You truly are amazing! “That’s amazing” is my two year-old’s favorite thing to say. Certainly she is talking about your accomplishments. Do I have your attention? Good.
A good snappy attention grabbing title is the most important piece of your blog post. Since the headline is the first sentence that they are likely to read, it has to spike your reader’s interest to get them to continue. Especially when only twenty percent of the people that will read your title, will follow through and read the whole article.
Think about what it is you want to say. What is the main focal point in your article? Sometimes you have to actually start writing the blog post first before the big idea for a title hits you. Once all of your thoughts are organized and you have a finished product go back, proofread your work to find the inspiration.
Keep your audience in mind when forming your title. Seek out the keywords that relate the closest to the subject. These are the words that will tell the reader what the article is about. Choosing the most specific words for your title will also better the search results for the reader. Arrange these keywords in an order that makes sense, but is also quick and to the point.
Another trick is to incorporate numbers, questions the reader is asking themselves or statements that point to a known problem that the reader needs to take immediate action on into your title. Numbers, pain points and instant solutions are quick and easy pieces of information to take in, and they stand out among the words catching the reader’s attention. For example,
a) 4 Steps to Exciting Titles!
b) 6 Ways to Lose the Winter Weight.
c) Reasons Entrepreneurs Fail at Digital Marketing.
d) Get a Grip on Your Advertising Costs
e) Are you the problem? How to be the solution!
Breaking the subject into steps and immediately making an intriguing point makes it seem very attainable and will encourage the person to read on.
Get some inspiration from other sources. You won’t have to go far to find them. I’m sure you have plenty of resources in your own home. Try looking at your coffee table for instance. What is usually stacked or placed on or below? Magazines! There are plenty of articles with quick-witted headlines that can spark your imagination. These are written by the pros, and it's always best to learn from a pro.
So when writing your headline remember to be direct about the subject of the article, use keywords, numbers when applicable, and find inspiration from the magazines and newspapers. Make it fun and exciting to grab the readers attention. Good luck!
Queen of the Machine for Viral Solutions LLC
“If a brand genuinely wants to make a social contribution, it should start with who they are, not what they do. For only when a brand has defined itself and its core values can it identify causes or social responsibility initiatives that are in alignment with its authentic brand story.” ~ Simon Mainwaring
