Are you new to blogging and finding it hard to attract visitors to your site? Are you constantly thinking, “what content should I write for my readers”? Over the coming weeks we’ll show you how to create compelling content. This post will show you the power of resource lists.

We all want to create compelling content that helps our readers in some way. Resource lists are a good way to invite users to read your article and link to it. They indicate highly specific content packed with value and are likely to be bookmarked by your readers so they can return to it at a later date.

It is not a secret that resource lists have worked extremely well on social news and social bookmark sites in the past; however, their popularity is diminishing as more websites have begun to use them. The key here is to not over-use this technique, but when used with new and interesting content, resource lists can lead to new visitors and links from other sites.

How to create a killer resource list

Here are a few pointers to help you write a resource list:

Make the Headline Count
The headline is quite possible the most important part of your resource list. Don’t use a misleading headline. If you’re headline says you have 50 resources then make sure you have 50 resources. You could also improve on a headline by highlighting the benefits for your readers as well as the number of resources they can expect to find. For example, 20 Marketing Websites could become 20 Marketing Sites That Will Increase Your Traffic.

Categorise
Categorising your links makes your lists cleaner and easier to read. Laying your links out in a clear and organised fashion will allow your readers to scan the page and make it easier to actually find what they are looking for.

Use Descriptions
Give your links descriptions. Your readers want to know where the links will lead them. Even a brief description can help them decide if they want to visit a site or not.

Choose The Best Resources
Don’t sacrifice quality for sensational headlines. “1 Billion Resources To Make You A Millionaire” may sound impressive, but most of it will be a waste of time. It’s better to choose a smaller number of quality links.

Only link to pages you’ve read!
You may think you are saving time by just copying and pasting links, but in fact, you may be harming your reputation. If you link to a website which is harmful or of low quality, and you will get the blame. Make sure you’ve read every page you link to if you’re linking to articles then try to maintain a level of quality control.

Pros

Ok, so let’s take a look at the positives behind writing a resource list.

Saves the reader time
If you create an interesting or comprehensive resource list it will save your readers time and energy. You can round-up all the useful tools and websites related to your niche, or compile a list of interesting articles for them to read. Most users will be thankful for the time you saved them and will probably bookmark the page to read at a later date.

You don’t have to be a brilliant writer
Do you lack confidence as a writer? If you do, then resource lists are an ideal way of creating content while you’re still finding your feet as a blogger. Not all of us are blessed with the writing talent of Raymond Carver or Ian McEwan, so if you’re lacking in confidence then use the resource list posts to give you time to work on more substantial articles.

Reach foreign language sites
If you write a popular list post you’ve got more chance of reaching sites where English isn’t the first language. Just remember that the majority of the world doesn’t speak English. Resource lists, probably more than any other type of written content, offer you the opportunity to reach a truly global audience.

Link to other bloggers
This works best if you’re compiling a list of articles within your particular field. You can use these posts as an opportunity to link to other posts and show your appreciation of the content they put out. In almost every field you’ll find interesting articles so link to the best ones and point your readers to other interesting sites. This will help you grab the attention of people in your field and, you never know, you might even build some lasting friendships.

Cons

Now, let’s turn our attention to why creating resource lists isn’t always the best idea:

Will readers actually return?
Just because a reader bookmarks a page, it doesn’t mean they are going to return. I’m sure we’ve all saved a link at one time or another and then forgot to go back to it for whatever reason. Your readers might bookmark the content because they can see it could be of some use to them at some point in the future, but if it’s outside their main interests then those readers might not ever return.

Time consuming
If you’re trying to create a comprehensive resource list then you’ll be spending a long time looking for tools, websites and articles that can help your readers.

While you’re researching your list, you might find that there is already a similar resource list available on your topic of choice. If there is, then it’s imperative not to use too many of same sources for your list. If you’re just copying an existing list then you’re stealing and may the great content gods in the sky strike you down for being a dirty, cheating scoundrel. If a resource list has only recently been published by another site then it might be better to not publish for a month or two otherwise it could look like you are copying another site.

Social news and social bookmark sites: which communities like resource lists?

Over the last few months we have been monitoring what content is generally popular on the major social news and social bookmark sites. From what we found, the following sites are where you’ll have the best chance of a list post reaching the popular pages (listed from most likely to least likely)

1. Del.icio.us
2. StumbleUpon
3. Mixx
4. Propeller
5. Digg
6. Reddit

It’s important to know the interests of each community before you start submitting content. Remember, don’t just post your own material at any of these sites or you’ll come to be regarded as a spammer. Serve the community before you start promoting yourself or you could be committing social media suicide.

Resource List Examples

So now you know the benefits and drawbacks of creating resource lists and the social sites where your posts are likely to become popular, it’s probably useful to look at a few examples:

mashable.com/2007/09/08/5000-resources-to-do-just-about-anything-online
skelliewag.org/110-resources-for-creative-minds-121.htm
techipedia.com/2007/internet-marketing-best-blog-posts
vandelaydesign.com/blog/design/web-20-design
doshdosh.com/list-of-social-media-news-websites
freelanceswitch.com/general/101-essential-freelancing-resources
socialmediatrader.com/the-definitive-stumbleupon-resource-list (well, we had to get one of our own posts in..)

All these resource lists are broken into categories that make the post easier to read and they also provide a brief description of what you can expect to find it you click on the link. Use these posts as guides to help you create your own resource list.

These posts are intended for anybody new to blogging. Other topics we’ll be covering in this series are:

• Breaking News
• List Posts
• Tutorials
• Pictures
• Humour
• Pub trivia / “I never knew that…”
• Stats
• Controversy

We hope you enjoyed this post. If you have any suggestions on how to make a better resource list then please leave your comments below. Don’t forget to sign-up to our RSS feed so you don’t miss out on any of the other posts in this series.