You can have the best written and most informative, interesting blog post in the world, but if you don’t have a compelling title for it, it probably isn't going to get read.
Furthermore, if the title of your blog doesn't entice your readers and make them want to know more, they’re not likely to opt-in to your list, making it harder to grow your business and achieve greater levels of success.
So, how do you create a title that magnetizes your clients and draws them in? One that convinces them to give you their contact information and make it easier to market directly to them?
Fortunately, there are several options.
In order for your blog title to be successful, it has to speak to the reader in a way that they understand. Here are five ways to do that:
Choose a title that qualifies who you want to read your blog.
If your blog is directed toward college students, for instance, will they know that by the title?
If not, then you need to reword it in a way so that your target market clearly knows that you have written it specifically for them.
Another qualifying title possibility is to use a headline that says, “If _____, Then _____”.
Titles like this tell your reader exactly who you are reaching out to, and who can benefit from reading your blog.
If your blog title doesn't grab your readers’ attention, then you’ve lost them before you’ve ever had them.
Remember that people are bombarded with marketing ploys all day every day via TV, billboards, email, and every other form of contact, so you’re going to want to use a blog title that commands their attention like a blinking red “Danger” sign.
Some attention-grabbing title examples include;
Of course, you have to be able to back up your dramatic claims, but that can only occur if your target market actually reads your blog!
A compelling blog title is one that makes your readers stop dead in their tracks, and read what you wrote right then and there. If it doesn't, they may never come back to it, no matter how well-intentioned they may be.
Fortunately, there are several options when it comes to creating compelling blog titles. Here are just a few to consider using a "Give Me _____ and _____” title.
Titles like these get your reader excited about what they can gain within a certain period.
The key is to make sure you don’t make promises you can’t keep, so you’ll need to be able to follow through on whatever your title states you can do.
Another option for creating a compelling, must-be-read title is to ask your reader a thought-provoking question.
This gets your reader to feel like they can’t finish their coffee break until they know the answer, which makes them stop to read your blog and, hopefully, also opt-in to your list. Some examples of these headlines are:
Both of these make your target audience want to know the answers, compelling them to continue to read what you've written.
The last way to compel your reader to want to know what your blog says is to connect with them emotionally. Let them know that you understand where they are mentally, and that you feel what they feel.
An emotion-based title would be something like:
All three of these ideas can draw your reader in and hold them captive, making them want to opt-in to your page.
The fourth option when creating a great blog title is to share with your reader what they will learn by reading your blog. This is often accomplished by creating a How-to title, like:
You can also take a slightly different approach with this particular blog title tip by using a title that lists reasons, options, or factors. For instance, your title could be:
If you are going to choose this route with your title, you’ll probably want to include sub-headings in your blog. This allows your reader to skim your list, giving them a preview of the great ideas your content has to offer.
The last option on generating your own blog title is to create one that establishes your credibility. This can be done by using a short testimonial by a past client, such as:
However, you can also enhance your credibility by showcasing your education or experience.
Use any one of these blog title generating options and you’re sure to create enough excitement that gets your reader to want to know more. Now, the question is which one to try first!
Hi Sue Anne.
Some great tips there.
I like the third option of using "give me _ and _." We all want results NOW, so the less time that readers think they need to sacrifice, the better.
Nathan.
Oh, I like that one, Nathan! Results work well in blog post titles.
Thanks for stopping by today.
Sue
LOVE Synergy, Ryan! I saw your last post title and thought it was an excellent grabber for your target audience.
And of course, over delivering is key (and something you are very good at!)
Thanks for stopping by again to leave your insightful comments.
Sue
Hi Sue Anne,
Yes to this list of options! I think "connecting with them emotionally" right away in a title (in your Option #3) can be gold.
We also experiment with different titles (socially) when announcing the same blog post. We might start with the actual title, then in another announcement (Twitter's a great place for this), use a sub-heading from the post. We might next pick out a sentence from the same post, such as:
"Gordon didn’t have to put down the competition. He simply publicly praised the good work of his team." (That was a line from our "Talking about Your Competition? What You Say Matters!" post.)
We then view click-throughs to see which Tweets fared better than others. (Admittedly clicks are affected by time of day, etc.)
We also send out end-of-the-month blog wrap-ups to our blog subscribers list. It's interesting to see what title gets clicked on and what one doesn't.
Thanks for your post, Sue Anne - I always want to learn how I can improve!
Tracy
Welcome to the Successful Blogging team, Tracy!
I may steal your idea of the monthly wrap-up email. And I never thought of testing on Twitter. I usually do it through GetResponse but I'm going to try Twitter testing this week.
Excellent ideas! Thanks for sharing them.
Sue
Hi Sue Anne,
This is one the most informative articles I've seen on blog titles to date! I appreciate the "how-to" education along with practical examples.
Coming up with blog titles is so hard. When I go to write and article I don't start with the title. I have a theme in mind and then I structure and start writing.
After I read it, I try to think through what type of article did I write and who was it written for. I then attempt to come up with a title that I think will jump off a of screen and make me want to click through.
Every article I write is generally written to one person with one problem. That definitely makes it easier on coming up with at title.
Thanks for teaching me something new today and interesting. I can see a few times where I got it right and few times I probably blew it. lol... So goes the learning curve, right?
I hope you have an awesome finish to your week Sue Anne. I'll be sharing via Twitter and on Google Plus.
~ Don Purdum
I agree with you, Don. I never do the headline first - it's the last thing I do also.
Plus I use this resource: http://www.aminstitute.com/headline/ to run my headline in to see how "intellectual, empathetic and spiritual" it is. The higher the number in all 3 categories, the more it appeals to lots of readers.
Thanks for dropping by the blog again!
Sue
Hi Sue Anne,
I never heard of that resource. I'm definitely going to check into it. Sounds like a really helpful tool!
I use it for every headline! My writing coach, Shannon Hernandez at The Writing Whisperer, introduced it to me.
Sue
Hi Sue Anne!
I discovered you through Triberr and clicked through. Glad I did! What a comprehensive post on creating blog post titles. This is one of the biggest challenges we face. No matter how excellent your content is, if your post title doesn't compel people to click through, it won't get read.
I do the same thing that Tracy does with Twitter testing. (Which is also a great way to Tweet your post numerous times without looking spammy).
I also find that titles that are just a bit provocative are a good strategy. For example, when I wrote "Why Travel is Better in Your 30's" I knew I'd get some responses from 20-something travelers, and it worked.
Thanks for such a helpful post - bookmarking and sharing! 🙂
Mandie
Hi, Mandie,
Welcome to the Successful Blogging Team! Now I know I have to try Twitter testing since you are also recommending it.
Provocative is a great way to write a title - has some curiosity, which always helps!
Happy blogging,
Sue
Hey Sue Anne,
Love this post. I really agree and follow examples 2, 3 and 4. I really believe in grabbing attention in headlines and there are times where you need to just say something that really grabs attention. In terms of grabbing attentions, what are your thoughts on "negative headlines"?
I've been studying them lately and alot of people say they seem to out-perform regular headlines. I'll be testing this myself, of course, but wanted to know your thoughts?
Regarding the compelling type of headline, I like what Nathan said regarding that people want results now. Which is true. So if you can deliver that, those types of headlines would be best suited.
My favorite though is "How To" headlines and I try to use them as much as they can because in a sense, you post is trying to teach the reader something .. which is what I'm going for in posts I write that are "How To" posts.
Great post here and I'll definitely be sharing this.
Have a great upcoming weekend.
- Andrew
Hi, Andrew,
The blog does do well when I use a negative headline, so I agree with you.
The "How To" heading is a favorite of mine also.
Thanks for coming over to the blog today!
Sue
Hey Sue,
You know what, as I was reading your examples, each of the titles grabbed my attention. That says something there! This is my first time on your blog and I'm loving the value that you share!
This must be my week for headlines because it seems like I've been reading blog post about headlines all week. God must be trying to tell me something LOL... Well i'm paying attention and will definitely be implementing the ideas that you mentioned.
Right now I'm using a headline analyzer to grab my market's attention. But every little tip helps. These little tips are usually the most powerful ones that are the difference between you not getting visits and you getting a plethora of visitors to your blog!
Thanks for sharing and I hope you have a great weekend!
Hi, Sherman,
So great to have you over to the blog to comment for the 1st time!
Headlines are a hot topic right now but they are "evergreen" in that they are always important to the success of a blog post.
Happy blogging,
Sue
Hi Sue Ann!
I also came across your post on Triberr and was glad I did! These are some great tips, I've been having some success and methods 3 and 4 as well as testing different titles when sharing on Twitter.
I look forward to reading more of your posts. 🙂
I'm so glad you stopped by and commented, Liz!
Happy blogging,
Sue
Great practical tips Sue Anne!
This is the type of proven "how to" educational material you can never ever truly get enough of!
This is the type of real world timeless fundamentals, that simply never go out of style! And than goodness.
You're simply offering a literal treasure trove of what to do strategies. And it doesn't matter what your current level of experience and or expertise is.
These proven timeless marketing "how to" proven principles can and should be applied to any and every business, product and or service!
If you're truly serious about maximizing you long term profits! Great job! Thanks!
Although this is my first visit, I definitely plan on doing some additional treasure hunting!
Thanks, Mark, for stopping by the blog. Now you are an official Successful Blogging team member!
Sue,
This is great, and I really wish more bloggers knew the things you teach here. As you know, headlines are a big part of what I teach over at the Mommy Blogger Academy, although I'm by no means perfect at it!
I like the If/Then idea as well as the "Give me... and I'll..."
Those are lots of fun, and they're formats I rarely use because I never think to-- but maybe now I will! Thanks for the great ideas. Good to be back here reading great stuff at SB!
Brittany
Hi, Brittany,
Thanks for coming by today to the blog! I also need to use more If/Then headlines. It's one I rarely think of but I like the juxtaposition of it.
Happy blogging,
Sue
Hi Sue,
A fellow blogger on our newly found group have shared your post, and I've decided to have a look. Your ideas and ways of communicating is very easy to understand. I was attuned to it straight away, and have decided to continue reading.
My site is new and still in the creating process. Not knowing a lot of the pros and cons, with the code and technicality was a bit daunting as I usually mocked it up.
But I'm enjoying the ride and the learning process. Thank you for sharing all these great ideas. I must admit title and trying to make the post shorter is something I have to learn to do. Plus the other loose ends.
Thanks again for the great stuff,
Zienna
Hi, Zienna,
So glad you found Successful Blogging helpful! Anything I can help with, just drop me an email or fill out my contact form.
You have a great domain name. Your blog writing will evolve as you write each week. You'll enjoy the ride.
Thanks for coming by and for taking the time to comment,
Sue
Option #3 is by far the most enticing when I read because I'm always looking out for what I'm going to get out of a blog post. Being a busy guy, these types of titles tell me the answer and save me from reading it if I'm not interested.
Appreciate this thorough post!
Thank you for these excellent suggestions. Content is never a problem for me but he titles often prove stumbling blocks. Inspiration is always welcome.
This is one the Very affective articles I've seen ever blog titles. Thinking of blog titles is so difficult. I have a topic as a top priority and after that I structure and begin composing.
This is such a helpful list. I installed the Content Strategy helper on my Google Drive and it really is amazing. Thanks!!!
Hi Sue,
You have written a great post. I have learned many things about creating a eye catchy title. I liked your how-to title most. So, thanks for the post.