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
Okay … I know it is late in the day but I made my Day 2 post. Check it out.
http://livinginextremeways.com/index.php?p=1_6&am…
LISTS are fun … I was able to expose my audience to 5 different scriptures pretty quickly. SAAAAWEEET.
Okay … I know it is late in the day but I made my Day 2 post. Check it out.
http://livinginextremeways.com/index.php?p=1_6&am…
LISTS are fun … I was able to expose my audience to 5 different scriptures pretty quickly. SAAAAWEEET.
My list post was already done on Monday because I am part of the Gratitude Community at Ann Voskamp@Holy Experience. Each week, we count the things for which to give thanks. The goal is to reach a 1000. But the real goal is to see how the Lord changes your focus and your heart. On this journey, my list post can be found at: http://openmyearslord.blogspot.com/2010/05/every-…
I do find it easier to do a list post. I'm a recipe-kind-of-girl. The list post helps you to focus on the important points you want to convey. And, it is easier for readers to grasp the information
they need.
Looking forward to your comments,
Janis
I like your post about being thankful.
I've been doing catch-up with you all today since I got started a day late. I haven't used list posts in the past but do agree that they make the information very accessible and user friendly.
My post used list style to layout our service planning system. I'd welcome your feedback on the use of this style for this type of post.
http://theorganizedartist.blogspot.com/2010/05/ho…
Howdy! I moseyed on over to your blog and posted a comment. I liked the list, and I have one suggestion. Would you consider reversing the order in which things are listed? Really, you start planning services 5 weeks out, and having elements in place, starting with the Big Idea. Reading the list in the order you've got it means that in number two, I'm reading about drilling down into details of elements that were decided upon in number three, but I haven't read three yet…. Am I being clear as mud?
Howdy! I moseyed on over to your blog and posted a comment. I liked the list, and I have one suggestion. Would you consider reversing the order in which things are listed? Really, you start planning services 5 weeks out, and having elements in place, starting with the Big Idea. Reading the list in the order you've got it means that in number two, I'm reading about drilling down into details of elements that were decided upon in number three, but I haven't read three yet…. Am I being clear as mud?
I have to agree with crispone – reverse the list order for complete clarity.
Wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Today I wrote about why your 20s are the most foundational years in your life..
http://tinyurl.com/2679jx5
Good list. I commented that I thought the list could do with a 'to be continued' at the end of the post as it left me wanting to read more.
Being from the UK I could do all those things as a teen (18 is the legal age) and because the way my life went it ended up that all bar the getting married had to be decided in my teens. And teh marriage was not long after … still here 24yrs later too.
Ohh and welcome to the world of blogging – it's great isn't it?
Good list. I commented that I thought the list could do with a 'to be continued' at the end of the post as it left me wanting to read more.
Being from the UK I could do all those things as a teen (18 is the legal age) and because the way my life went it ended up that all bar the getting married had to be decided in my teens. And teh marriage was not long after … still here 24yrs later too.
Ohh and welcome to the world of blogging – it's great isn't it?
Hello,
This assignment was right up my alley…in fact I had been meaning to post my list for quite some time and this together project is motivating me…..thanks ALOT.
here is my link: http://parentingtwinsandmore.com/2010/05/04/high-…
Good tips, ideas, pictures, title, and blogging. Loved this post. The post held my attention and was fun to read. Thanks!
The first time I went through 31DBBB, my list post became far and away my most successful (and controversial) post. It is "14 Reasons to Stop Evangelizing Your Friends," and I was surprised at the response. Radio shows criticized it! I was amazed to see how a short post, with almost no explanations, could take off.
This is my second time through 31DBBB, and I am cheating a bit because I actually spent weeks wracking my brains to come up with another list. I ended up with a piece of satire. After writing it, I wasn't sure if I wanted to go ahead with it, wondering if it's too strident, and whether responses will just tire me out. When I posed this question on Facebook, my friends (without having read it) said to go for it. So here goes nothing.
http://www.blogoneanother.com/2010/05/the-six-dea…
Visually, I wish I had images of Roman numerals instead of HTML numbering. It seems cramped.
he he – humour / satire is such an individual thing that it can be daunting to do it. I recall comemnting on a high traffic blog recently and the response from the blog author left me thinking he'd missed my point.
So I recommented that so long as he remembers my humour is British based then all would be well. His reply came back that now he "got it".
And yes. perhaps using Roman numerals would have helped the visual appeal but good list anyway. My vicar brother in law will like that list.
There, I added large Roman numerals, and my wife said, "You need to make each point larger." I'm surprised at how much more visually appealing it is! Lesson learned: Just because it's a "list post" doesn't mean you have to use an HTML list.
here is ours. enjoy! it's about yummy desserts.
http://coffeecouple.net/2010/05/04/five-desserts-…
monica
I like your list, it was simple and easy to read. And on a topic of food, yum!
Cute list! I liked how you had two parts to each item and they were both short and sweet.
Today's assignment was a challenge but a worthwhile one. I just put up my list post titled 4 Ways I Need To Be Availablehttps://oikosministries.com/archives/1073 Appreciate any feedback.
Rob – great list though I thought the size of the typeface was a little small for easy reading – and I still have good vision I'm told 😉
Rob – great list though I thought the size of the typeface was a little small for easy reading – and I still have good vision I'm told 😉
Rob – great list though I thought the size of the typeface was a little small for easy reading – and I still have good vision I'm told 😉
My blog – Is There An App For That? – deals with Tech's Role In Christian Formation. I have recently been advising churches about ChMS (Church Management Systems)