6 Tips for Writing Powerful Blog Titles
“How many a man has dated a new era in his life from the reading of a book.”
~ Henry David Thoreau, Walden
How do you write a great blog title? There are two schools of thought on this. Both have compelling reasons. Some writers insist on, “Always write your headline first.” Others say, “Write your content first, you’ll have a better idea of what to name it when you’re finished.”
© Dimitar Bosakov – Fotolia.com
Then there is a third position, this writer says she does both. I like that! Start with a “working title” and then you can change it later if you decide it doesn’t work. Sometimes the direction of your post may change in the midst of writing it, and you have to toss out the title you started with. The best bloggers have a few guidelines in common. Here are some of them:
1. Identify the Topic of Your Post
You can start with a general topic. It gives you latitude to change direction as you write. Sometimes the topic evolves from a side angle and you end up with a whole different article.1
2. Be Specific
“On average, 8 out of 10 people will read a headline, but only 2 out of 10 will go on to read the content.”
Be as specific as you can be with the least amount of words. Here is an example:
- Ways You Can Save Money
- 4 Easy Ways to Save Money Today
- See how that works?2
3. Use Lists When Necessary
Lists are everywhere! They get used because they work. Why? Your readers like structure. If you tell them in the title what to expect in your post, they will most likely read it. If the title is indefinite and not clear, the reader won’t be sure about what follows and may decide not to continue. “Lists kinda eliminate the element of surprise and while some people like to be surprised in certain areas of their lives, reading Web content is not one of them.”3
Some samples we see all the time:
- 7 Warning Signs of Cancer
- 5 Easy Ways to Save Money at the Grocery Store Now
- 3 Secrets to Help You Sleep Better
4. Keep it Short
Do your best to say what is most effective in one sentence. If you could do it in only two words, that would be wonderful, but generally not realistic. Readers want to get to the point quickly. If your title is too long, they lose interest before they even get to the post.4
5. Be Honest
Start off by stating in your title what you are going to say in your content. Remember titles that have captured your attention, you’ll want to do the same thing for your readers.
How often have you seen a great title, then went on to read the article and were sorely disappointed? Sometimes in the desire to create a great title we end up misleading the reader. Be sure that your content always matches your title and you will keep people coming back.5
And . . . last but not least:
6. Use Power Adjectives
“There is a certain magic in words, and although it might take a little time to tap into it, once you do, you will have the world at your fingertips.”
Adjectives vs. Power Adjectives
- Appealing – attractive, alluring, fascinating
- Easy – effortless, trouble-free, user-friendly
- Fabulous – tremendous, magnificent, remarkable
- Mouthwatering – tasty, savory, succulent
- New – innovative, fresh, inventive
- Powerful – forceful, persuasive, compelling
- Vivid – vibrant, brilliant, stunning
- Wonderful – magnificent, amazing, astonishing6
If we all follow this advice we’ll have a title (and a post) that sends a clear, compelling, succinct and riveting message!
Additional Resources
- How to Write Impacting and Compelling Blog Articles
- [1] http://catseyewriter.com/2011/02/25/should-you-write-your-blog-post-title-first-or-last/
- 2, 5, 6http://www.bitrebels.com/geek/8-secrets-to-writing-killer-post-titles/
- 3, 4http://technmarketing.com/marketing/6-tips-for-writing-an-effective-blog-post-title
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