5 Tips for Writing Awesome Blog Headlines

Blogging has become so popular that large companies even use blogging as a way to share information with consumers. If you’re new to blogging, you may think that all you need to do is share your thoughts and earn page views. However, without the proper headline, people may never see your blog. That’s why a headline is quite possibly the most important part of any blog post. Here are just five tips for writing awesome blog headlines.

Research Keywords

Keywords matter not just in your post, but in your headline as well. More importantly, you need to know exactly which keywords to use. There are a number of websites that will allow you to compare keywords to see which words are searched for most often. By choosing the most searched for term, you can ensure that your information is easy for searchers to find.

Shoot for Short and Sweet

A blog headline does not have to be long and drawn out. In fact, long headlines can hurt how you rank on many popular search engines. For example, Google only allows 65 characters in the headline. This means you need for your title to be direct and to the point. A title such as, “The Long Billowing Winds of the Nightly Midnight Runs of Flemish Rabbits” is way too long and a bit too artsy. Instead, the title should read, “Flemish Rabbits’ Midnight Runs”.

Place Important Keywords First

Not only should your title be short and direct, but your most important keyword should be as close to the first word in the title as possible. In the example listed above there were ten words listed before the important key phrase, Flemish rabbits. The keyword/topic of your post should be easy to spot and take center stage.

Create Interest

The title, “About Rabbits” may be informative, but it lacks appeal. The reader may even ask, “What kind of rabbits?” The title may also be so vague that it’s hard to find in a search engine. Instead, you need to create interest. A much more appropriate title would be, “Flemish Rabbit Information Sheet”. Not only is the title easier for searchers to find, but they know this is the information they’ve been looking for.

Keep Your Headline Relevant

There are a lot of hot keywords at any given moment, but you should never use these words just to attract readers. For example, don’t put the name of a popular TV star in your title when the post is about rabbits, unless the star has something to do with rabbits. For example, do not use the title, “Lindsay Lohan and Flemish Rabbits” when your post had nothing to do with the star.

It may seem intimidating at first, or unimportant, but awesome blog headlines can attract readers to your blog. A great headline can also ensure that your post ranks well on search engines. Remember to research keywords, keep your headlines short, use important keywords first, create interest and to keep your headline relevant.

Published by Wayne Ernest on November 8, 2011 in Blogging • Did you like it? Subscribe to RSS | Tweet it! | Stumble it! | Google Buzz it! | Submit it to Blogosphere News