Aidan Coughlan – The Listicle Builder

Aidan Coughlan – The Listicle Builder

Check it out: Aidan Coughlan – The Listicle Builder

It was crucial that we got the formula right
And because we used them so frequently, I invested a lot of time thinking about how we could make them better.
Initially, I developed a set of rules and guidelines for our content team to make sure we hit the mark.
Simple ones, like ‘Style headers in H3’ and ‘Put links on a new line under the paragraph text’.
And more tricky ones, like ‘Make sure the headings relate back to the headline’ and ‘Always surprise the reader – they haven’t come here to be told what they already know’.
And over time, I realised something

The less time my team spent focusing on the ‘simple’ elements – like styling and formatting and consistency – the more they were able to focus on the more advanced ones.
Not only did the production of our content become quicker and more efficient.
But the end product was superieor and offered more value to our audience.
(Incidentally: This was one of the key reasons why the publication grew from 60,000 monthly pageviews to 6.5 million monthly pageviews during my 18 months in the role.)
Then I built my agency
And we were tasked with producing huge volumes of content for big brands – at competitive rates.
Once, just as we were getting off the ground, were asked to turn around 50-60 articles in the space of 48 hours.
The scope for error was tiny. And with several contributors coming together, we needed a watertight process.
One that would ensure consistency – and would allow us to focus on creating excellent content, rather than squabbling over which heading style to use.
That’s when I built this tool. And I’ve been refining it ever since.