Getting someone’s attention could be pretty easy with neon colors, a bullhorn, and maybe even some glitter. Except, I can’t put that in a title can I?
It’s a huge challenge to get a potential reader’s attention with the right combination of key words, topic, visuals and then your actual written content. But you haven’t jumped through all of the rings of fire just yet to ensnare the eyes of these beloved individuals you are seeking. They won’t just happen upon your glorious constructed sentences and flowing paragraphs. First they have to unlock the key to it all: your title.
As unfortunate as it sounds, the title can make or break your piece. It’s a heavy hitter.
The first could be the worst for you, but it could very well be the best. Having an impeccable title can always work to your advantage. Here at
TrackMaven we would gladly insert a corgi picture into every title, but that’s not so doable.
There are a multitude of things that can go into making an enrapturing title, but these three headers give the individual that glances over your link a
reason to actually click. Here are 10 quick (almost as quick as someone clicking that clickable title) ways to get someone to click your title.
Concrete
Will I be able to hear, see, feel, or smell this? What does it amount to? How concrete is this title?
Concrete elements add the tangible and valuable traits we subconsciously seek when picking the appropriate content we want to comprehend. Havingconcrete characteristics in a title ensure that the reader is about to encounter a level of “experience” when they click the title. Using illustrative and distinctive words like the ones listed below help contribute to the overall material.
Example of Words:
Gratify
Pleasing
Superb
Powerful
Scrumptious
Ravishing….I mean Ruffishing
Potent
Powerful
Ultimate
Substantial
Irresistible
Bright
Fresh
Stunning
Impulsive
Inventive
Reflective
Thrilling
Warm
Eye-Opener
Maybe you can reel in the reader with the previously mentioned words, but don’t you just want the reader to blindly click. Seize their attention, question what they previously thought, excite them with what they are about to read and open their eyes to what you are about to dictate in front of them.
An eye-opener in a title can spark the reader’s imagination. They’ll be curious to see what’s next and you content will then feed their desires of wanting more. This eye-opener can consist of something unexpected, like the descriptive words above or throwing in two different things in a title that at first glance do not seem relatable.
Going off of the latter I recently clicked on a tweet from the Content Marketing Institute because of the title — “6 Content Marketing Strategies Learned From The Hobbit.”
Um what? Well it definitely caught my attention. I really never made the correlation with The Hobbit and my content marketing strategies. (Actually, I’ve never even read The Hobbit). However, after they roped me in to clicking on the title and I read the post, it all made sense.
Another way to grab the reader could be with negative words. Sean Platt on CopyBlogger gives us the four words that will open emails — “You are not alone.” And at the end of his post he exclaims — negativity sells.
I’m no Negative Nancy, but I do agree. Platt states “Negative headlines and copy alert your audience to a potentially serious problem, which you can then address and solve.”
Try incorporating “How NOT…” to do things in a title or other variants, then provide the solution in your content.
Efficiency
Inevitably, because we are all too busy and do not have enough time, we are looking for the most efficient way to consume content. To be frank, a long, dragged out title just doesn’t fit into our schedules. Readers will not waste their time reading/clicking your post if the title doesn’t even grab their attention in the first place. A title with eight words has a 21% higher click through rate and it is in fact the most efficient way to get those clicks in the least amount of words possible.
Showing that the reader is about to get a certain amount of something shows the reader the amount of benefit they will get and the reader knows what they could expect to get out of the content. Numerical terms efficiently guide the reader to what they will get after they click. Telling the reader explicitly in the beginning that they are about to read “7 Things That Make Corgis Clap” explains to them that they are about to read the seven things that make corgis clap. Potential readers are able to see exactly what they are about to read and then they’ll know what they may be able to takeaway from the piece. Also apparently headlines with odd numbers have a 20% higher click-through rate too.
Overall, avoid lengthy titles, let the reader know what they are about to read and leave them wanting to click to know more.
Even though much of your work will go into filling the content of the post you are writing, your post’s title isn’t the afterthought. The title of your piece is your first impression and if it isn’t a good one, why would readers bother clicking?