Blog Post Titles – Pack Them With Punch

There are as many strategies for creating blog post titles as there are bloggers.

While there’s no right or wrong – how you title a blog is entirely subjective. That said, here are some factors you may wish to consider when writing titles for your blog posts:

KISS – Keep it Simple Silly – Most research I’ve seen that discusses titles seems to argue that the most effective titles are short, simple, straight to the point and easy to understand.

Use Keywords or Phrases – Titles are a powerful part of SEO. You should consider using the keywords or key phrases that you will want your post to be found with in your title. This can be challenging when you are trying to ‘keep it simple’ BUT, it can be done. Keywords at the start of titles are thought to be more beneficial and pack more power than words at the end of the title when it comes to SEO.

Grab Attention – Good titles are what sets your posts apart from all those around them. Good titles draw readers into your blog. In order to grab attention, a blogger may use tactics of ’shock’, ‘controversy’ or even hefty claims. It should be said that while these tactics may work at getting readers, but it can end up disappointing readers if the rest of your post doesn’t live up to the hype of your title.

Meet a Need – An effective title draws people into reading more because they feel you’ve got something to say that they need to hear. Websites like del.icio.us and Digg prove just how effective this method is. Articles that generally get to the top of the lists are articles that show readers that your post will show them how to solve a problem or meet a need they might have.

Be Descriptive – Some readers will be drawn into a post by a title that implies a bit of mystery about what they’ll be reading. However, with so many blogs, the majority of readers want to know something about the article ahead of time before they decide to read further. Titles should be descriptive in a word or very few, what readers will find in the post.

Take your time with your titles. In fact, I find the majority of my titles are inspired by my posts. There may be a certain phrase within your post that stands out as ‘title worthy’ so you may even consider writing your title last. Or at least keep the title in mind as you begin writing.

What kind of titles do you find to be the most luring?