Blog posts are a highly powerful marketing tool for any business. They allow you to showcase your expertise, attract links from other sites and influencers, and provide you with extra content for other channels- such as social media- and they can help you show up in search results. But, regardless of how people find your blog, there will be something else competing for their attention.
Are you looking to start a blog for your business? How to start a blog- 7 simple steps to get started
Taking time to work on your title and make it as engaging as possible, will help you to increase the chances of someone clicking through to read your blog. So what should you include in your blog title?
What should you include in your blog title?
Include your topic keyword
It is always key to include the focus topic of the blog in your title. This should be presented clearly to let the audience know exactly what to expect from the article so that they can decide whether or not they want to read it. As well as the general topic of the article, you should also include the specific keyword you are looking to rank for with this blog. This will help to optimise your blog for search engines.
The blog title is a key place that search engines, like Google, look at to understand which results will provide relevant answers for the reader. By including the relevant keywords and a clear topic you are making it easier for Google to find your article and present it to the relevant searchers.
Consider your title length
The title of your blog will show up both at the top of your blog page and on search engine results pages. Your title needs to tell your audience what the blog is about but also needs to be eye-catching and succinct. Search engine results pages only show a certain number of characters and therefore, if your title is too long your audience won’t be able to see the full thing and will be less likely to click through to your blog page.
Your article title should be a concise summary of what your blog is about. Your audience should be able to understand the aim of your article from your title so they can decide if it is something they want to read or not. If the title is too long your audience will simply skip past it without giving it proper consideration, and if it is too short it may not provide all the relevant information for your audience or for SEO purposes.
Add an engaging element
There are lots of structures and algorithms you will find online for writing the perfect blog title, but there is one thing these all have in common- your title needs to be engaging! Your blog can be the most interesting and creative thing you have ever written, but if the title doesn’t engage your audience they aren’t going to read it.
Here are some of our top suggestions and examples for creating an engaging blog title:
1. Add numbers – 7 steps for writing the perfect blog title?
Adding numbers to your title attracts your audience and lets them know that your blog will offer a good amount of simple information in an easy to read and informative structure.
2. Add brackets – How to write a blog title (without wasting time)
Brackets are a good way to add extra information and intrigue into your title without making it look bulky or providing too much hard to digest information. This blog title style can be used in a variety of different ways such as to add extra information or to pose a question.
3. Ask a question – Don’t know how to write a blog title?
Your audience will often use search engines to find answers to questions. By posing your blog title as a question you are letting your audience know straight away that you are offering them the answer. This type of title is also very SEO friendly as it makes it easier for search engines to know who to show your article too.
Get the most out of this title stye by researching the questions your audience are searching as part of your keyword research.
4. Add context words – How to write a blog title right from the start
As mentioned at the start of this blog, your blog will often be fighting for attention from other similar articles. By adding content to your title you are setting it apart from other similar articles and providing your audience with more information about the content of your article.
5. Add brand or celebrity names – How to write a Beyoncé-level blog title
Audiences are often attracted to brand or celebrity names as they provide a level of esteem to the blog- transferring the connotations of the name to the audiences feeling towards the blog. For example, using the phrase ‘Beyoncé-level’ in your blog title suggests the content is powerful, positive, energetic, and established.
6. Use emotive words – Scared of blog titles? Here’s how to write one
Much like using celebrity names, emotive language creates specific connotations around your blog. It allows the audience to better understand the type of blog they are about to read as well as facilitates a stronger connection between the blog title and the audience. If you were scared about writing a blog title and you read the above title you would be more likely to click on it than other options as it would resonate with you on a more personal level.
7. Use active language rather than passive – How to write a great blog article
Active language adds excitement to your blog title. It creates an inviting tone, attracting your audience to click on your blog and engage with your content. By using active language your audience will get a better understanding of what your article is about and the benefits they will get from reading it.
Now to have a winning title, what next? Read our article on how to write an awesome blog post every time (7 steps you can’t risk skipping)
The more you write and post on your blog, the more you will start to understand what makes a good title and what works for your company and audience. There is a lot that goes into starting a blog for your business but when done well it can have big returns across your whole marketing campaign.
Book a free call with our team to see how we can help you create great blog content- from title to conclusion- to benefit all your other marketing activities.
