is always good to keep techniques in the front of your mind that can help you produce a well-read blog. Another thing I found interesting was the concept of using odd numbers. To me it makes sense from a search standpoint that lists by multiples of fives would work most effectively. But then as I read your arguments, it definitely makes sense to use odd numbers to set your blog off from the rest. 

I really enjoyed reading this blog post-- it kept my attention the entire time and was really informative. After reading this, I feel excited to start my own blog. I naturally love making lists- as a way to help with anxiety- so I already have several ideas for lists. I was surprised to read the part about people trusting different numbers. At first it seemed odd to me, but after thinking about it, it makes sense. My favorite number is 9 so I plan to make my lists up of 9 items. The hidden messages part was also exciting because it makes the blog seem more meaningful and thought out.  The repetition part makes sense; I find myself reading different posts from the same topic on Buzzfeed and other sites. I already trust their lists because I've read them before so even if I'm not necessarily interested in all the topics I still take a look. This helped clear up some questions I had about blogging and how to get an audience engaged; it was overall very helpful.

This article was very intresting to read because it never occured to me that there was a formula for bloggers when creating lists. It also never occured to me that many lists dont actually end in 10 anymore, before this I thought that top ten lists were the standard or to 25. Its intresting to see how much thought is put into blogging even something as not simple per say but common as a list. I can see why people place little trust in lists that end with 10 or 25 because so many lists actually do so when you see them its easy to wonder how accurate and how much research was actually put into the list or did they just randomly put 10 things down. It really is facinating to note and realize how many factors go into making a successful blog post.

Before reading this I had not every really thought that the number of items in a list actually mattered. After reading secret 1 and 2 I decided to check my facebook newsfeed, I knew I'd see at least a few bussfeed articles posted. The articles posted on my newfeed had numbers: 28, 36, 18, 8, 11, 13 and 23. I decided to investigate into the part where you said "Lists over 30 are generally not read all the way through—unless they are comedy gold." and clicked on the 36-point article, when I got to the page, my brain got bored after reading about 15 of the posts.