Bloggers Spend 3 Hours and 55 Minutes Doing It. How to Make It Count.

OK! I must have piqued your curiosity because you’re here reading this. I also demonstrated the power of a good headline.

So, what takes bloggers 3 hours and 55 minutes to do?

Write a blog post, of course.

(According to orbit media.com, the average blog post takes 3 hours and 55 minutes to write.)

How do you make it count?

By writing a great headline so your blog will be read.

If a tree falls alone in a forest does it make a sound? Maybe.

If an incredible blog post is left unread does it make an impact? No!

Why waste your time? Write a great headline for your blog post so it will be read.

In earlier blog posts I discussed in detail why your business needs a blog, how to set up your blog, and how to start writing your business blog. Now’s a good time to talk about writing effective headlines.

I could have written a totally different headline for this post. After all, this headline won’t rank high with the search engines, and it doesn’t explain to readers what the post is about. It seems I just violated some headline “rules.” But I like to write for people. And today I think people are somewhat restless and bored. So, I chose to go for a headline that is more creative and fun. Throwing in numbers helps too. And I did keep the character count under 70.  So, I guess I did follow some tips after all!

My point is, you can incorporate several tips into one headline, and ignore others except for the #1 tip: Know your audience. When blog headline writing, go with your gut, but know what helps attract readers.

Here are 10 tips (and one rule) for writing a great blog post headline.

1. Remember your audience

Knowing your audience is the number one rule for all writing, whether it is for blogs, advertising, or even fiction. When it comes to blog post writing, including headlines, always remember who your audience is and then write for them. (Notice this is a “rule,” not a “tip.”)

2. Try to keep the headline under 70 characters

When Google displays your article name in its search findings it only displays the first 70 characters of the title. If you can keep your title under 70 characters that’s great. But don’t ever sacrifice a great title to get in under the character count.

3. Use a keyword(s) in the title

A headline is a perfect place to put a keyword or two if they make sense to the reader and contribute to the headline’s value. But don’t scrap a good headline just because it doesn’t have your keyword(s) in it. You have plenty of opportunities to put keywords into your blog post.

4. Use numbers

Our brains like numbers. At least, they pay a lot of attention to them. Research has shown that both hemispheres of the brain process numbers. Perhaps this is why numbers are so effective in titles.  Numbers in blog post headlines attract the reader.

The power of numbers over consumers has been known by marketers for a long time. Numbers make headlines stand out. “7 Delicious Ways to Cook Leftover Turkey” is more enticing to the reader than “A Few Delicious Ways to Prepare Leftover Turkey.”

Numbers in the headline can also give the reader a sense of comfort, knowing that the article will not go on endlessly.

Many readers like to read content on the web that is scannable; this goes for blog readers too. For readers who want to scan the blog, and not necessarily commit time to reading a long block of text, numbers are appealing. A numbered list in the title tells the reader that the blog content will be scannable; it can be read in numbered digestible chunks. “5 Little Known Ways to Lower Your Electric Bill” is a more inviting title than “Here Are Ways I Have Found to Lower Your Electric Bill.”

In the title to this blog post, “Bloggers Spend 3 Hours and 55 Minutes Doing It” numbers helped the headline because readers are drawn to reading numbers, especially smaller ones. However, the numbers had no impact on the reader thinking whether the content can be scanned. (Although my readers may know I always make my online content scannable. It’s a great practice for blog writers to use.)

5. Use “How To” in the headline

Blog readers are usually looking for information. They want to learn how to do things better or learn how to do things for the first time. Using “How To” in your headline will assure your reader that they will have a new or improved skill after reading your blog post. It will also state exactly what the blog post is about.  (e.g. “How to Teach Your Stubborn Dog to Walk on a Leash.”

6. Appeal to your readers FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).

FOMO is a documented feeling. It was first written about in 2000 by a marketing strategist, Dan Herman. Studies show that about 70% of adults in developed countries experience this feeling. Sometimes a good headline can tease these feelings and invite people to click through. An example of this type of blog headline is “The 10 Best Restaurants on the North Shore – Make a Reservation While You Can.”

7. Invite readers to experience an emotion

This type of blog post is inviting to some readers. If this approach works well for your post topic you can write a headline like: “My Dog’s Reaction to Her New Food Made Me Laugh Until I Cried.”

8. Offer “Inside” information

This type of headline works well for blog posts that provide new or lesser-known information. It lets the reader know they will learn something new that they probably need to know. An example is “What Vitamin Manufactures Don’t Want You to Know About St. John’s Wort.”

9. Use exciting language that will motivate readers to click through

Use words in your headline that indicate a sense of urgency or excitement for the reader. For example, “Amazing Free Offers That Can’t Last for Dog Owners” indicates urgency as well as uses strong words (“amazing” and “free”) to generate action.

10. Appeal to your reader’s curiosity or sense of fun

The title for this blog post does exactly this. The headline did run the risk of missing out on some readers by not stating the exact topic. But it did let bloggers know that this blog post was for them.

You can appeal to your reader’s sense of curiosity by writing a thought-provoking headline like, “The Hardest Part of Buying Your First Home – It’s Not What You Think.”

11. Let readers know what they will learn

In a headline you can be straightforward and let readers know exactly what topic is addressed in the blog post. A good example is: “How the New Tax Code Will Affect Your Business in 2021.”

Start with a Working Title

For some people, writing the headline is the hardest part of writing the entire blog. That’s why I suggest using a working title when you start composing your post. Once it’s finished, you can go back and write down two or three headlines that come to mind. Then think about it for a day and then see if you still believe the best one is as smart and effective as you originally thought. If it’s not, scrap it and come up with a new title!

One final word about blog post titles

The most important thing to remember about your blog headline is that it should never promise something that is not delivered in your blog. Don’t have a blog title of “10 Mind-Blowing Movies” if you only discuss five. And don’t have a title of “5 Fantastic Places for Retirement” if your article is about real estate services for retirees.

Respect your reader. Don’t waste their time. Deliver what you promise. They will remember you and come back again next time!

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If you want a business blog but hate writing – headlines and all – I can help. Contact me at laura@lefreelancewriter.com.

Laura Elton is now a full-time freelance content writer specializing in blog posts, website content, and articles. While she respects technology, her number one professional passion is always writing. Previously, as owner of Laura Elton Marketing & Web Design, Laura developed websites using HTML and CSS and wrote great content. Reach her at laura@lefreelancewriter.com. Join her mailing list for tips on content writing and web development, and for complete blog posts.