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6 Tips for Tasty Headlines:
Why Your Blog Post Title Matters
 Bob and I hosted another biznik blogging event last week and the topic of blog post headlines came up.
How important are your titles and what should a good headline do? In the words of master ad man David Ogilvy, "The purpose of a title is to get potential readers to read the first line of your content."
That's good advice, plain and simple, because the words in your headline are the most powerful ones you will write.
The war rages on about which is more important in a blog title: SEO (the robots) or your readers (the humans). Actually they both matter-a lot. Using keywords web surfers are using in their search will get you new readers, but to keep readers once they get there, you need to hook them with interesting content. Remember that you want to be found. But you also want to be read.
6 Tips for Blog Post Headlines That Attract More Readers
Always write your headline first-right after you come up with your blog post subject-and take the time to get it right because it makes the promise to your reader that you will fulfill in your post.
These tips do not all have to be used in every headline, but consider them as you create your post titles. And, by the way, they work well for just about any content you write, from articles to e-letters to ads and more:
1. Offer a benefit. Promise to show your readers how to do something better, faster, easier. Example: "3 Delicious Ways to Give Your Kids Extra Iron."
2. Feed the search engines- Use keywords people would be likely to use when they are doing a google search. And make your beneficial keywords closer to the beginning the title, where they have more SEO impact. Example: "Permission-based E-Marketing: 5 Steps Along the Path to Purchase" (notice how the keywords are near the beginning of the title).
3. Get personal. Get in there close and whisper in your reader's ear. It makes her feel like you're talking to her as a friend. Use "you" when you can. Example: "You Can Build Your Business Brand in 3 Easy Steps."
4. Pose a question. Humans are naturally curious. Their brains are hard wired to want to know the answers to questions. Example: "Do You Make These Mistakes When You Take Family Photos?"
5. Stir things up. People are drawn to controversy. Warning: You must address the topic in your post and not just use it for shock value or your readers will feel tricked. Example: "Is Twitter on Life Support?"
6. Consider using humor. The media have trained us to expect to be entertained. Make your readers laugh. But beware of the risks: that you will offend someone (humor can be tricky) or that you will lose the keywords that help with SEO. Example: "Overcoming Customer Objections: FAQ Lessons from the Encyclopedia Man." |
