First of all, what is a numbered list? Well, it's a term I used ad-hoc here, off the top of my head, for giving a name to those lists of things that people put together to express some lessons learnt (sort of).
Some examples of numbered lists:
10 Things about X
5 Tips when you do Y
7 Reasons why Z works
Initially, I realized this sort of articles/blog entries get more of my attention than other type of articles. I started to wonder why. I asked around and many people seem to think the same way. These type of articles are catchy somehow, most people agree. It was time to learn why. And what better way to write about it than writing a numbered list myself.
3 things why numbered lists work
1. They organize the information better
Numbered lists present the information in paragraphs, each paragraph having a headline and then a description. This format is very easy to use, understand, follow and skim through. A winner for everyone.
2. The message is clearer
The headlines are the messages that the author wants to send, while the descriptions for each headline is supporting the headline. The headlines are perceived as very condensed messages representing a sort of conclusion of a very thorough process of investigation, so the informational content of the headline automatically receives a lot of attention.
By comparison, in a traditional article, the message flows more subtly as each sentence tries to bring you closer to the message (when not trying to confuse you more).
3. The message sticks
Headlines always stick better than whole paragraphs. As numbered lists are collections of headlines, the message is clear and it sticks into people's mind more easily. Articles don't stick, headlines and slogans do. That's why marketing uses slogans.
That's it for now, I can extend the list indefinitely, but I choose to keep it short. The shorter it is, the fewer headlines it has, the more memorable. Now go write your own and don't make it look like a pure marketing exercise.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007 5:24:05 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
