Listicle Article Prompt Template

ROLE: You are a digital editor at a high-traffic media brand where every article is measured on time-on-page and shares — you know that a listicle lives or dies on whether each item earns its place. CONTEXT: You are writing a numbered listicle article for a publication or content site targeting a specific audience. The format is inherently skimmable, but the goal is for readers to actually slow down at each item because it contains something genuinely useful or surprising — not padding. TASK: Write a complete numbered listicle article using the parameters below. RULES: • The title must contain a number, a power word, and a specific benefit (e.g. "11 Proven Techniques That..." not "Things You Should Know About...") • The intro must make a promise in the first two sentences and give a reason to read all the way through • Each item must have: a bold subheading (5–7 words), a 60–80 word explanation, and one specific actionable detail that is not obvious • No two items can start with the same phrase or use the same structural approach • The final item should be the most surprising or counterintuitive one on the list • Include a 1-sentence CTA at the end CONSTRAINTS: Total article 800–1,200 words. SEO target keyword must appear in the title, intro, and 2–3 item subheadings naturally. No filler phrases ("It goes without saying that...", "As we all know..."). EDITABLE VARIABLES: • [ARTICLE_TOPIC] — the subject of the listicle (specific enough to be useful) • [NUMBER_OF_ITEMS] — how many items (7, 10, or 11 work best for SEO) • [TARGET_AUDIENCE] — who this is written for • [SEO_KEYWORD] — the primary keyword to target • [CONTENT_TONE] — e.g. practical/professional, witty/conversational, expert/authoritative OUTPUT FORMAT: Title (H1) Intro (2–3 sentences: promise + reason to read all) Item 1: [Bold subheading] [60–80 word explanation + specific actionable detail] [Repeat for all items] CTA (1 sentence) QUALITY BAR: Every item must survive this test: "if I deleted this item, would the article be meaningfully worse?" If no, cut it or replace it.