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23 Tips for Writing Click Worthy Blog Titles

October 9, 2013 by Kenna Griffin

Readers decide immediately whether they are going to use their valuable time to read your blog post. They decide by scanning your blog title and determining whether it appears to be worth their minutes.

You get one chance to make them click. You have to take advantage of that opportunity.

ClickA good blog title:

  • Attracts attention,
  • summarizes the post,
  • organizes content, and
  • depicts the post’s tone.

Just a few words should be simple to write, but titles often are difficult. It’s challenging to capture tone, voice and content in a unique and short manner.

Here are 23 tips for writing click worthy blog titles:

1. Understand your readers

Think about your readers and what they want to read. What title would make them stop and consider your post?

2. Keep them simple

The title should be just a few words (three to five is a good number) that are simple and easily understood at a glance.

3. Avoid false promises

Your title shouldn’t make promises that your post’s content can’t keep. Avoid overstating your post’s purpose or exaggerating its content.

4. Use strong verbs

Use strong action verbs in your titles. Avoid passive verbs and “be” verbs.

5. Set the tone

Set the tone for your post’s content through the words you choose. Also, remember that your post titles as a unit should reflect your blog’s purpose and tone.

6. Use good grammar

You don’t want a title to be the train wreck that begins an error-laden post. Worse, you don’t want the title to incorrectly suggest to the reader that your content is written poorly.

7. Check spelling

Misspellings ruin credibility. Don’t ruin your blog’s credibility before the reader has even clicked on a post.

8. Write casually

Think about how you would explain your post’s content to a friend. Write your title in that manner.

9. Include a number

Scannable list posts are popular among blog readers. If your post is a numbered list, use the number of items in the title.

10. Indicate benefits

What does the reader get from reading the post? Why should they read it? Make this obvious by the words you choose for your title.

11. Teach something

If your post tells your reader how to do something, include “how to” at the beginning of the title. “How to” posts also are popular among blog readers.

12. Tease them

Intrigue the reader. Lure them in with your creative writing.

13. Avoid punctuation

Titles generally don’t include punctuation at the end. There are three exceptions. First, use a comma to indicate the word “and.” Second, use single quotes to show if you are quoting a source. Third, use a question mark at the end if your post title asks a question.

14. Consider meanings

Look for other, unintended meanings in your post’s title.

15. Stay positive

Be positive, unless you can’t. No one wants to read someone whining and complaining.

16. Avoid names

Don’t use names that aren’t easily recognizable by the majority of your readers.

17. Avoid labeling

Titles should have subjects, verbs and objects. Avoid just writing verbless labels for posts.

18. Ask a question

It’s acceptable to ask readers a question in your blog title, but only if the post’s content provides an answer. Posts with question headlines also are popular and frequently read/shared among blog readers.

19. Avoid bad taste

Sexists or racist language, stereotypes and profanity should be avoided in blog titles.

20. Use word association

Word association, creating mental images and alliteration are all encouraged in blog titles.

21. Avoid abbreviations

You don’t want the reader to get lost in alphabet soup.

22. Use keywords

Include the most important words related to your post’s content in your title. This also will help search engines identify your post.

23. Write and rewrite

Don’t settle for a crappy title. Keep writing until you get it right. However, I recommend brainstorming title options on paper. Otherwise, you may find that your best idea was the title you wrote three times ago, but you no longer remember what it said.

Readers decide immediately when reading your blog title whether they are going to read your post. You get one chance to make them click. What advice do you have for making that happen?

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above (typically those to books) may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I promise that I only recommend products or services I use personally and think will provide you value. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Comments

  1. Frank_Strong says

    October 11, 2013 at 12:54 pm

    LouHoffman Party pooper, Lou! profkrg

    Reply
  2. LouHoffman says

    October 11, 2013 at 1:04 pm

    Frank_Strong Naturally profkrg

    Reply
  3. Frank_Strong says

    October 11, 2013 at 8:26 pm

    jaredcorreia Cheers, Jared. Have a great weekend!

    Reply
  4. TedPendlebury1 says

    October 12, 2013 at 1:36 pm

    Newspaper nerd? Pen nerd here… Love the article, but the pen at the top of the page… Probably my favorite pen of all time. Have had one for appx. 20 years and hope to never lose it. Swiss made, Caran d’Ache. Fantastic quality. Strange post, but oh well. 🙂

    Reply
  5. profkrg says

    October 12, 2013 at 9:20 pm

    TedPendlebury1 I’m a pen nerd too. I was trying to choose and alter something nondescript. It’s interesting that you identified it. Wow!

    Reply
  6. TedPendlebury1 says

    October 12, 2013 at 10:45 pm

    profkrg TedPendlebury1 Did you remove a Swiss Army logo via Photoshop? I think it was a special color, done just for Wenger.

    Reply
  7. profkrg says

    October 13, 2013 at 8:55 pm

    dustbury Thanks! #blogchat

    Reply
  8. profkrg says

    October 14, 2013 at 7:48 am

    TedPendlebury1 I altered the image by removing letters. I don’t remember removing a logo. I also changed the length of the pen. I thought it would be non-distinct. I wonder now if I should change it. Thoughts?

    Reply
  9. dbvickery says

    October 14, 2013 at 12:21 pm

    Keep It Simple -> Applies in most cases, right? | MJasonHouck profkrg

    Reply
  10. MJasonHouck says

    October 14, 2013 at 12:24 pm

    dbvickery Absolutely.

    Reply
  11. MagnoliaRipkin says

    October 14, 2013 at 6:11 pm

    momma23monkeys profkrg Loved this piece. Excellent advice – sharing with BLUNTmoms (who are exceptional title givers)

    Reply
  12. momma23monkeys says

    October 14, 2013 at 6:14 pm

    MagnoliaRipkin I found it very helpful so thought I’d pass it along! profkrg BLUNTmoms

    Reply
  13. TedPendlebury1 says

    October 15, 2013 at 1:06 am

    profkrg TedPendlebury1 Nah, why change it? Good looking pen. 🙂

    Reply
  14. PTheWyse says

    October 17, 2013 at 6:22 pm

    This is another great post Kenna. I like the instructional value of your posts. Thank you.

    Reply
  15. profkrg says

    October 17, 2013 at 8:35 pm

    PTheWyse I’m so glad that you found it helpful. That’s the goal! Thanks for taking the time to comment.

    Reply
  16. pvariel says

    December 28, 2013 at 11:08 am

    Great Tips to make note of,
    Thank you so much for this
    valuable info. 
    Sure, I will keep these point
    in my future posts
    Thanks Again
    Have a blessed weekend
    Best Regards
    Phil

    Reply
  17. profkrg says

    December 28, 2013 at 6:05 pm

    pvariel Thank you, Phil. I appreciate you reading and commenting.

    Reply

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Prof KRG

Prof KRG aims to create an ongoing educational dialogue among media professionals, students and educators.

Please let me know what resources you need or topics you wish you better understood. If I don't know the information, I'm happy to seek out someone who does.

Contact me via email at kennagriffin@gmail.com.

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About Kenna Griffin

I am a mass communications professor, journalist and collegiate media adviser. I teach classes including those on writing, reporting, media law, media ethics, social media marketing, and public relations. I am married, have two children and live in Oklahoma. More about this site's purpose

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