At Zenpost we have written various times about the importance of driving home a factually-based narrative for viral listicles. When telling an amazing narrative, it’s important to eliminate confirmation bias by providing your readers with information that can be backed up by confirmed facts.

We call this practice “quote confirmation” and it serves dual purposes.

Establishing The Actual Events To Avoid Bias

First, providing quotes, even in a happy-go-lucky type of listicle, allows the readers to quickly realize that research was put into the information they are reading.
For example, a list of adorable cat stories is uplifting, but it becomes deeply engaging when the pet’s owner is able to relay a story about the cat’s personality and what led to the photo or video being shared.
A disproportionate number of photos with descriptors that are shared on social media don’t tell the real story. Read through comments left by readers and you’ll see them constantly questioning the validity of a photo’s backstory.

Capturing ‘In-The-Moment’ Context That Is Often Overlooked

Second, quotes provide context around a story that is not easily captured by summarizing facts and events. When a reader is given a direct response from the source, they are able to understand the feeling and truth that were captured in the moment.

Delivering A Bridge Between Commentary And Facts

A great listicle narrative tells a story even if the examples provided throughout the slideshow are only loosely connected. Unfortunately, many writers fall into a trap in which the narrative takes over each individual example. When this occurs, it’s easy for a reader to get lost in a singular point of view and lose track fo the amazing stories being told throughout the listicle.

“Quote confirmation” reminds the reader that the content they are reading is filled with various fun, useful, and interesting facts.

Essentially, quotes remind every reader that each slide can stand on its own, providing them with even more reasons to share the story with their social media followers. Even if a reader doesn’t agree with or understand the point of every list item, they can find something worth sharing which increases a listicles engagement numbers.

Even if a reader doesn’t agree with or understand the point of every list item, they can find something worth sharing which increases a listicles engagement numbers.

Quote confirmation at the end of the day is about driving home the facts of the story, reiterating each slides narrative and proving that research and thought were put into the entire slideshow or listicle.