How to Write a Blog Title That Gets Clicks
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What would most freelance writers say is the main goal of every blog post they write? To get people to read it!
Even the most groundbreaking, compelling content won’t make an impact if people aren’t reading it, which is why every piece of content you write should have an attention-grabbing title. In this post, we’ll discuss:
- Why blog titles are important
- How to write a good blog title
- Examples of blog formats and effective blog titles
- How Knowadays can help launch your freelance writing career
Keep reading to learn more about how to write a blog title that will get your content noticed.
Why Are Blog Titles Important?
You might be asking why the title of your blog is so important when you’re already writing engaging, informative, impactful content. While it’s true that writing high-quality content is an essential part of being a freelance writer, the title of your blog matters almost as much.
Often, writing clients will seek out blog writers to boost their website traffic and increase their sales. If you can meet that objective, then it will ultimately result in happier clients and more word-of-mouth recommendations.
A blog title is usually the first thing a reader sees when they come across a piece of content. If they are intrigued by the title of a blog post, they’re much more likely to click through and read the rest of the content. Strong titles can also boost your client’s ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs), which results in more people visiting their website.
How to Write a Good Blog Title
How do you write an enticing, eye-catching title that encourages people to keep reading your article? Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Be Clear and Concise
Most readers have a very short attention span. A title that’s too long and wordy will quickly lose your reader’s attention. Keep it short and sweet – you want to be specific enough that the reader knows what to expect from the piece, but avoid confusing them with an unnecessarily complex or technical title.
It’s also important to make sure that your title is optimized for SERPs. If your title is too long, it may get cut off (or Google may even rewrite it). A good rule of thumb is to keep your titles at around 50–60 characters. Take this title as an example: “7 Foolproof Ways to Market Your Freelance Writing Business and Boost Your Income.” At 82 characters, this title is likely to be cut off. If Google were to trim it down to 60 characters, it would become: “7 Foolproof Ways to Market Your Freelance Writing Business…” Although this title still makes sense, some of the value is lost – the reader doesn’t know at a glance that the blog post will provide advice on boosting their income.
2. Offer Value
As we touched on above, your title should make clear the value of the blog post. What does your reader want to achieve, and how will your blog post help them achieve it? People often use blog posts to find solutions to a problem or answers to a question. Make it clear that your blog post contains the solution or answer that they’ve been looking for!
3. Avoid Clickbait
You should never include misleading or inaccurate information in your title just to get more clicks. This will damage your (and your client’s) credibility and leave a negative impression on readers. Examples of “clickbait” are titles that make exaggerated claims (e.g., “Make A Million Dollars With This One Simple Trick”) or use over-the-top language that doesn’t match the article content (e.g., an article titled “Crazy Celebrity Diets” that leads to diet pill marketing content).
4. Include SEO Keywords
Your client may include SEO keywords and phrases in their content brief and request that you use them in the title, headings, and/or main body of the blog post. Using keywords helps you attract your target audience and rank higher in search engine results, leading to more clicks. Avoid “keyword stuffing;” make sure the keywords read naturally and smoothly – not like they’re being forced into the title (readers can tell the difference).
5. Use Psychology
There are a number of ways that you can use psychology to grab readers’ attention:
- Use impactful, emotional language in your title. Vivid, descriptive adjectives like “profound,” “tantalizing,” and “heartwarming” instantly inspire curiosity and evoke emotion in readers.
- Use statistics (backed up by fact) in your title to boost your credibility and authority (e.g., “5 Strategies That Can Save You Up To 25% On Your Grocery Bill”).
- Use numerals in your title. These provide the reader with a clear idea of how much information they can expect, and how it will be organized. They also indicate that the post will be easy to skim read. For example, “5 Warming Recipes to Try This Winter.”
6. Write It Last
Since you want your title to summarize your article, try writing it after your final draft is complete. This gives you a better idea of what information to include in your title and what content will best hook the reader.
Blog Title Formats and Examples
Your title will also depend on the format of the blog post you’re writing. Below are several of the most common blog formats and examples of titles to match.
How-To Posts
How-to posts present advice or guidance from a reliable, trustworthy source on how to complete a task or achieve a particular goal. They often follow a step-by-step format. The title will typically begin with something like “How to…” or “A Guide to…” For example:
How to be more productive working from home
How to Plant a Container Garden in 6 Easy Steps
Problem–Solution Posts
Problem–solution posts present a problem, often a common challenge or issue, and then discuss potential solutions to that problem in the main body content. Unlike how-to posts, they don’t take the reader through the process step by step; rather, they provide tips on how to accomplish something (such as moving). There may be some overlap between problem–solution and how-to blog posts, since both can include titles that begin with “How to…” However, problem–solution posts may also have more general titles, such as:
Top tips for healthy eating on a budget
7 Tips for Better Sleep Hygiene
Compare and Contrast Posts
Compare and contrast posts do just that – they take two or more ideas or products and compare and/or contrast them to help the reader make an informed decision. These types of posts will clearly state in the title what is being compared or contrasted. For example:
Apple iPhone vs. Samsung Galaxy mobile phones
Coffee vs. Tea: Is One Healthier Than the Other?
Listicles
Listicles, or list posts, are blog posts in the form of a list. This can include a list of examples, products, ideas, tips, etc. The title of a listicle will usually include the number of items in the list; for example:
The 50 Best TV Shows Of All Time, Ranked
14 Cult Classic Lipstick Shades Every Beauty Lover Must Know
Check out this listicle, on 10 listicle examples!
Becoming A Freelance Writer
Do you want to learn more about what it takes to be a successful freelance writer, and how to craft engaging, informative, impactful blog posts that impress your clients? Check out our Becoming A Freelance Writer course, and sign up for your free trial today!
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