Keys to Choosing Blog Post Titles that Work

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

I spend a lot of time sharing other bloggers’ posts with my social media network. But spend even more time passing over valuable posts because my followers would have no idea what the post was about. So today I want to give you the basics of titling blog posts.
I pay a lot of attention to my blog post titles, and I often spend almost as much time composing them as I do writing an entire post.
They are that important!
Social media is a great thing for growing blogs, if you don’t allow blogging and social media to work at cross purposes.  They need to compliment each other, and reinforce your message.
Remember, with a compelling title, a browser becomes a reader. Without a compelling title, the rest of your words might as well not be written.
We are writers, and we love words. Even more than that, we love to be clever. I get that.
But a blog post title isn’t a place to just be clever. For example, the title of the blog post you're reading this isn't very clever, but it’s very specific. Originally I thought about titling this post:
What’s That Mean? 
That title, (What's that Mean?) is a play on a popular tagline found at the end of many current television shows. But that alone wouldn’t tell a reader what to expect. That’s why I chose a different title: 
Keys to Choosing Blog Post Titles that Work
So go ahead, and play with words, but don’t do it in the title. Give your readers and potential readers the information they need!
If you’re still not quite sure what I mean, I’ve compiled a list of ambiguous blog post titles. These are taken from actual posts that I’ve found on the Internet. Take a minute to to figure out what the blog posts might be about before you read the answers below.
The Summer of Success
When Things Go South
In the Mood
I Live Next Door to a Cemetery
Choosing Joy Instead of Jealousy
Hooptedoodle and You
Perseverance Pays off
Three Steps to Prevent Overfiring
Not Quite What I expected
Take a Deep Breath
ANSWERS:The Summer of Success – about what writers can learn from the career of Donna Summer
When Things Go South - the fine line between showing enough of our characters life to immerse the reader and make it realistic without boring them to tears.
In the Mood – writing with determination
I Live Next Door to a Cemetery – odd places to find writing inspiration
Choosing Joy Instead of Jealousy – don’t be jealous over other WRITERS’ successes
Hooptedoodle and You – writing styles and how to pinpoint yours
Perseverance Pays off – becoming a published novelist isn’t the end, but the beginning.
Three Steps to Prevent Overfiring – comparing the warning on a wood stove with writing overload
Not Quite What I expected - If a craft project seems intimidating, don’t let it stop you. Give it a try anyway.
Take a Deep Breath – don’t get overwhelmed with the NaNoWriMo writing marathon

I hope I've illustrated the importance of choosing blog posts titles that don't confuse our readers. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this subject. Be sure to share them in the comments section below.

Don't forget to join the conversation.
Blessings,
Edie

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