Have you ever scrolled through Facebook and saw an article that caught your eye? There's a good chance that article was indeed a listicle.
Listicles are usually light, entertaining, and humorous. Listicles are typically short and to the point. They catch our attention usually because of a catchy headline. Readers know that the article won't be something long and boring because that's not what a listicle is. Short, sweet, and to the point is what readers enjoy. If an article is too long readers may not read it all or just automatically wont read it at all.
According to Wired, listicles are useful, but sometimes overused. Some people really like listicle, and some people strongly dislike them. Some reasons Wired proved as to why Listicles work are :
"Lists Give Us Additional Ways to Interact With Information" - Listicles give us a new way to engage. You may have to scroll down or click through a listicle, which keeps us guessing and moving around.
"Lists Are Jumping-On Points" - Listicles are a different format for articles. There is no beating around the bush or critical thinking. What you need to know is written out infront of you. When you read a listicle, you directly get the information you want to know, it's not something you need to search around for. Basically, listicles are easy to understand.
These are just some of the reasons why listicles are so popular.
When reading a listicle, a reader can definitely relate to at least one point on the list. A perfect example from The Guardian: " It is rare not to find something in a good listicle that resonates with you personally. I, for example, am so #12 in 15 Types Of People You Meet At The Pool."
According to Medium, listicles don't lie to you. You know what you're reading about, and you know how long it's going to be before you click the link to the article. Also, if at any point you have to stop reading the article, you can always go back to the number in the list you left off at.
Next time you happen to see a listicle in your newsfeed, you should check it out. It most likely will give you a laugh, and even feel nostalgic. Listicles are here to stay and will be around for a long time.