So you've got a content plan and your writing helpful blog posts regularly, GREAT!
What would you say if I told you that perhaps 50% of your effort should go into your blog post title?
Headlines matter BIG TIME. They really do!
In this episode of Halftime Mike I dive into reviewing an Infographic from QuickSprout on blog headlines and what process you need to follow to ensure you maximize this key piece of real estate for for capturing viewer attention and for SEO.
NOTE: Plus, I go on a bit of rant about a pet peeve...people not finishing things. Be a finisher. Don't start something and get it 95% of the way done and call it done. Finish it!
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We all spend our precious time creating great content that educates and entertains our readers. But your content may not be getting read!
The first thing people see and read is your headline or title. Are you capturing their interest?
What are the secrets writing great blog post headlines? I’ll outline a few from the infographic.
1. Length
– 65 characters and 6 words. Mobile devices are forcing our headlines to be more eloquent (short and sweet).
I'd say you can go a bit longer than this but not much. The KEY, however, is that you must include your targeted KEYWORD phrase in the title, and ideally within the first four words of the title!
2. Adjectives
– Descriptive words are key! Words like "Discover", "Maximize", "Top", "Unbelievable", and more help you capture attention and draw in the visitor.
3. Be specific
– Clearly state what your article is about. Titles like “Living on the edge” or “The best Product of all time” are too general. Also, don't make the mistake of being too creative with a"cute" term that the masses may not know! Cute sayings in titles are not helpful! There's too much at stake and too many keys you need to accomplish with a title to just go for cute. Cute helps you ZERO in search and longevity of being discovered.
4. Numbers!
– Adding a specific set of numbers to your post title to let the user know what to expect has proven to drive viewership. People see "The Top 7..." and they know and make a decision to come and view the 7 items you note. I've used top 5, Discover 7, and more successfully. I'm not a big fan of the huge numbers myself like "Best 100 this" or "Top 47 this". Those to me are too much. I'd don't have time to scroll through 47 let alone 100 of something.
Give'em something they can handle in a bit size read or skim! Numbers help qualify and quantify.
The formula for creating headlines is priceless!
TRIGGER WORD + ADJECTIVE + KEYWORD + PROMISE
[Tweet "Best formula for Blog Post Titles! TRIGGER WORD + ADJECTIVE + KEYWORD + PROMISE #halftimemike"]
A word of caution.... TIME! It will take some time to come up with a title that fits inside of all the criteria for a good headline.
Again our friends at QuickSprout have hit a home run with this timely infographic.
Want even more ideas on how to optimize post promotion? How about 41 more ideas for promoting your posts online >>
I’m a Indiana Hoosier native where basketball is the top sport. Every team heads to the locker room at halftime to evaluate the first half and create a updated plan for the second half. That plan includes adjustments based on reviewing what worked and what didn't. The “halftime” is a key review point where the game stops, the team pulls away to huddle in the locker room away from the fans, and they come out prepared and ready to succeed in the second half.
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