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What is a listicle? 40 real listicle examples

A listicle is an article written as a list, where each item gets its own heading and a short explanation, like “The 11 Best SEO Tools in 2026”. Listicles were 30% of the 2,671 sources AI assistants cited in our October 20, 2026 benchmark.

Original data

What 810 listicles cited by AI have in common

We read every listicle cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Claude across 96 questions. Pick an AI to see its numbers.

listicles cited
810
of all its sources
30%
say “2026” in the title
65%
median items in the title
10
median Domain Rating
79

Who cites listicles, and for what

Share of cited sources that are listicles.

Click an AI to filter every chart on this panel.

How many items the title promises

Titles with a number, for All four AIs. Hover or tab through the columns.

10 items: 109 titles, 21% of the 512 with a number

Number of items in cited listicle titles for All four AIs
Items in the titleTitles
2 to 549
630
757
853
938
10109
11 to 1253
13 to 1556
16 to 2030
21 to 5029
51 or more8

What cited titles say

Share of all cited listicle titles.

  • Says “best”71%
  • Says “2026”65%
  • Has a number of items63%
  • Says tested or reviewed19%
  • Has a (bracket) note19%
  • Says “top”7.8%

Which sites get cited

Most-cited domains and their Domain Rating. 7.5% of citations went to sites under DR 30.

SiteCitesDR
zapier.com2591
forbes.com1494
rtings.com1479
pcmag.com1391
nytimes.com1294
techradar.com1191
tomsguide.com1187
gizmodo.com990

By Domain Rating

  • DR 90+28%
  • DR 70 to 8945%
  • DR 50 to 6911%
  • DR 30 to 498.0%
  • DR under 307.5%

10 facts about listicles you can quote

  1. 1Listicles were 30.3% of the sources AI assistants cited: 810 of 2,671, more than any other format. Outrank benchmark, October 20, 2026
  2. 2The format depends on the question. Listicles were 73% of citations for “best X” questions and 71% for “alternatives to X”, but 0% for “what is” questions. Outrank benchmark, October 20, 2026
  3. 3The AIs disagree. Listicles were 41% of Claude’s sources, 37% of Perplexity’s, 28% of Gemini’s and 2.3% of ChatGPT’s. Outrank benchmark, October 20, 2026
  4. 4ChatGPT reads more lists than it credits. In a follow-up on 48 questions, it opened 66 listicles and cited 1. Outrank ChatGPT deep dive
  5. 565% of cited listicles say “2026” in the title, against 18% of other cited pages. Outrank benchmark, October 20, 2026
  6. 663% of cited listicle titles promise a number of items. The median is 10, and 10 is the most common, in 109 titles. Outrank benchmark, October 20, 2026
  7. 771% of cited listicle titles say “best”. The median title is 54 characters long. Outrank benchmark, October 20, 2026
  8. 8Cited listicles sit on strong sites: the median Domain Rating is 79 and 74% are DR 70 or higher. Small sites still get in: 8% are under DR 30, rising to 17% for Claude. Outrank benchmark, October 20, 2026
  9. 9The AIs rarely agree on a page. Of 710 different listicles cited, 90 were cited by two or more AIs, 10 by three, and none by all four. Outrank benchmark, October 20, 2026
  10. 10Cited does not mean clicked. In our study of 6,208,782 pages, “best X” listicles at positions 4 to 10 earned 0.69x the click-through rate of the same site’s other articles. Outrank content formats study

Listicle format

The 5 kinds of listicle, and when to use each

A listicle format is a title that promises a list, one heading per item and the same short pattern under each heading. What changes is what you are listing.

The word is a blend of “list” and “article”. Merriam-Webster defines it as an article consisting of a series of items presented as a list, and dates it to 2007.

  • Best-of

    Ranks products, places or works, and says which one to pick and why.

    The [number] Best [things] for [who] in [year]

    Example: “The 6 best coffee grinders you can buy in 2026”

    See 16 examples in the gallery

  • Tools

    Compares software or resources, often as “alternatives to X”, with pricing and who each one fits.

    [number] Best [tool] Alternatives in [year] ([free and paid])

    Example: “The 11 best SEO tools in 2026”

    See 7 examples in the gallery

  • Ideas

    A menu of options to browse, like gifts or business ideas. Nothing is ranked, so readers scan and pick.

    [number] [thing] Ideas for [who or occasion]

    Example: “42 Awesome Gifts for Coffee Lovers in 2026”

    See 7 examples in the gallery

  • Statistics

    A sourced list of facts on one topic. Writers link to these when they need a number.

    [number] [topic] Statistics Every [role] Needs in [year]

    Example: “38 Startup Marketing Budget Statistics Every Founder Needs in 2026”

    See 4 examples in the gallery

  • How-to steps

    Answers “how do I do this?” with numbered tips, ways or steps instead of a long essay.

    [number] Ways to [get a result] [without a pain]

    Example: “7 Ways To Lower Your Cholesterol”

    See 6 examples in the gallery

Anatomy of a listicle

The 8 parts of a listicle that works

Click a number on the mockup, or a part in the list, to see what it does and how to get it right.

Made-up example, to show the parts

The 7 Best Espresso Grinders for Home Baristas in 2026

By Sam Writer · Updated October 2026

Our top pick is the Grinder One. It is quiet, easy to dial in and costs less than most machines it pairs with. On a budget? Get the Grinder Two.

PickBest for
Grinder OneMost people
Grinder TwoTight budgets

How we chose: we pulled 40 shots on each of 15 grinders and timed each one.

1. Grinder One

Best for most people

Fast, quiet and simple to adjust. The one downside: the hopper is small.

Sample price, checked Oct 2026

FAQ: Do I need a burr grinder for espresso?

Read our dial-in guide

  1. A number, a topic and a year

    The title makes a promise the reader can count. 65% of the listicles AI cited say 2026 in the title, against 18% of other cited pages.

    Start with the number. The median cited title promises 10 items and runs 54 characters.

  2. A named writer and a real update date

    A list with a year in the title makes a freshness claim. The update date near the headline backs it up, and the name tells readers who stands behind the picks.

    Only change the date when you change the list. Check prices and links each time.

  3. The top pick in the first two sentences

    Readers want the answer, and an AI assistant needs one sentence it can lift. Say what you would pick and who it fits before any background.

    Write it so it still makes sense if someone quotes it alone.

  4. A short table for people in a hurry

    Many readers will only scan. A small table of picks and who each one fits gives them the whole list in one look and sends them to the item they care about.

    Keep it to three columns on a phone, and fill every cell.

  5. A few lines on how you picked

    This is what separates a list from an opinion. Say what you tested or read, how many options you looked at and when.

    If your own product is on the list, say so here. Babbel’s list in the gallery opens by saying it thinks Babbel is the best.

  6. A number, a name and who it is for

    Each heading should work alone, because readers jump straight to it from the table or from Google. “Best for” gives them a reason to stop on this one.

    Use real headings (H2 or H3), so search engines and AI tools can see the structure.

  7. The same short pattern for every item

    A photo or screenshot, why it earned a spot, one downside and one concrete fact like a price. Repeating the pattern makes items easy to compare.

    Add a date to any price, so readers know when you checked it.

  8. Short answers and one next step

    Close with the questions people still have, then one clear thing to do next. A list that just stops leaves readers with nowhere to go.

    Link to the guide that goes deeper, not to another list on the same topic.

1 of 8

How to write a listicle

How to write a listicle in 7 steps

  1. 1

    Pick a question a list can answer

    “Best X” and “alternatives to X” are where the format wins: listicles were 73% and 71% of what AI cited for those questions, and 0% for “what is” questions. If the reader needs one explanation, write a guide instead.

  2. 2

    List first, then count

    Write down everything that deserves a spot and cut the rest. Let the list set the number. The median cited title promises 10 items, but RTINGS gets cited with just 4 and 5.

  3. 3

    Write the title: number, topic, year

    Say what the list holds and who it is for. Add the year only if you plan to update the page. The title generator below does this for you.

  4. 4

    Give the answer first

    Open with your top pick and who it fits, then a short table of every pick. People who are in a hurry get what they came for, and everyone else knows what is coming.

  5. 5

    Say how you chose

    A few lines on what you tested or read, and when. If your own product is on the list, say that too. A list with no method reads like an ad.

  6. 6

    Use one pattern for every item

    Number, name and who it is for, then why it earned the spot, one downside and one concrete fact. Sameness is the point: it lets readers compare.

  7. 7

    Publish, then keep it true

    Recheck prices, links and picks on a schedule, and change the date only when you change the list. Nothing dates faster than a list with last year in the title.

Listicle template

A listicle template you can fill in here

Pick a starting point, type over the sample and watch the preview update. Copy it as Markdown or HTML when you are done.

Start from
Item 1
Item 2
Item 3

Live preview

The 3 Best Invoicing Tools for Freelancers in 2026

Tool A is the best pick for most freelancers because it turns tracked time into an invoice in one click. Pick Tool B if you bill fixed prices, and Tool C if you need a free plan.

At a glance

#PickBest for
1Tool AFreelancers who bill by the hour
2Tool BFixed-price projects
3Tool CA free plan

How we chose

We set up each tool in October 2026, sent five test invoices and checked each pricing page on the same day.

1. Tool A

Best for: Freelancers who bill by the hour

It tracks your time and fills in the invoice for you. The first invoice took us under five minutes to send.

Price from the pricing page, with the date you checked it

2. Tool B

Best for: Fixed-price projects

Quotes turn into invoices with one click, so you never type the same line twice.

The one limit a buyer should know before paying

3. Tool C

Best for: A free plan

It covers the basics at no cost. You outgrow it once you need more than a few clients.

What the free plan allows, in numbers

What to do next

Try Tool A first. If you bill fixed prices, go straight to Tool B.

Sample text is made up, so replace it with your own. Empty fields stay as bracketed hints when you copy, so you never paste an empty table. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

Listicle title generator

Stuck on the title? Build one in seconds

Change anything and the titles update. Each one is checked against what the AI-cited listicles in our data do.

Listicle ideas: click one to try it

SaaS
Ecommerce
Local business
Blogs and creators
Health and home

Your titles

  • 10 Best Invoicing Tools for Freelancers in 2026

    47 characters

  • The 10 Best Invoicing Tools for Freelancers in 2026

    51 characters

  • Best Invoicing Tools for Freelancers in 2026: 10 Picks Compared

    63 characters

  • 10 Best Invoicing Tools for Freelancers (2026)

    46 characters

Checked against the listicles AI cited

  • 47 characters. Under 60 usually fits in Google. The median cited listicle title has 54.
  • Says 2026. 65% of cited listicles put the year in the title, against 18% of other cited pages. Only use it if you update the page.
  • 10 items. 77% of cited titles with a number promise 6 to 15 items. Gift guides and statistics pages often run longer.
  • Says “best”. 71% of cited listicle titles say “best”. Leave it out for how-to and ideas lists, where it would not fit.

This is a formula, not AI. It runs in your browser and needs no sign-up.

With Outrank

Three ways we can help with listicles

We make Outrank, so weigh this part accordingly. The template and generator above are free either way.

  • Publish one

    Put your list on a free blog

    Outrank Blogs gives you a fast blog on your own domain, with no credit card. Paste the template above and publish.

    Start a free blog

  • Have them written

    Let Outrank write them

    Outrank plans and publishes SEO articles to your site every day. Listicle is one of its article types, as round-ups, resources or examples, next to guides.

    See how it works for AI search

  • Get listed

    Get placed in other sites’ lists

    On the Scale plan ($899/month), Outrank places a full article on a DR 30+ blog with a section about you. When the article is a roundup, you get first place.

    See how placements work

Prefer to earn your spot? Our guide to getting into listicles covers pitching writers, and what Google’s spam policies say about paid links.

FAQ

Listicles: questions

Short answers to what people ask most about listicles.

What is a listicle?
A listicle is an article written as a list, where each item gets its own heading and a short explanation. Merriam-Webster defines it as an article consisting of a series of items presented as a list, and dates the word to 2007. It is a blend of “list” and “article”.
What are some examples of listicles?
“The 11 Best SEO Tools in 2026” from Zapier, “19 Simple Tips to Help You Fall Asleep Quickly” from Healthline and Rolling Stone’s “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time” are all listicles. The gallery on this page has 40 examples you can filter by niche, list type and which AI cited them.
What is the format of a listicle?
A title that promises a list, a short intro that gives the answer first, one heading per item and the same short pattern under each heading. Good ones add a table of picks near the top and a few lines on how the writer chose.
How do you write a listicle?
Pick a question a list can answer, list what deserves a spot, then count. Write a title with the number and topic, open with your top pick, say how you chose, give each item the same pattern, and keep it up to date. The template on this page gives you the structure.
How many items should a listicle have?
As many as deserve a spot. In our data, the median cited listicle title promises 10 items, and most fall between 6 and 15. Short lists get cited too: RTINGS’ “The 4 Best Laptops For Video Editing” was cited by three AIs.
Are listicles good for SEO?
They suit searches where people want to compare options. They are not a shortcut for clicks, though: in our study of 6.2 million pages, “best X” listicles at positions 4 to 10 earned 0.69x the click-through rate of the same site’s other articles.
Do AI assistants cite listicles?
Often, but not all of them. Listicles were 30% of the sources in our benchmark and 73% for “best X” questions. Claude (41%), Perplexity (37%) and Gemini (28%) cite them far more than ChatGPT (2.3%).
What is the difference between a listicle and an article?
A listicle is a kind of article. A regular article builds an argument from start to finish, while a listicle breaks the topic into separate items you can read in any order.
Is there a free listicle generator?
The title generator and template on this page are free and need no sign-up. They give you the title and structure, and you write the content. If you want full articles written and published for you, Outrank does that as a paid service, with listicle as one of its article types.
How do I get my product into listicles?
Find the lists AI already cites for your category, pitch each writer a reason to update, and publish your own honest comparison. We walk through it in our guide to getting into the listicles AI quotes.

How we checked this. Last checked October 31, 2026

  • AI data comes from our October 20, 2026 benchmark: 96 questions asked through the APIs of ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Claude with web search on, giving 2,671 cited sources. Each source was classified by format. API answers can differ from the consumer apps.
  • Title patterns are text matches on the 810 cited listicle titles. The item count is the first number in a title other than a year or a price, so it is the number promised, not a count of the headings on the page. 512 titles had one. A few titles came back as site names or “Just a moment...”, and they count as having no pattern.
  • Domain Rating for all 502 cited domains was pulled from a third-party SEO data API on October 31, 2026.
  • Every listicle in the gallery loaded on October 31, 2026. We skipped pages that returned an error or blocked our browser, including some of the most-cited ones, like Forbes and Wirecutter. So the gallery is a sample, not a ranking.
  • Screenshots show each page at 1440 × 900, scrolled to the headline, with cookie banners and pop-ups removed. We blocked ad scripts while capturing, so real visitors may see ads we do not show.
  • Notes describe only what you can see on each page. We are not affiliated with these sites, and links are nofollow. Being cited does not prove a page is accurate, only that an AI used it.
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