At Spindogs, we love content! Working with clients from across industries means we’ve dipped our toes into vastly different subjects, from lifestyle and design to the intricacies of technology and scientific research.
And while the content is tailored to each client, the key first step to producing a successful blog is drawing readers in with a strong title. The headline is where your target audience first interacts with your brand, whether that’s through Google search results, email or social posts. Your title is also important for your traffic goals – it’s what gets you that first click, ultimately boosting your clickthrough rate (CTR).
We’ve collected our blogging wisdom into three key steps you can follow to get readers clicking on your snappy titles.
Feel the room
a.k.a. know your audience
When writing a blog title, put your reader front and centre. A salesy headline can put your audience off. Your credibility with potential clients can be diminished if they think you’re trying too hard to sell them your services.
Write a title that’s genuinely valuable to your customers. Don’t be coy; tell them exactly how they will benefit from reading your article.
For example:
Follow these 3 simple steps to a turn your blog title from good to great
Supply what’s in demand
a.k.a. do your keyword research
You know who you’re talking to and what you want to tell them. But how do you make sure the great content you are creating appears in front of your target audience in Google?
This part requires a bit of keyword searching and reverse engineering. Remember, keyword research isn’t just for creating SEO friendly blog content – an optimised blog post title is a big signal to Google to attract people to your content.
Start by using your preferred keyword tool (or mix and match between a few) to see what terms people are searching for relating to your blog topic. For example: ‘blog title’, ‘how to choose blog title’, ‘how to title blog posts’, ‘blog title ideas’ etc.
Find a keyword phrase that combines high search volumes and low competition, and tailor your blog title to include it. There you have it – you’ve instantly increased the chances of your article appearing higher in search results!
Check out our SEO services for more insight and training on how to optimise content.
Be irresistible
Inform. Intrigue. Challenge.
This is where the real fun begins. With a clear image of who your audience is, and a trusted key phrase to secure your blog’s search position, it’s time to make the title irresistible. Here are some approaches you can try:
- Find a common language
Tailor the tone of your title to the language your audience is most responsive to. Being playful and daring can be a winner in some industries. In others, sounding respectable, trustworthy and reliable will go down better with readers.
- Make a list and post it
Readers are naturally inclined to gravitate to the list format, especially if you are blogging useful advice and tips. Numbers add structure to the content and this should be reflected in your title, attracting readers with the promise that your advice will be useful and easy to digest – a perfect quick read for the skimmers out there who might be otherwise put off by the prospect of reading a detailed guide.
For example:
3 easy tips for choosing the perfect blog title
- Play the DOs and DON’T game
There are two approaches to offering expert advice – talk about what readers should do, or tell them what they absolutely shouldn’t do.
Both are equally effective in appealing to the universal need for reassurance, and using the relevant vocabulary in you title will signal users that they can find that reassurance by consuming your content.
Based on how you choose to spin your blog title, your audience will be clicking through to your blog either to hear from a professional that they are doing the right things, or to make sure they are not making [‘These 5 common’] mistakes.
For example:
The three things all expert copywriters do when they choose blog titles
Is your great content going unseen? Make sure you’re not skipping these three key steps when choosing your blog titles
- Don’t hesitate to alliterate
Alliteration is one of my personal favourites – both as a reader and a content creator. It is subtle, but also surprisingly powerful in making your blog title that little bit more pleasant to read. As with strong language, be mindful of not overdoing it – two words are more than enough to achieve the desired effect.
For example:
Brilliant Blog Title Tips for Grabbing Your Audience’s Attention
- Put your money where your title is
That’s to say, don’t write big boisterous titles to grab the reader’s attention without being able to actually deliver the content you’ve promised once they click through. You are better of sticking with the ‘does what it says on the box’ approach and rest assured you are providing your audience a great user experience.
A winning title tells readers (and search engines!) exactly what to expect and highlights how the information will benefit them, while also leaving some intrigue for the body of content. Once you nail this, you can sit back, sip your coffee and watch the clicks grow.
So, did our blog title hit the spot? Tweet us @spindogs to let us know!