The Two-Step Method to Writing a Successful Blog Title
For anyone trying to write on the internet, it can feel a bit like shouting into the void. Sometimes it actually hurts, because you’ve poured your heart and soul into a story that tells of your heartbreak, or your crowning achievement, or how you overcame your biggest obstacle - only to get crickets.
Good writing is the most important step to cultivate if you want to be a successful writer of any kind. But the very first step of successful writing is the title.
Your title is your shop window to your story. Your title whispers, “Come hither,” to all the readers of the internet. Your title is the most important factor in whether your story goes viral or flops like a fish.
A good title does two things: it attracts attention, and it delivers on its promise. That’s it. It’s both the beginning of your relationship with the reader, and the end. It tells them why they should read and it ensures they’re not disappointed when they do.
Now let’s get into how to do that. If you prefer the video version, you can check that out here:
How to Write an Attention-Grabbing Title
Step 1 of this method is to write a title as appetizing as a fresh-baked cinnamon bun. You want it wafting virtual scent lines to all your potential readers. It doesn’t matter how amazingly your story is written: if your title isn’t good, no reader will ever give it a chance.
Keep it succinct
This means less than ten words. Now, there are some “title gurus” who will tell you that the average of a successful blog post is 6-7 words. I’m not talking about that because it’s nonsense. This is simply about logistics. When readers are browsing for something to read, anything longer than ten words is long enough that they may not bother to read the whole title, or even skim-read it and miss out a crucial word, making them misunderstand what your piece is about.
Plus, longer than ten at least on Medium may mean it starts to get cut off.
In short, if it’s longer than ten words, it’s too long.
Use the spicy word choice
I’m not talking about “this shocking trick will make you lose 100 lbs of ear fat,” or anything like that.
Let’s say you’re writing about how to be less sad. It’s likely that you’re not talking just about being sad - you actually mean emotionally devastated, or miserable, or gloomy. Each of those words overlaps with the meaning of sad, but it has a slightly different nuance to it. Interrogate your piece and discover what emotion it’s eliciting. It’s not just “sad.”
This accomplishes two things. First, you’re giving more meaning in the same amount of space. Second, these more specific words are uncommon. Hardly any writers are doing the work here - if you do this, it will be head and shoulders above everyone else.
This does not mean jargon. Make sure people will still know what you’re talking about - just that it’s not a word they’ll hear every day.
Define the authority up front
Who is giving you the information for this story? Is it your lived experience? Is it an expert in the field?
By including this in your title, you are telling readers why they care about the story. For example, if you’re telling a story about relationships and you’ve dated 717 people in the past, that’s relevant and a reason to click. Don’t write, “Ten Dating Tips.” Write, “Ten Dating Tips from Someone Who’s Dated 717 People.”
If you’re relying on an authority, such as a researcher, using words like, “researcher,” “psychologist,” “love expert,” and so on give credence to your story. What would you be more likely to click on: “The Strategy to Wake Up Earlier,” or “The Scientific Strategies to Wake Up Earlier”? The latter reassures readers that there’s a good, solid basis to read the story.
How to Deliver On Your Title’s Promise
Step 2 of this method is the second half of the agreement you’re making with your readers. Every title is a promise - you’re saying, “Here’s why you should read my story.” There are two ways to ensure you’re giving your readers what you said you would.
Clickbait is not worth it
There are few more annoying things than clicking on a story that promises to make all your problems disappear only to realize you’ve been had by a clever clickbaiter.
On the internet, getting clicks and views is all the rage. The more immediate eyeballs on your story, the faster your validation (and the revenue from ads) is. But you have to think longer-term.
Imagine if I told you that if you stepped closer for just a second, I could tell you my secret for getting cats to love me. Eagerly, you might get nearer. I’d whisper to you: “There’s actually no way. Cats do whatever the **** they want.”
You’d naturally be pissed. And the next time I said to you, “Hey - want to learn how to convince a cat to sit on your lap?” you’d rightly ignore me.
You might only get a single chance with a reader. Don’t blow it for a few extra clicks.
Confirm the type of story you’re providing
There are many different types of stories you can tell: emotional stories, rants, scientific studies, exposés, how-tos. After you’ve finished writing your story, go back to your title and make sure the title and type align. Are you angrily talking about why coffee is the worst breakfast beverage? Make sure you haven’t titled it “How to Love Tea.” Giving someone seven tips to improve their long-term relationships? Don’t call it “I’m Unbelievably Close to Divorcing My Wife of 103 Years.”
You’re Now an Expert on How to Write the Perfect Title
That is my two-step method to writing the perfect title every time. Entice your readers onto your story with a concise headling, uncommon word choice, and a clearly defined authority. Then ensure you give readers what they came for by
There are some caveats. If you have an enormous existing audience, you can do pretty much whatever because you’ve already built that relationship. They already know they can trust you. It also doesn’t apply to fiction or poetry - those have their own rules that I won’t pretend to be an expert on. If you want to learn more about those, go to the true experts.
Writing a good blog post title also doesn’t guarantee success. I’ve written the perfect title only to see my story flop. And I’ve sometimes knowingly broken these rules, only to see my story take off. There are no absolutes in the world of writing.
A title is the start and potentially the end of your relationship with every reader. With your titles, you tell them why they should spend their valuable time reading your work, and you ensure they don’t regret giving you a chance.
To write the perfect title, it only has to do those two things: attract readers and deliver on your promise.
