One Simple Tip for Crafting Great Titles

You know that blog post titles have to grab attention — but how exactly do you go about that, especially when you’ve got the rest of the post to write?
Here’s one way to craft a great title in a hurry:

#1: Use a Number
List posts are popular for a reason: we’re intrigued by numbers. Putting a number in your title helps tell the reader that your post will be valuable. The exact number isn’t too important — but big numbers (think 25 or more) are great for social media attention.
Don’t forget that “one” is a number, too!
#2: Be Clear What You’re Offering
Your post could use any of the following:

• Tips
• Ways
• Methods
• Steps
• Templates
• Rules
• Secrets

…and more. What sort of advice are you giving? (“Steps” would be appropriate for a how-to post, for instance.) Which word will be most powerful for your audience?
#3: Add Adjectives
An adjective is a word that modifies another word. You’ll see them cropping up time and time again in titles.
Adjectives can promise:

• High-quality advice: great, expert, clever, fantastic, brilliant, top
• Practical advice: simple, easy, handy, straight-forward, no-nonsense
• New knowledge: little-known, surprising

Be sensitive to your audience here, though. Some readers will be hooked by adjectives like “ultimate” or “astounding” — others will just laugh.
#4: Explain What They’ll Learn or Do
As a general rule, we read blog posts because we expect some benefit: usually, we want to learn or do something. (Even if “doing something” just means being entertained.)
Make a clear statement about what your readers will be able to learn or do. For instance:

• Ten Easy Ways to Write Faster
• Five Simple Steps to Set Up Your Blog in Less Than Two Hours
• Eight Expert Tips for Running Your First Marathon
• Five Crazy Videos That Will Make You Laugh Out Loud

Have you got a favorite “template” for constructing titles, or a great example of a blog post title to share with us? Let us know in the comments.