This is Day 2 of 31 Days to Build a Better Blog, a group project 50+ other bloggers are doing together in an effort to help each other become better bloggers. You can read more about it and still sign-up to participate here.
What an awesome first day we had in this series yesterday. I am blown away! To see my observations from yesterday check out 6 Things I Learned from Day 1 of #31DBBB.
Today’s lesson is about the list posts. If you’ve been reading blogs for any length of time, you know list posts are very popular. In fact, we have done our fair share of list posts here at Christian Web Trends. Here are some examples…
Top 5 List Posts on Christian Web Trends
- 20 Ways to Share Your Faith Online
- Top 10 Signs Your Church Website Needs a Redesign –
- The 10 Commandments of Social Networking
- 12 Ways to Ensure Easter Attendees Don’t Come Back to Your Church Next Week
- 10 Things I Learned from the Online Church Blog Series
The lesson gives several reasons list posts are so popular. They are easy to write. They’re easy to read. They break the main point up into clearly identifiable bite-size nuggets. In fact, you could make the case that list posts are the Chicken Nuggets of blogging. (Would you like some dipping sauce with that?)
Personally, I have my own theory for why list posts are so popular…
Geeks like numbers.
But that’s just one number-loving geek’s theory. (Full discloser: I was on the math team in high school)
Assignment
The assignment for today is to write a list post for your blog. If you’d like some more advice about writing list posts, check out 10 Steps to the Perfect List Post
Discussion
- Do you agree that list posts are both easier to write and easier to read? Why or why not?
- Of all the tips you’ve read about list posts, which do you think are the most important?
- If you did the assignment and wrote a list post, include a link your comment.
The Extra Mile
A few other things you can do to take your blog, other bloggers, and this project even further today…
- Reply & give other bloggers feedback on their list post
- Go back to 31DBBB – Day 1: The Elevator Pitch & check out the elevator pitches.
- Tweet, share, & bookmark this post. (You could win a $25 gift card!)
- Ask & answer questions about blogging but unrelated to elevator pitches in the forums.
303 Comments
"Anytime" is just about right isn't it? But, I think it does help to focus on particular times so that I continue to be self-aware and prepared.
"Anytime" is just about right isn't it? But, I think it does help to focus on particular times so that I continue to be self-aware and prepared.
A short list wouldn't really cut it would it? That's a good one. I naturally don't lean that way, so it didn't occur to me, but everyone's got their own list, don't they?
Came out of staff meeting and decided to do another list… just cause http://blog.beachdaze.com/?p=41
Came out of staff meeting and decided to do another list… just cause http://blog.beachdaze.com/?p=41
This is a good list. I am not a running enthusiast so I was unfamiliar with some of the product that you mentioned. It might be helpful to add links to the products for people like me. That way they can get a visual of what you are talking about.
Here's mine.http://www.churchtechy.com/2010/05/7-ministry-ide…
7 Ministry Ideas Using Tech. Perhaps it could have been better to use utilising' tech rather than using but either works.
Folks always talk about how easy it is to do lists but frankly I find it tough. Once I have a key idea then no so, but getting that key idea is hard. Possibly it's one of the reasons my blog is not as well read as it could be.
Great post! I had a hard time with an idea too.. Great post.
I like your list, Stuart. Great ideas for allowing the church to minister through tech education.
Larry,
Perfect!
Please change that tendency of yours. Titles are critically important. Your great advice/writing is hidden (and will stay hidden) beneath a lackluster headline. On the contrary, if you add a title with a little "pop," you'll get noticed.
P.S. At the risk of being a complete pain … I think you should also spell out the word "five." Generally, numbers one through nine are spelled out. http://www.bu.edu/com/writingprgm/ap_styleguide1….
I'd disagree with that statement about numbers but then that's me 🙂
But seriously, what one should do is adopt a method and stick with it. So if 5 is a number one time in a title then it should always be a number and not a word. It isn't as if we are all righting for the AP after all.
I'd disagree with that statement about numbers but then that's me 🙂
But seriously, what one should do is adopt a method and stick with it. So if 5 is a number one time in a title then it should always be a number and not a word. It isn't as if we are all righting for the AP after all.
I'd disagree with that statement about numbers but then that's me 🙂
But seriously, what one should do is adopt a method and stick with it. So if 5 is a number one time in a title then it should always be a number and not a word. It isn't as if we are all righting for the AP after all.
Today's assignment was hard for me. It took me a long time to figure out what to list. Once I had a topic figured out, though, it went easier.
As a reader, I do like list posts. I can scan them. They also have natural breaking points where I can stop and evaluate what I just read before moving on. Lists are also efficient for me as a reader. Lists integrate. I can read and think about a number of related (or seemingly unrelated) things in one short period of time.
I made a list post on my blog. Since I am traveling today, I wrote about packing makeup for travel.
https://girlieglamourguide.typepad.com/the-girlie-…
Today's assignment was hard for me. It took me a long time to figure out what to list. Once I had a topic figured out, though, it went easier.
As a reader, I do like list posts. I can scan them. They also have natural breaking points where I can stop and evaluate what I just read before moving on. Lists are also efficient for me as a reader. Lists integrate. I can read and think about a number of related (or seemingly unrelated) things in one short period of time.
I made a list post on my blog. Since I am traveling today, I wrote about packing makeup for travel.
https://girlieglamourguide.typepad.com/the-girlie-…