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Enough With the “Numbered” Posts
By JLP | February 16, 2007
Something I noticed while preparing my Weekly Roundups.
Have you noticed lately that there have been a lot more “Numbered” posts from different bloggers? You know what I’m talking about:
“10 Tips…”
“5 Ways…”
“642 Secrets…”
Personal finance bloggers (myself included until recently) are in love with the numbered post. I like them and have used them numerous times because they give a sense of structure to a blog post. However, like everything else, they are getting overdone (the same can be said for the number of “carnivals” out there). It’s to the point now that I don’t even read them.
Do you read numbered posts?
Topics: Blogging |
February 16th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
I’ll read the the ones that are under “ten” tips, steps, or whatever, but any more than that just doesn’t keep my attention.
February 16th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
I like them because they’re concise and easy to read. I think bloggers like them because they’re also easier to write. I do shy away from long lists. I think FMF put together a list a while back of 6 billion ways to save money and I didn’t even open that one up, list overload.
February 16th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
It’s pretty obvious what is happening…
People “digg” articles that start with X Ways, or X Steps,
and many bloggers are desperate to get “dugg”.
Personally, I write an article, and then just slap a title on it that “makes sense”. I used to write goofy titles for most posts, but then it got hard to organize them. So, I went to super simple titles, and a few of them say “Top 10″ or “5 Ways”.
NCN
February 16th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
This is nothing new…just look at your local magazine rack. People like to read lists.
Step 1: Make a list
Step 2: ???
Step 3: Profit!!!
February 16th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
I like lists. Makes it easier to scan. And if interesting, easier to spot something relevant to your personal situation.
The carnivals are a bit saturated. I only keep up with CofPF and FoF. Hardly ever read the rest.
February 16th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
I only read lists if the list is short, makes sense as a list, and the writeup around the items are also short.
I occasionally like to do list posts myself; it does make for a snappier title and easier post if you really do want to make a bunch of related points. But it’s a bit of a crutch; too many list posts and your blog looks silly…
February 16th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
I try to stay away from writing lists because it sounds so gimmicky, but honestly, if you want new readers (not us fellow bloggers), you’ll do lists.
February 17th, 2007 at 12:18 am
I never minded such lists. They also seem to catch my attention when I do searches. So I got into some habit of doing it but hopefully it’s not too much! I have seen some blogs with names such as “Top 10 Things” which only scrape information for their posts, all titles saying 10 this and 10 that. I heard they got pretty popular.
February 17th, 2007 at 8:52 am
I think it is kind of ironic that your rant on numbered posts has, just below it, a heading: “X Responses to “Enough With the “Numbered” Posts”
February 17th, 2007 at 10:19 am
The numbered post thing is fine, it’s the saturation of articles in the carnivals that is out of hand in my opinion. I’d like to see the weekly editor of the carnivals limit the articles to their favorite five or something. It has just seemed to turn into a bunch of vultures hovering over a pile of rotting backlinks.
February 17th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
I don’t really mind the numbered posts, but the carnivals are really getting on my nerves.
February 17th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
I hate ‘em. Pls don’t start creating posts like this!
February 19th, 2007 at 11:32 pm
Two words: Link Bait.
February 20th, 2007 at 10:36 am
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