---
title: "Three Notable Characteristics of Top 10 Posts: Lists, Headings, Images"
date: 2008-01-09
description: "$( document ).ready(function() { // Handler for .ready() called. $("
canonical_url: https://idratherbewriting.com/2008/01/09/three-notable-characteristics-of-top-10-posts-lists-headings-images/
---
# Three Notable Characteristics of Top 10 Posts: Lists, Headings, Images
Top 10 post lists are usually aggregated by plugins that measure hits, comments, and trackbacks, and then compile the most visited 10. Or they are derived from hit counters such as [Google Analytics](https://google.com/analytics).

The results of my analysis surprised me. It turns out there are three qualities that usually characterize a top 10 blog post.

### 1. Lists

Lists seem to be the most notable characteristic of top 10 posts. For example, seven of [Guy Kawasaki's](http://blog.guykawasaki.com/) top ten posts are lists.

[![example of lists from Guy Kawasaki](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/list11.png)](http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2006/04/the_art_of_the_.html)

Lists have an appeal on several levels:

- Content arranged in a list structure is easy to read. You can read a list by simply scanning down the list titles. If you tire of one point, you can jump to the next — unlike with long paragraphs, which force you to meander through blocks of ambiguously structured text.

- Lists often provide practical advice. Sure you can write impractical lists, but by and large lists serve up practical, clear-to-implement wisdom. When we see a list, our experience says hey, probably some practical advice there.

- Lists indicate structured, orderly thoughts, making it easy for readers to understand your ideas. You won't have to synthesize abstract concepts to try to guess the reader's main point. With a list, it's all spelled out pretty clearly — the list forces a logical structure to the ideas.

### 2. Lists with Images

Even better than a list is a list with a lot of images. If each list item has its own image, the reader can glance at the list titles and images and absorb the meaning, without reading much at all. Here's a popular post from [Smashing Magazine](http://www.smashingmagazine.com/) showing the concept of a list with images.

[![example of lists with images from Smashing Magazine](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/link21.png)](http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/09/27/10-usability-nightmares-you-should-be-aware-of/)

The most popular post on my site is [20 Usability Tips for your Blog](https://idratherbewriting.com/2007/04/09/twenty-usability-tips-for-your-blog-condensed-from-dozens-of-bloggers-experiences/). The post combines images with clear list titles. If you don't get the point from glancing at the list and images, you can of course read the text. But creating lists with images is like hooking a firewire cable from your blog into the reader's brain — the reader can grasp your point three times as fast.

### 3. Structured Headings

Not all content fits into lists, and even if it did, reading lists all day would be boring. But if lists don't work, use headings. Heading work pretty similarly to lists — they make reading easy, provide structure to your content, and allow the reader to jump through your ideas. Here's an example of headings from [Copyblogger](http://www.copyblogger.com).

[![example of structured headings from Copyblogger](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/link31.png)](http://www.copyblogger.com/aida-formula-for-blogging/)

You can put a heading on every paragraph or two. Not many people complain about headings — it makes your ideas more readable to the online skimmer (which is almost everyone). It also forces you to have a point to your paragraphs.