The release of Car and Driver's 10 best cars sold in America list was a good reminder of how powerful making interesting lists can be in marketing.
I'm talking different than the "10 ways to do something" types of list here. While they have their place, there are so many they have pretty much become a commodity, although the right ones can still drive a lot of web traffic.
What I'm talking in this case is more like the types of list you see like the "Richest People in the World," or the "Celebrity 100," which talks about the wealthiest celebrities.
The reason I think they're so powerful, when done thoughtfully, is readers like to compare their own thoughts with the list we come up with. They like to see if what they think coincides with or is indentified by us as important in our list.
The key to success in this is in knowing some of what you're talking about, and giving a good representation in the list of what is real.
For example, if you were to put up a list of the 10 greatest online marketers of the 1990s, you'd really need to give a solid representation of legitimate candidates. You can't just arbitrarily put something up or feed your own business through the list. The list must be believable.
Lists done right, are great marketing tools and a great way to brand and establish you as an expert in your field. Use them occasionally and they will be great enhancers of your online business.
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