You’ve heard this before, and it’s true. Your title is the single most important sentence of your entire article. Its job is to get people to open your article and read the rest. But how can you write interesting titles that other people want to open? Here are a few important things to think about.
Start with a Great Topic
The first step to a great title is a great topic. The title’s job is simply to convey the topic as interestingly as possible. In order for the title to be effective, the topic itself still has to be interesting to the reader.
A lot of people struggle to create great headlines for their articles. But it’s really not that hard if you think about the topic and do your research. Start by knowing what your reader wants. Know what they want to hear and what they want to read about. One way to find out what they want is to simply ask them. You can also throw out questions about different topics on social media platforms, and notice which ones get the most responses. Choose your topics accordingly.
Having a great topic and a great article makes writing a great title much easier.
Use Power Words
Use words that titillate the senses, that create emotions and that bring visualizations to mind. The most powerful words are the ones that convey a feeling. In other words, use powerful words rather than descriptive words. Instead of using words like “nice” or “good” in your titles, use powerful ones that really grab people’s attention.
One carefully chosen, well-placed power word can change the vibe of the whole title.
For example, instead of: Tips for Making a Speech
Try: High Impact Tips for Making a Dynamic Speech
These two power words – “High Impact” and “Dynamic” – completely change how the whole title is perceived.
Instead of: Great New Movie
Try: The Epic Sequel That Will Blow Your Mind!
A few more power words: All-inclusive, Charismatic, Capability, Capacity, Competency, Genuine, Official, Painless, Potential. How could you use these words in your titles?
Here’s a quick list of 50 power words you might be able to use in your titles. Just remember, while these power words can grab attention, you’ll want to use them appropriately and confirm that your article content delivers on the promise made in the title.
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- Unbelievable
- Incredible
- Stunning
- Amazing
- Remarkable
- Extraordinary
- Sensational
- Groundbreaking
- Revolutionary
- Powerful
- Captivating
- Fascinating
- Shocking
- Astonishing
- Jaw-dropping
- Mind-blowing
- Breathtaking
- Thrilling
- Electrifying
- Spectacular
- Unleashed
- Transformed
- Skyrocketed
- Supercharged
- Turbo-charged
- Unrivaled
- Ultimate
- Essential
- Crucial
- Proven
- Guaranteed
- Explosive
- Forbidden
- Controversial
- Secret
- Insider
- Exposed
- Revealed
- Uncovered
- Unveiled
- Unmasked
- Decoded
- Effortless
- Instant
- Quick
- Simple
- Easy
- Brilliant
- Genius
- Masterful
Use Numbers & Specifics
One of the best ways to catch people’s attention is by using specifics and numbers. Specifics and numbers tend to do very well. Use specific locations, number of tips, names of people, etc.
Again, taking our previous example:
Instead of: High Impact Tips for Making a Dynamic Speech
Try: 31 High Impact Tips for Making a Dynamic Speech
Or: Tips for Making a Dynamic Speech by a Former Champion Speaker
The difference between the first sentence and the latter two sentences are specifics. Specifics give titles more weight and makes them seem more real and powerful.
Get Inspiration from Other Writers
If you ever find yourself having trouble writing a title, just Google your main keyword. You’ll find lots of article titles to give you inspiration.
How are other writers writing their titles? What kind of topics are they targeting?
What techniques are they using to write their titles? Are they using specifics? News? Names? Numbers? Power words?
Don’t copy anyone’s title. It’ll hurt your search engine rankings and can be taken as plagiarism. That said, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with using other people’s titles as inspiration.
Vary Your Titles
Finally, change your tactics around. Don’t use a power word in every title. Don’t use specific numbers in every title.
You’ll want your article titles to be different from one another to avoid them sounding too similar and turning readers off.
These are a few proven ways to increase your click-through rates and open rates. Start with a great topic. Sprinkle in a power word or two to make your title come alive. Use a specific or two, if applicable. Get inspiration if you get stuck. And finally, remember to always vary things up.
