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How to Write Blog Post Headlines Readers Want to Click On

by | Jan 8, 2014

With the number of blogs out there, bloggers must do all they can to make theirs the best it can be. The best way to do this is by making sure your blog is not stale or cliché.

So many bloggers write about the same topics; being creative makes the difference between readers choosing your blog, or not. Even if you post about similar topics and issues, having a fresh and imaginative headline for your posts can attract readers to your blog rather than a competing one.

Here are some thoughts to consider when you’re putting the finishing touches on your next brilliant post:

Be expressive

Draw your readers in by infusing your post titles with passion. Make it clear that you are invested in the material of your posts and are writing for a purpose rather than just for the sake of maintaining a blog. This means being animated, perhaps even controversial, so that your personal opinions and feelings are evident. Take a stand!

Readers tend to be more interested in reading something inspired by actual opinions, just as most people prefer to listen to music where the singer’s passion is evident in his or her lyrics and voice.

“Everyone loves raw, human, honest moments,” say Sara Critchfield and Adam Mordecai, Upworthy’s Managing Editor and Viral Curator, in their explanation of the science of viral content.

Keep it sweet and simple

If a blog post’s title extends for multiple lines or includes too many words, many readers won’t take the time to read it. A good title is short and to the point, providing a clear focus that illustrates the article’s topic while not giving too much away.

Another good way to structure your post titles is to provide a brief question that will only be answered by reading the contents of the post.

Consider SEO, but don’t make it your only goal

It is definitely worthwhile to insert keywords into your title, as these will increase the chances of the post coming up in search engines, but don’t overdo it.

Remember, readers can tell when a post is just trying to use a ton of SEO keywords. Such blogs are not usually taken seriously and they consequently receive few readers. Writers must remember that, while they want their posts to come up in searches, they are writing for humans, not for Google.

Write for humans, not for Google.

Good grammar is crucial

If a title is grammatically incorrect, chances are the rest of the post is too. At least, that’s what readers are going to think. If you don’t take the time to edit your titles, readers won’t take the time to read your posts. (Click to tweet this idea).

Additionally, punctuation is actually necessary. If the title is a question, include a question mark. If it’s an exclamation, use an exclamation mark. Dashes, commas and colons can all be good tools if used correctly.

However, avoid signs like @, #, and $ as they can seem very unprofessional and they confuse web browsers.

What do you consider when creating titles for your blog posts?