The key is a juicy, eye-popping blog post title that compels the reader to pay attention and take action.
While content and title are equally important, a catchy title is what gets them in the front door.
It gives them a sneak peek into what they’ll find once inside.
Without a compelling title, your content is for naught.
Below is my three-step formula to crafting incredibly catchy blog titles and that perfect headline every time!
3-Step Blog Title Formula
Step 1: Create a Swipe File
A swipe file is an easy way to capture ideas, thoughts, and inspiration for future blog posts. It can also provide much-needed motivation on those days when you feel less than creative.
As Copyblogger says,
“Smart copywriters use good tools to make themselves more productive, and one of those “power” tools is the swipe file.”
Not familiar with a swipe file? It’s simple!
As you peruse the web, pay attention to blog post titles that make you take notice. Now add that title to your swipe file.
Whether you choose to create this in Word, Google Drive or Evernote, make it simple and easy to access.
The key is to create a running list of potential blog titles that you can use as creative inspiration on those days you suffer from writers block.
Swipe File Formula:
- Revisit your swipe file for creative inspiration.
- Play around with keywords or phrases and work it into your topic.
- Run your blog post title through the “Advanced Marketing Institute Headline Analyzer” to grade your title. Not familiar with it? Learn more in “8 Ideas to Boost Your Latest Blog Post.”
Step 2: Know the Rules
There are simple rules I follow when creating blog post titles.
- Simple wins! Keep your titles short and to the point. My goal is seventy characters or less.
- Make them clickable! Inject humor, draw on emotion or solve a problem. You want the reader to immediately relate and understand the purpose behind and value in your article.
- Include your keyword or phrase in an organic and natural way.
- Never ever mislead the reader with a title that has nothing to do with the content.
- Communicate a benefit that your reader cannot live without.
- Have fun! Add your personality to the title. Just because it needs to be search engine friendly doesn’t mean it can’t be playful.
Let’s break down the blog post title below.
- 3 (how many tips the reader can expect)
- Smart (who doesn’t want to be smart?)
- Google+ (specific)
- Strategies (what the reader will receive) to
- Grow Your Online Community (what the reader will learn)
Step 3: Get Writing
Now that you’ve created your swipe file and know the rules behind a blog post title that pops, it’s time to get writing.
Below are eight blog post title ideas to light your fire and help you craft a perfect headline!
1. Make it Personal
A blog title that speaks to a personal need or situation can be very effective.
For example, “How You Can Put the Love Back in Your Relationship” not only solves a problem, but relates to readers on an intimate level.
2. Make Life Easier or Better
Think about your product or service from the consumer’s perspective.
What problem does it solve and how can you best get that point across in an easy and efficient manner?
3. Encourage Action
Blog post titles should encourage action and inspire your reader to click-through. Know what triggers that action and how you can best position your content.
4. Lose the Jargon
Just because you speak in industry jargon, doesn’t mean your consumer will understand it.
Lose the jargon and focus instead on making your title reader and consumer friendly.
5. Be Interesting
What makes your blog post intriguing?
Being an avid reader myself I can tell you how disappointing it is to read a compelling blog title only to find the content lacking. Keep you title interesting, but true to what they’ll find once inside.
6. Be Original
You put your own unique spin on blog content, so why wouldn’t you do the same for your title?
Remember: there may not be any unique ideas left, but there’s always room for your unique perspective.
7. Be Honest
I mentioned this point above, but it’s important enough to repeat. Always make sure your blog post title is in alignment with your content.
Misleading blog post titles create distrust and frustration, two lasting feelings that no blogger wants their reader to walk away with.
8. Speak Directly to Your Audience
Know your audience and do your research. Ask yourself:
- Who am I trying to reach?
- What problem does my post solve?
- Is this topic valuable?
- Would I click-through if I was the consumer?
One Last Thought
There is a lot of talk about keywords “being dead” lately. I totally disagree. While I’m no SEO specialist, I do know enough about keyword research to understand that they’re still extremely powerful when used correctly.
Insert them into your title when appropriate, but maintain the readability. You’re writing for people, and people want a title that makes sense. Not one that looks like a bunch of gobbly gook. And yes, that’s the technical term.
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The right Title is always important to make readers want to read what you have read. Otherwise all the hardwork we put in to writing goes a waste.
I totally agree with all your pointers Rebheka, I am a lazy person when it comes to title hunting, I write posts and then keep them aside, I don’t know for how long.
The swipe file that you have mentioned is now going to be my number 1 priority, yeah, the others too of course.
thanks for such an useful post.
Great post, I look forward to creating my swipe list from now on!
Nice article. We have developed a wordpress plugin Optimal headlines copywriter.
for writing killer headlines. Check it out on http://www.optimalplugins.com/ You can also sign up as affiliates and earn 50% commission of the sales.
Thank you. This was very helpful and not overwhelming!
Great post, Rebekah.
Creating a swipe file is what I liked the most.
Using link bait blog post titles, we can keep our blog post titles long and it covers more keywords.
If there are three keywords like Cool WordPress Plugins, Cool free WordPress Plugins and Really Cool WordPress Plugins.
Then link bait blog post title, would be something like Really Cool Free WordPress Plugins That You Must Check Right Away How about this? It is link bait, SEO friendly and covers all 3 effective keywords.
Great tips Rebekah.
A good way to come up with an awesome blog title is to (force yourself to) write lots of different variations, each with a different angle/approach, and then choosing the best one.
Although you may feel you’ve got the perfect one already, if you push on to squeeze out a few more, you’ll be amazed at how you could find one that you like even more. Just try it.
Thanks for the helpful advice. Just FYI, “not” should be spelled “naught.” (“Without a compelling title, your content is for not.”)
Hi Courtney! Thanks for that. No matter how many sets of eyes or spellcheck an article is run through, there always seems to be one thing missed.
Hi Rebekah,
Nice post! Having an impressive and catchy blog title is very important to gain the attention of audience. Thanks for sharing this wonderful post. I liked the advice you have given here and I am going to bookmark this page for my further use. Have a nice day. 🙂
Rebekah — thanks so much for this helpful info! I’m currently working on my Blog, and this info will help me greatly. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
That’s exciting Joy! Have fun with your blog!
Hello Again Rebekah! I do like this idea of a swipe file and it is one I am going to start using this I do see how this can help me out.
I also LOVE the Advanced Marketing Institute Headline Analyzer site you shared with us here. Now this my friend is the best find of the day for me. I have so many challenges when it comes to headlines..
Great Post Thanks for sharing Chery :))
i read it this artical. i nice work Dear admin of site i wish u all the best
For a swipe file, you might want to take a look at a great tool somebody introduced me to: http://dragdis.com/
I agree about keywords and I still include them (the majority of the time) in my titles. I’m trying out a little more originality, creativity and personal stuff in my titles and posts lately. It’s fun. They’re sometimes a little longer than I like to make them, though!
I have a swipe file for other things – article ideas, images etc) but never for headlines – so a great idea that I’ll implement.
For me the best advice I ever tog for writing headlines was to writer 10 -15 for each article – especially if it’s an important one for you. Something happens after about #7 where I just loosen up and usually somewhere between 10 and 13 I’ve got my headline.
Sometimes I’ve figured out how to combine 2 earlier ideas into something better and sometimes inspiration strikes – but there’s just somehting in the process of writing that does the trick for me.
Thanks Rebekah, I use swipe files for various things but had not considered using them for blog titles. I just created a page in OneNote for this purpose. My first one is Foolproof Formula to Incredibly Catchy Blog Titles 🙂
This may be my favorite blog post of yours yet, Rebekah! I struggle most with the blog title so this is going right on my Evernote file to save for reference – also on my swipe file since this title is pretty much perfect for what you delivered! You know the graphics help quite a bit too!
I found that writing as I speak and keeping in an adventurous way makes it easy for me to relate my past experiences as that weeks message. I only speak and share my own stories based on all of us have thousands of them so never to run out of something to write about.
We have walked countless people through writing their first articles and they are amazed at how sharing their own experiences to place value in activity for personal and business growth. Out weighs the overwhelming feeling of not having your own content and using pieces of others to make a few statements on your blog.
I see more of that each day with others using copy&paste each week and never giving the time to do the work. This is a huge struggle for most people these days.
Thanks for this share which has opened my eyes!
I love this thought William. In fact, I was writing about something very similar for my Monday post. Too many people try to be something they’re not or write about something they know nothing about. It’s a recipe for disaster in my opinion.
Hi Rebekah!
Another masterpiece again! Thank you for the tip on “Swipe File”. I had started to maintain it although I didn’t know what to call that 🙂 and I wasn’t hung ho about it either so far.
But your mentioned about it in the beginning of the post makes definitely an important thing. I am going to be using it effectively and I can really see why it will work.
Thank you for every other tip as well. Being original, solving a problem and still not giving up on keywords, is awesome. I am glad I made it here and couldn’t leave without sharing my appreciation for your work!
Regards,
Kumar
You are way too kind Kumar!
A swipe file makes life online so easy. You see something that inspires you…you jot it down somewhere that’s easy to return to. I love it!
Spot on advice as always Rebekah. I’ve used a swipe file for years and I love the headline analysis tool. It’s always a challenge coming up with the right headline, but because of the nature of my niche I avoid cliches or anything too cutesy. If fact personally I think the audience and topic should always be a factor in developing headlines. Thanks for the great advice!
Hi Marquita! A swipe file is one of the best things I ever implemented as a blogger. It helps me daily!
Headlines are an enormous challenge and the headline analyzer, while not perfect, definitely helps!
I love the idea of a swipe file. I look forward to your helpful posts!
Thank you Doreen! Have fun creating your own swipe file!
Some powerful tips in there Rebekah.
The swipe file is a great idea I really need to be focusing on.
I personally use Twitter as a bit of a test lab with each post to see what gets more clicks. Because with headlines themselves you only get one chance!
Love your graphics Rebekah! The header on this blog post is what made me click.
Neil Ferree I look forward to testing my ideas using Run your blog post title through the “Advanced Marketing Institute Headline Analyzer” to grade my titles. Looking MORE forward to your Hangout with Stephan tomorrow!
Rebekahhhhhhh
Thanks for another ‘beautiful’ – inside-out – post! I had never heard of a swipe file – well, you know which is Entry No 1 in mine 😉
I struggle with titles the most: I NEVER have the patience to come up with a ‘better’ title. I do need to work on my impatience after completing a post. I just want to hit Publish and get it out there, but I fail to realize – or rather choose to IGNORE – that no body will click on it without an attention-grabbing title.
Thanks for this lovely reminder, dear
Kitto
“no body” = nobody
Thank you Rebekah for a most enlightening post. Congratulations on your own blog titles and much more!