This post may contain affiliate links.
Checklists are a popular type of blog post and are easy to do once you know what background information needs to be included.
If you know that you want to create a checklist blog post, but don’t know how, this article is for you. We’ll go over all the steps from research to formatting, which should keep readers engaged throughout your post!
What is a checklist blog post?
A checklist post is an alternative to a more exploratory how-to type post. Checklist posts typically provide lists of short steps, they are often numbered. They may give instructions on how to do something or things to remember.
The beauty of a checklist post is that you can tick the items off the list as you complete them.
Checklists can be a great way to capture information and are popular in fashion, food and beauty blogs. For example, you might see checklist posts that serve as a way to show the latest fashion trends or recipe details.
This type of blog post has all the steps laid out clearly and is easy to follow.
What should I include in a checklist post?
With this type of post, you obviously want to include what needs to be done. Instead of jumping straight in, give some context to the post and give an overview of the steps beforehand so it doesn’t feel like an endless list.
It is a good idea to start with why you would follow your checklist and who the checklist may help.
Make it clear what tools, equipment, supplies or software are needed beforehand if any. If the checklist is for something unusual this also gives your readers a chance to source the materials needed.
Listing the items needed is a natural opportunity to add affiliate links, to help people looking for specific items.
How do I format a checklist post?
Formatting this type of post focuses on formatting the list of tasks.
- All items should be lined up on a line.
- Tasks with labels need to have an asterisk (*) next to them and those that don’t should have a bullet point or dash (-) so that readers can spot what is a priority when they are following the steps.
- The introduction to the checklist should explain what it is for.
- All items in the checklist need to be numbered so that people can follow them easily in the correct order.
- If you have more than five tasks, break up your list into smaller checklists within one post or write another additional blog post.
Wondering what SEO factors you need to think about?
Checklist blog posts are a good way to make sure your on-page SEO is on point. Just remember to populate your post with keywords and make use of SEO titles, tags, and descriptions.
Blog posts with checklists also need a detailed table of contents that lists each of the headings. That way, when someone is writing a post, they can link to each section to boost SEO and make it easier for readers to jump between sections if they want to revisit something quickly.
Aim to create a useful resource
Checklists need to be a useful resource. Whether it’s a simple five-step checklist or a multi-level list with various sub-tasks to accomplish to reach the ultimate goal. The aim is always clear – make it easy to follow and most importantly helpful for the person following the steps. If you can do that, it will make it more likely your post will rank on search engine page results as well.