Create killer blog titles that your readers won't be able to resist

The only thing you need to know about creating great blog titles is...
What is it? What is it? What you need to know.
... and that is the crux of the matter.
The title you put at the beginning of your blog post can decide everything else. If you place a boring headline there, readers will leave the post before they have read the first sentence.
But... come up with a captivating headline - the kind that's irresistible to readers - and they won't just read your post.
You will share it.
Since virality is an important goal for online content, it should come as no surprise that writing fantastic blog titles is a skill you should have in your arsenal.
Find out how to do this here.

Strive for accuracy

Accuracy may seem like boring advice at first, but it is hugely important.
Why? Because your title must reflect the content of the article!
If this is not the case, readers may suspect that you are trying to lure them in with a headline that makes promises that the rest of the article cannot fulfil.
To achieve this goal, you should come up with a working title. It doesn't have to be sexy - we'll get to that later - but it needs to describe the general direction of your post and what readers can expect.

Put your keywords centre stage

Keywords are not everything - but they are not nothing either, especially when it comes to titles.
If you want your blog post to rank well on Google, you need to make sure you use your best keyword as close to the beginning of the title as possible.
We'll go into more detail about fine-tuning your headline later, but identifying keywords is a must. This will give you the best chance of a high SERP ranking.

Give your headline some oomph

We're supposed to be selling the sizzle, not the steak - so add some sizzle to your blog titles to make sure they're enticing to readers.
Let's take a look at a few sexy options you can try:

1. Use strong language - selectively. People respond to superlatives, whether they are positive or negative. In other words: Words like " best", "worst", "brilliant", "terrible", "love" and " Hate" arouse strong emotions. But... don't overdo it. Not everything can be the best or the worst - so choose wisely.
2. Use a little alliteration. Sometimes the repetition of sounds makes a title more appealing. Using two or more words that start with the same letter can give your title that certain something.
3. Add added value to your headline. If you're offering a giveaway, bracket it at the end of the headline, like this: Create cheat sheets customers crave [TEMPLATE]. The value is clear - and customers will click to get their hands on the enticing template you promised them.
4. Add visuals. You can't include an image in the title, but you can indicate that your post contains photos, videos or an infographic. You have the option of including a word like "photos" in the title or putting a bracket at the end, as we did in the example above.

Adding just one sexy plus to your title can make a big difference in the number of clicks to your blog post.

Use numbers

How many tips will I receive if I read this article?
Readers love numbers. They provide important data about your blog post and help to quantify the value of the post for your readers. They also convey a sense of security in an uncertain world.
A conductor study showed that 36 % of readers prefer headlines with numbers - and that more women than men favour them.
You don't have to use a number in every heading, but if it makes sense, you should include it.

Remember: short is sweet

A long title may be accurate, but it's also not very appealing or memorable.
Many blog posts have bloated titles that could be done much better. Here's an example of an overly long headline that could be improved:
Think you can ignore Snapchat for your marketing? Here are 12 stats that prove you shouldn't
There's really nothing wrong with this title, but it doesn't enchant anyone with its elegance or repartee. We could paraphrase it as follows:
12 statistics that show why Snapchat should be in your marketing mix
The second title is not only better - and more interesting - but also shorter. We explain why this is important in the next tip.
Another point to keep in mind when shortening blog titles is that the rhythm of your title is important. Even if readers are reading the title on a screen, they will feel the rhythm as they read. If your title is clunky, they will notice.

Write titles for search and social networks

Do you want your title to be displayed in full in Google searches? This means that you need less than 70 characters.
Look at the top. The first headline - the chunky headline - has 92 characters. This means that the title will be truncated when it appears on Google.
The second headline has only 63 characters. Readers can see it in its entirety - and that can make a difference when it comes to the number of clicks you get.
Now let's talk about Twitter. You know that the maximum length of a tweet is 140 characters - so what does that mean for your blog title?
According to a study the titles that are shared on Twitter should be between 120 and 130 characters longso that the Tweeter has enough space to insert a short comment or a hashtag.
Of course, Twitter users have the option to shorten a link with bit.ly or another website, but then all the time you've put into creating a great title is for nothing because users have to click to see it.

Get a second opinion

Sometimes there's no better way to fine-tune a track than to get a second pair of eyes on it - especially if you've been working on it for a while.
Do you have a trusted friend who has a way with words? A marketing colleague who knows what customers want to read? Try sending them your headline and revising it a little.
If you don't have anyone who can help you, then put the headline away and sleep on it. After a day or two, you can come back to it with fresh eyes - and gain new insights.

Do you want your headlines to be successful?

Stop settling for low-quality titles and insist on the best ones. The tips presented here will help you write compelling titles that will make readers crave your content.