Gus' SEO course for content editors

Lists are one of the most powerful yet underused tools for structuring content.

Lists are structural, not just stylistic

When you click the bullet or numbered list buttons in your CMS, you're not just formatting the page to look a certain way. You're telling assistive technologies and browsers that these items belong together - that they are related, and that their grouping is meaningful.

But if you fake it - by typing dashes, manually adding numbers, or copy-pasting a list from a Word doc - that structure disappears. It may look fine, but it loses all semantic meaning under the surface.

The result is that screen readers won't treat it as a list, search engines won't understand the connection, and users will struggle to skim or scan it effectively.

Good lists reduce friction. Faked lists add it.

Know when to use a list

Use a list when you're grouping related items, outlining a set of steps, or presenting multiple conditions or criteria.

Don't use a list if your items are full paragraphs that need headings, if there's no real grouping or pattern, or just to break up space visually.

The key test is whether the items genuinely belong together conceptually and whether users benefit from seeing them as a group rather than as separate pieces of information.

Bulleted vs numbered lists

Bulleted (unordered) lists work for grouped ideas where order doesn't matter. Services offered, eligibility criteria, or required documents all work well as bulleted lists because users don't need to approach them in any particular sequence.

Numbered (ordered) lists serve sequences, instructions, or steps where order matters logically or practically. Application processes, assessment procedures, or troubleshooting steps need numbered organisation because following them out of sequence creates problems.

The rule of thumb: use numbered lists only when the order of items matters for successful completion or understanding. If users could approach your items in any order and still get complete information, bulleted lists work better.

Lists and accessibility

Screen readers handle properly structured lists beautifully. They announce them with context: "List of 3 items. Item 1 of 3..." This tells users exactly what to expect and creates rhythm and structure that helps with navigation and comprehension.

But a list faked using dashes or asterisks just reads like messy body text. There's no signal, no structure, and no respect for the reader's time or tools.

Proper lists make your content usable - not just readable. They provide navigation landmarks, clear expectations about content structure, and logical grouping that benefits everyone from quick scanners to detailed readers.

Common mistakes and solutions

Pasting from Word or Google Docs often brings invisible formatting that breaks when pasted into web content. Always use your CMS's list tools rather than importing formatted lists from other applications.
Using dashes, asterisks, or emojis instead of proper list formatting creates visual lists without semantic meaning. Screen readers can't distinguish these from regular text, and search engines don't understand the grouping relationships.
Typing numbers manually (1., 2., 3.) instead of using numbered list formatting prevents automatic renumbering when content changes and removes semantic structure that assistive technologies rely on.
Creating massive lists where each item is really a full paragraph that needs its own heading forces inappropriate structure. If list items need extensive explanation, consider using headings with supporting content instead.

The fix is always the same: use the list tools your CMS provides rather than trying to recreate list appearance through manual formatting.

Real-world example transformation

Original wall of text:

To participate in our childhood diabetes research study, families need to provide consent forms signed by both parents or guardians, recent blood glucose monitoring records covering at least the past three months, current medication lists with exact dosages and timing, copies of any previous diabetes-related medical reports from endocrinologists or paediatricians, proof of current health insurance coverage, and for participants under 16 we also require school accommodation plans if applicable and a letter from the treating physician confirming current treatment protocols.

Improved structure:

Required for all participants:

Signed consent forms from both parents/guardians
Blood glucose monitoring records (past 3 months)
Current medication list with dosages and timing
Previous diabetes-related medical reports
Proof of health insurance coverage

Additional requirements for participants under 16:

School accommodation plans (if applicable)
Letter from treating physician confirming current protocols

The structured version provides clear organisation, easy scanning, and logical grouping that helps families prepare effectively without missing important requirements for study participation.

Lists as scannability tools

People don't read entire pages linearly. They jump from section to section, looking for patterns and visual cues that help them understand what matters and what applies to their situation.

A well-placed list signals "This is important. This belongs together. Start here." That's useful to everyone - especially people on mobile devices, under stress, or short on time.

Lists work because they match how people naturally process grouped information. They provide visual breaks that aid comprehension, clear boundaries between different types of information, and logical organisation that supports both quick scanning and detailed reading.

When not to use lists

If each item in your "list" really needs a heading, a paragraph, or its own section, it's not a list - it's a set of grouped content blocks that needs different structural organisation.

Don't force list structure where headings and sections would provide clearer organisation. Lists work best for items that are genuinely comparable in scope and importance rather than complex topics that need individual development.

Similarly, avoid using lists just to create visual variety or break up long paragraphs. Lists should serve genuine organisational purposes that help users understand relationships between ideas.

Implementation workflow

Before creating lists, consider whether the items genuinely belong together conceptually, whether users benefit from seeing them as a group, and whether the relationships between items are clear and meaningful.

Use your CMS's built-in list tools rather than manual formatting. Test how your lists work with keyboard navigation and screen readers if possible, and ensure that list structure remains clear on mobile devices where users might see fewer items at once.

Remember that good lists serve multiple purposes simultaneously: they improve readability for visual scanners, provide structure for assistive technology users, and help search engines understand content organisation and relationships.

Check your understanding

Copy and paste this to ChatGPT when you're ready for feedback:

I've been completing some questions that have been presented to me as part of an SEO course. I'm currently answering questions for a section titled "Use lists to group related ideas". Please check my answers and let me know if I've understood the key ideas correctly. My responses are below.

1. Your colleague argues that manually typing dashes and numbers creates "more flexible formatting" than using the CMS's list tools, especially when they want custom spacing or specific visual styling. Analyse why this approach creates problems beyond visual appearance, and explain how it affects different users and systems that interact with your content.

2. What is the main reason to use the CMS's list tools rather than typing dashes or numbers manually?

To improve font consistency across different browsers
To reduce formatting errors when content is viewed on mobile devices
To ensure assistive technologies and browsers recognise the content as a list
To make lists easier to copy and paste into other applications

3. You're editing a research participation page that currently presents eligibility requirements as a long paragraph with criteria separated by commas. A colleague suggests that breaking this into a bulleted list would "look too simple" and might make the research seem "less professional." How would you respond to this concern while explaining the benefits of proper list structure for both users and search engines?

4. Consider this scenario: You have content that lists the steps for completing an intake assessment, followed by a separate list of documents families need to bring, and then a list of different research programmes available. How would you structure these three different types of lists, and what factors would influence your decisions about bulleted versus numbered formatting?

5. A content editor creates lists by pasting formatted content from Word documents because "it's faster than recreating everything in the CMS." Analyse the potential problems with this workflow, and propose a solution that balances efficiency with proper semantic structure.