The problem with an article is that once it’s been read, all the value has been extracted by the reader. They’re not going to bookmark it just to read the same thing again tomorrow. Lists however are completely different in that they supply the user with a massive amount of value. If you were to write a post with useful links on all aspects that needed to be focused on to start a blog, the list would contain so much informational value to them that they would bookmark it. Which leads me to my next point.

 Overwhelm Them With Information

People have a tendency to want to read something, extract the information, and move on to the next thing. You have to break this cycle by barraging them with so much information that they can’t possibly read it all in one go, much less memorize everything on it. Once you’ve reached this point, people will be quick to bookmark you as a valuable resource to check on later.

Simplicity of Making a List

The great thing about these list is that they don’t even have to be your own content. If you have your links pointing to articles or tutorials you’ve written on your site it’s a great way to promote cross-traffic between your site. However, even by outsourcing useful links to other sites your still regarded as the “archive of wisdom” by the reader, a mindset that should be your main goal to achieve. In addition, the people who you link to may be happy from the traffic they receive and producing a relationship with them will be so much easier. As a blogger you’ve probably visited many blogs and already bookmarked a handful of sites you considered to be great resources. The list is one of the easiest posts ever written as all the research has already been conducted prior to publishing of the post and you just have to plug in the list you’ve already compiled. Generally what you’ve bookmarked is exactly what your interested in, and which is precisely what your readers want.

Leveraging Off of the Increased Traffic

Once you start receiving massive traffic you have to be able to leverage your site from it. The list by itself will bring traffic and will have people constantly checking back, but chances are, only a small percentage will look at your other content. Providing key methods of exposing the reader to more and more of your content is a must. Such methods include:

1. List your Recent Posts in frequently viewed areas.
2. List links to your most Popular Posts in frequently viewed areas.
3. Include a short list of Related Posts under each article above the comment section.
4. Cross-reference to other articles you’ve written in your posts.

Using the methods stated above you can drive traffic between your articles, rather than letting them finish their one-stop goal of finishing your article and then leaving after the value has been extracted. With enough exposure you can change the perception of your blog or even your character as a whole, as being a great resource rather than just a list. This is the crucial mindset that needs to be changed in order to change a one-stop article reader to a daily reader or subscriber.

Just remember that the list needs to provide overwhelming value. Organize it accordingly and break it up into categories or sub-sections to make it easier for new and returning users to scan your page. It needs to look friendly enough to want to go through all the information, rather than just an intimidating block of blue text.

Share your experiences with the use of lists to generate traffic in the comments. Has any specific kind of list been more effective than others?