Clickbait abounds in the online realms and unfortunately, they remain because they accomplish the goal of getting people to click. Thus the name clickbait. The problem is, once you land on the content, it’s rarely what you expected. That can be disappointing to your visitors if it doesn’t tick them off completely.
However, there are ways to write catchy titles for blog posts, without succumbing to mere clickbait. It just requires a little creativity and forethought.
Importance of Good Blog Titles for a Blog Post
Blog titles are a first impression of your content for your new visitors. Regardless of how good the quality of your content is, ultimately your visitors decide to click or open a blog link because of the title.
Not to mention, good keywords in the blog title can have a huge effect on the ranking of your blog post in search engine results. SEO-friendly blog titles help ensure your post ranks higher in SERPs and brings in more traffic.
The ultimate headline formula commonly used is a combination of a number, adjective, keyword, reasoning, and promise. With this formula, a headline will almost always perform well. However, a creative headline that doesn’t fit into this formula can still be successful.
How Do You Come Up with a Catchy Title?
If you choose not to use a formula to brainstorm titles, try using some of the tips we’ve outlined below to brainstorm creative titles for blogs.
Set Honest Expectations
While it’s always a great idea to make promises in the blog title and then deliver in the blog content, it’s also imperative you don’t over-promise. Set clear and honest expectations to make sure you aren’t wasting the reader’s time. Allow your blog title to show what the content will include and let the reader decide if they like it or not. If they do, they’ll keep reading.
Be Clear and Concise for How-To Blogs
When choosing a blog title for how-to blogs, it is best to be clear and concise. For example, a simple blog title saying “How to do X” can be enough most of the time. You could also add more detail, such as, “How to do X in X easy steps.”
Follow the KISS method for these types of titles, because when someone is trying to learn how to do something or learn something new, they gravitate to simple.
Use Numbers & Statistics for Lists
If your blog post is written in the form of a list, regardless of what it is about, it is best to include a number in the blog title. Number headlines have shown themselves to be some of the most liked blog titles, especially on social media. “3 reasons why you should do X” is a perfect example of a classic number headline.
Carefully Choose a Keyword & Include It
In this age of SEO, choosing and including the right keywords in your blog content is essential for success. Always try to include a relevant keyword in the blog title to boost your SERP ranking, too.
Use Descriptive Language to Capture Attention
Using descriptive language can sometimes be exactly what your blog needs. Of course, this does depend on the type of content you’re writing. Descriptive blog titles can create a vivid image in the mind of your reader and be effective at capturing attention, but don’t go overboard.
Optimize Your Blog Title Length
While there’s no arguing about the merits of using descriptive words in blog titles, that doesn’t mean let your blog title run wild. Blog titles that are too short can be problematic for SEO because they don’t contain enough keywords. A blog title that’s too long won’t fit inside the title limit for the SERPs. You must find a balance between the two. As a general rule, a title with 60 characters is good enough.
Creating catchy titles for blog posts can be a bit of both art and science. However, once you master it, your blog will begin to grow more organically.
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