Listen up – blogs are great for SEO. I repeat, blogs are great for SEO. I’ll go into why in another post so for now, you are just gonna have to trust me on that one.
You’ve won half the battle when your ideal customer clicks on your well-thought-out blog title that’s appeared in their search results. Hopefully they read your informative blog post, explore your website some more and then make their way to your all-important place of conversion – a buy now button, a book now button, or signing up to your email newsletter.
How do you get them to click on that link in the first place, buried in amongst the sea of blog posts out there? It may seem obvious but this simple must-do alludes so many website owners… make sure you write a catchy and compelling blog title, and add in some search engine optimisation too!
Read on to learn exactly how to do this.
1. Be clear and concise
Write a title that’s straight to the point. Avoid being sneaky or mysterious, and steer clear of any waffly titles that might make your readers go “huh?”. Keep it simple and easy to understand.
2. Use keywords for SEO
Try to use keywords that speak the language of your target audience so your blog post can be easily found by the right people. Think about what words your customers would use in order to find your blog post. If you want them to find certain advice on your website i.e. your blog post, you need to write those exact words in your blog post title.
3. Solve a pain point
Make sure it’s clear that your blog post is going to provide a solution for your reader. We all come to Google looking for help and advice so your title should clearly state how you are going to help your customer. Make sure it provides value and solves a problem that your reader may be experiencing.
Here’s a great example of a blog post title that solves a pain point: “Strike a Pose: Tips for Choosing the Perfect Outfit for Your Next Photography Session”.
4. Everyone loves a list
The amount of information available online is overwhelming and people want information fast. To make it clear that your reader will be able to digest your advice quickly, use numbers in your blog post title.
Here’s an example: “5 Surprising Benefits of Regular Massage Therapy: Unlock the Secrets to a Healthier, Happier You”. This is certainly more compelling and click-worthy than “The Benefits of Massage Therapy for Self-Improvement”.
5. Short and SEO sweet
The ideal length of a blog post title is 50 to 60 characters. It’s long enough to explain what the post is about, and short enough to digest in one easy bite. It’s also easy for your web developer to fit it nicely in your blog page design too…. ahem. Sometimes I go over this length to make a title more catchy, but I’m a SEO rebel.
Look, I know it’s a lot to think about when crafting your perfect blog post title. However, if you’re going to spend the time writing an article then it’s definitely worth your time wordsmithing the title too. Think of it like finding the perfect hook and lure before you’re about to go fishing.
To further cement what we have just talked about, let’s take a quick look at the title evolution of this very blog post:
“Blog post title tips” – Meh. That’s not very exciting, is it? A title like this will get lost amongst the massive sea of articles online so let’s improve it a bit.
“How to write a good blog post title” – Better. How to’s clearly indicate that the post will provide step-by-step instructions and people often use the words how to in their search requests – bonus 🙌
“How to write a killer blog post title” – Nearly there. Killer is a strong adjective that clearly states that the post will be informative. I wanted to specifically target my audience though, because I know that if the wrong people click on the post and realise it’s not for them, then they’ll bounce out of my website pretty fast. That’s not ideal for search engine optimisation.
“How to write a killer blog post title for your small business website” – Spot on. Adding for your small business website narrows down to the niche that will want to read the post, making the title relevant and much more specific – that’s a thumbs up from Google.
So, there you have it. A few tips and tricks for when writing your next blog post which I hope helps you understand the importance of crafting an awesome post title. Don’t be afraid to experiment until you find the perfect title that resonates with your audience and encourages those sought-after clicks to your website.
