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You spent hours writing the perfect blog and hit that magic "publish" button. You share it on all your social networks and rush to your analytics account to wait for the visitors to run to read your masterpiece. Except that's not what happens. Instead, you hit publish and then crickets. What gives?
One of the biggest blogging mistakes is writing an incredible blog and then slapping it with a generic title. When it comes to blogging, your title is like your front door. If it's uninviting, no one's going to come knocking.
That's why having a strong title is so important. In order to drive clicks and conversions to your blog (aka, make people want to read what you've written), you have to have titles that entice people to click. Here's exactly how to do that.
The following 13 tips are proven tactics to get more people to click on your blog.
The best titles are short, sweet, and to the point. If they get too complicated or wordy, you can kiss your clicks goodbye. Don't believe us? Compare the following headlines:
While the article is probably the same, that second title is too long for anyone to care enough to click.
Knowing your target audience is a critical part of any successful marketing campaign. It even matters when writing your titles. Try to compose titles that appeal to your target audience directly or indirectly. For example, let's say your target audience is female entrepreneurs.
While male entrepreneurs could want tools to make them feel more empowered and effervescent, the verbiage in the second example is commonly found in marketing for women, so it indirectly appeals to women over men. However, you have to be careful with indirectly targeting your audience. Avoid stereotypes and stigmas and consider inclusive language when appropriate.
While having keywords in your title may not generate more clicks, it will help ensure your title shows up in search results. So, if you have a keyword for your blog, be sure to put it in the main title. (Not sure what we're talking about? Check out the basics of creating a winning SEO strategy here).
There are lots of ways to pique a reader's interest. Here are some of our favorite techniques:
These are just some ways you can pique a reader's interest. It's all about making someone stop and want to know more.
Sensory words help to paint a vivid picture in your potential audience's mind. By incorporating them into your title, you're immediately pulling readers in with multiple senses, making them more likely to click than if you just appealed to one, for example:
We've discussed the importance of social proof and how to get it. Social proof is how you show potential customers that other people find you valuable. While having reviews online is terrific, find ways to incorporate them into your titles to expose your target audience to that social proof right from the jump. For example, "See The Product That 99% of Reviewers Gave 5 Stars."
People don't have a lot of time to read articles these days. Many just read the titles. As a result, you need to entice your reader with a justification for why they should read your blog instead of just skipping it. The easiest way to do this is to tell them what they're going to get by reading the article, using magical words in your title like:
By including these justification words, people know exactly why they should click on your link and read your article.
There are likely lots of businesses sharing the same information you're sharing. However, you still need to try and make it unique. Find ways to vary your title so you're the first (and only) person to present the information that way.
To check if your title is unique, pop it into Google inside quotation marks. For example, "# Quick Tips for Writing Titles That Drive Clicks." The quotation marks are crucial. If you've written a truly one-of-a-kind title, Google will say: No results found for "13 Quick Tips for Writing Titles That Drive Clicks."
Copywriting is a bit of a science, and over the years, we've learned that certain words do a better job at driving conversions than others. We call these words power words or buzz words. By incorporating them into your title, you immediately give yourself a leg up. Here are a few power words to get you started:
Want more? Check out this fantastic resource with more than 1,900 power words to incorporate into your headlines.
When possible, be super specific with your title to show people that you're truly going to answer their needs. Don't be afraid to make your title direct answers to common questions or over-explain what readers can expect. Again, talk to your target demo, and convince them you're the person with the answers.
You get the idea. Be really specific about what's in your article and who it's for.
Verbs, aka action words, help create a sense of urgency and action for readers. Let's see it in action:
As you can see, the second title is much more compelling and urgent than the first. By using action words like "transform," "discover," and "boost," the title creates a sense of excitement and urgency. The first title, on the other hand, is more passive and doesn't create the same level of urgency or excitement.
If you'd like more examples, just check out each of the 13 tips on this blog. We've used a power verb in each of them to add extra urgency to our advice.
Attention spans are short - about 47 seconds. Additionally, the average American sees between 4,000-10,000 ads every single day. Add longer workweeks, more distractions, and the stresses of modern life, and suffice it to say that we're all feeling a little selective with how we spend our time and the things that grab our attention.
In general, you want to make sure that everything you put out is doing one of the following things:
Occasionally, you can write something persuasive. But really, what is persuasion if it's not inspiring someone to act? Use your headlines to let readers know that you're article will be doing one of the above three things so they know it's worth their limited time.
We talked briefly about using numbers above, but you can take it a step further by incorporating statistics. Stats immediately establish you as a thought leader and as someone with credibility. You're basically saying right away that you're someone who uses facts to create your opinions and pieces, and most people appreciate credible business owners.
Whether you're sharing your blogs on your company's social media accounts, connecting them to paid ads, or relying on organic traffic, one thing remains absolutely clear. You must have terrific titles if you want anyone to click and read.
By keeping the tips above in mind (and following other blogging best practices), you'll be well on your way to drumming up more leads and conversions from your blog in no time. (Want more help writing compelling headlines – check out our Insider Tips for Crafting Killer Headlines).
Marketing.biz is your source for all marketing education and resources.