There was a breakout of a type of written content during 2014. Bloggers and writers of all kinds were raving about listicles. There were lists on every platform. Simple blogs, global news portals, and even an online marketing agency here and there were eating up the content trend to drive their traffic.

 

Why Listicles Were Shareable

The human brain is fond of listicles. For starters, a list of numbers becomes digestible because it features information hierarchy. The mental tendency to accept and perceive information in this manner is called the top-ten effect. To support this theory, the Journal of Consumer Research published a study in 2013 backing the claim. The findings conclude that the mind favors categories. It prefers groups and collections ending in zero or five.

That is why most listicles or items are in tens and groups of five. Most published posts are in 25 and 30, and they rarely include odd numbers or those in between such as 3, 7, 9, 11, 17 or 22. It makes our brain think that it is incomplete or missing a puzzle piece.

The psychology behind it isn’t the only reason behind the popularity and shareability of listicles. When Google and other search engines were still improving their algorithms and social media sites were starting out, listicles were the content that resonated with various audiences. The voice and the written word engaged viewers and turned them into active participants. The witty and creative headlines garnered several likes and comments enough to create a buzz. They keep readers curious about what’s on the list.

However, ordered lists appeal to specific audiences. It’s perfect for a younger digital audience because of their short attention span. Moreover, it is ideal for users who are looking for a quick read due to their active lifestyle. Those who wish to discover news and tidbits while in transit can snack on information on the lists. Listicles give them a sense of achievement as they can jump from topic to topic in one sitting.

Listicles will always be straightforward. Its content won’t be misleading but graspable. Its format is easy to skim and scan allowing readers to identify what’s on it in a quick glimpse. Still, other types of content effectively carry the message to users. This 2018, visuals dominate content marketing schemes.

 

Why Invest in Visuals

A blog or website must resonate with its owner and audience. Customized graphics and photos provide consistency while highlighting the personality of the brand. They also make people stay on the page or grab their attention back to the screen. Listicles and other long-form posts can’t do these things since social media news feeds continuously update their structure. The number of likes and shares of these posts are falling behind images, videos, infographics, slides, and motion graphics. Though both types of content share a story, the latter is a standout. It can spread on its own as long as it is inspiring, optimistic, or emotional.

In 2017, Content Marketing Institute interviewed marketers to identify the root of their marketing success. The marketers reveal that 85% of their success comes from delivering quality visual content. Hence, the value of visuals can result in a high conversion rate. For instance, viewers prefer live streaming over video on demand. The interaction is almost similar to a real-life situation. The audience can connect to brand ambassadors and speakers by answering questions and exchanging feedback real time. This nature of the interaction is authentic and unfiltered. It provides a sense of engagement different from traditional content sites with published texts and flat photos.

Currently, brands infiltrate music videos and tech giants invest in visual and augmented reality. Companies start to take an interest in what content can do for their audience instead of relying on a formula to create posts that will be shareable. At the same time, online communities become smarter as they choose an intriguing photo over an amusing deadline and frown over click-bait strategies of articles. Thus, it’s essential for bloggers, webmasters, and marketers to combine visual content and content strategy to boost engagement and distribution.

 

How to Overcome Distribution Challenges

Maximizing the power and shareability of a visual post is the key to connect with audiences, generate discussions and allow responses naturally on social media platforms. These platforms, on the other hand, aren’t the best place to spread content because of their changing rules. Any content, even original ones, will have a hard time squeezing themselves through the altered tactic of the platform. The added features and updated news feed won’t thrive over the millions of post generated per minute.

Still, there’s good news for both written and visual content. Authoritative research and references are still hot on backlinks. Those who look forward to gaining links and shares over time must create authoritative evergreen content. These samples of materials are proof that readers and viewers prioritize their quality. Other than providing information, it must engage the eye. A good layout, typography, and custom design are some of the marks of a content aimed at users. Custom design is the most crucial as it signifies the brand, company or site’s dedications to quality.

Sharing and distribution is a theme common to content and social media marketing. The steady increase of content engagement is better than losing the trust and interest of the audience. Users are part of the bulk that share content so they must come in first before the brands.

Now and Then – A Recap of the Content Trend

Four years ago, everyone enjoyed lists. There were lists of everything under the sun from personality to the recollection of the past century. When it became overrated, people started embracing one-lines with 140 characters and memes. Sharing of information evolved to infographics, gifs, and videos. Visuals now dominate the web as it benefits both sides – bloggers and webmasters along with their audience.

Note: This post was published on July 8, 2014. It has been revamped and updated for comprehensiveness and relevance to the digital marketing trends.