What Is a Listicle? B2B Examples and Template
· Cole Stark · 7 min read
A listicle is an article built around a numbered or bulleted list, like "12 B2B landing page examples" or "7 alternatives to [tool]". For B2B companies, it's the right format when the search itself asks for options: tools, examples, ideas, alternatives or mistakes. A good listicle gives each item real substance and clear criteria. A bad one is a padded list of names that neither ranks nor helps anyone choose.
Below is what a listicle is, when to use one, listicle examples from B2B, how to make a listicle that holds up, and a template you can reuse.
What is a listicle?
A listicle is a piece of writing whose structure is a list. The term blends "list" and "article". Each item gets its own heading and a short section, and the introduction tells readers what the list covers and how items were chosen.
Listicles are easy to scan, which is why readers like them. They're also easy to write badly, which is why they have a reputation for filler. The format isn't the problem. The content inside each item is.
When a listicle is the right format
Use a listicle when the search asks for more than one answer. Check the top results for your target search before you decide. If most of them are lists, searchers want a list. If they're step-by-step guides or single definitions, a list will struggle.
Searches that usually want a listicle:
- Plural nouns: "tools", "examples", "templates", "ideas", "alternatives".
- "Best" and "top" searches, like "best [category] software for [team]".
- Comparison sets, like "[tool] alternatives".
- Collections of tactics, mistakes or questions.
Searches that usually don't: "what is [term]", "how to [do one task]" and anything asking for one specific answer.
Types of B2B listicles
| Type | Example search | What makes it useful |
|---|---|---|
| Tools or software | "best [category] tools for startups" | Clear criteria, pricing where published, who each tool suits |
| Alternatives | "[competitor] alternatives" | Honest reasons to choose each, including the original |
| Examples | "[page type] examples" | Real examples with what each does well and why |
| Ideas | "[topic] ideas" | Ideas specific enough to act on, grouped by goal |
| Mistakes or tips | "[process] mistakes" | Why each one matters and what to do instead |
| Checklists | "[process] checklist" | Items in the order you'd do them, with the reason for each |
Listicle examples
A few listicle examples from this blog show the range:
- My roundup of B2B landing page examples is an examples listicle. Each entry shows what the page does well and what a startup can copy.
- My guide to AI search engine optimization tools is a tools listicle, with criteria up front and the same structure for every tool.
- My SEO copywriting checklist is a checklist listicle, written in the order you'd apply each item.
What they share: the criteria are stated, every item gets the same structure, and each entry tells the reader something they can use.
How to make a listicle
Here's how to make a listicle that ranks and earns trust:
- Pick one target search and read the top results. Note how many items they include, what they cover and what they miss.
- Decide the criteria for inclusion and say them in the introduction. "Tools we've used with B2B clients" is a criterion. "Popular tools" isn't.
- Research each item properly. For tools, check the vendor's own site for features and pricing. For examples, look at the real page.
- Give each item its own H3 and the same structure: what it is, who it suits, what it does well, its limits and, for tools, pricing if it's published.
- Put a short answer near the top, like your top picks or a summary table, so readers who skim still get value.
- Add an FAQ for the questions searchers ask next.
- Update it on a schedule. Tools change pricing and features, and examples go offline.
Length should follow the search. Ten strong entries beat thirty thin ones, and a list of five is fine when only five items deserve a place.
"Best" listicles that include your product
Many B2B companies publish "best [category] tools" lists that include their own product. That can work, if it's honest:
- Say plainly that you make one of the products on the list.
- State the criteria, and apply them the same way to every entry, yours included.
- Say where competitors are the better choice. Readers check, and a list that ranks you first on every count loses trust.
- Never invent scores, rankings or performance claims about competitors.
Google's guidance on writing high quality reviews applies to ranked lists. It asks writers to explain what sets something apart from its competitors, and to say why they consider something the best for a purpose. It also asks for enough useful content in ranked lists for them to stand on their own.
Listicle ideas for B2B companies
If you need listicle ideas, start from the questions buyers ask before they choose:
- Tools that work with your product, by job.
- Alternatives to the incumbent your buyers are leaving.
- Examples of good work in your category, like reports, dashboards or pages.
- Templates your buyers can copy.
- Mistakes buyers make when choosing or setting up a product like yours.
- Metrics to track for the job your product does.
- Questions to ask vendors in your category.
- Integrations worth setting up first.
- Resources: newsletters, communities and courses your buyers follow.
- Use cases, grouped by team or industry.
Check each idea against real searches before writing. An idea nobody searches for can still work for email or social, but it won't bring in search traffic.
A listicle template
Use this listicle template as the skeleton for any list post:
| Section | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Title | The number, the topic and the reader: "9 [items] for [audience]" |
| Introduction | Who the list is for, the criteria and your short answer |
| Summary table | Each item with one or two key facts, for skimmers |
| Items | One H3 each: what it is, who it suits, strengths, limits, pricing or details |
| How to choose | Two or three sentences on picking between them |
| FAQ | Four to six questions searchers ask next |
Listicles and AI search
Ask an AI assistant to recommend tools in a category, and the answer often reads like a summary of the top-ranking list pages. That's one reason listicles matter more in B2B than their reputation suggests. A well-structured list with clear criteria and specific details is easy for both search engines and AI answers to draw on.
The same rules apply: be accurate, be specific and keep it current. My guide to generative engine optimization covers how AI answers choose their sources.
A listicle is only as good as its items
A listicle works when the search asks for options and every item earns its place. Choose the format from the search results, state your criteria, give each entry the same structure and real detail, and update it as things change. Then the list does its job for readers, search engines and AI answers alike.
Listicles fit inside a wider content plan, which I cover in my guide to SaaS content marketing. To turn one into a brief a writer can follow, see my guide to what is a content brief. Planning which lists to publish is part of my SEO and GEO services.
Listicle FAQs
What is a listicle?
A listicle is an article organized as a numbered or bulleted list, where each item has its own heading and short section. The word combines "list" and "article". Common B2B listicles include tool roundups, alternatives pages, examples, templates and checklists. They work best when the reader wants several options rather than one answer.
What are some listicle examples?
Listicle examples include "best [category] tools for startups", "[competitor] alternatives", "B2B landing page examples", "[process] checklist" and "[topic] mistakes to avoid". Strong examples share the same traits: stated criteria for what's included, the same structure for every item, and specific details that help the reader choose.
How do you make a listicle?
You make a listicle by choosing a target search that the top results answer with lists, setting clear criteria for which items qualify, researching each item properly, and giving every item its own heading with the same structure. Add a short answer or summary table near the top, an FAQ at the end, and update it regularly.
Are listicles good for SEO?
Listicles are good for SEO when the search calls for a list, such as "tools", "examples" or "alternatives" queries, and when each item has real substance. Thin lists of names rarely rank for long. Check the top results first: if they're lists, a better list can compete. If they're guides, use a guide instead.
How long should a listicle be?
A listicle should be as long as the search needs and no longer. Most strong B2B listicles have between five and fifteen items, each with a short paragraph or two. Ten detailed entries beat thirty thin ones, and a short list is fine when only a few items deserve a place.
Can you include your own product in a listicle?
You can include your own product in a listicle if you say plainly that you make it, apply the same criteria to every entry, and are honest about where competitors are a better fit. Google's review guidance asks ranked lists to explain why something is best for a purpose and to have enough substance to stand on their own.