The Blog Title Game
Over the years we’ve come across a lot of resources, and have collected a lot of tips and tricks on how to create a killer blog title, or headline. (Why do they always use the word ‘killer’? Isn’t there a word that’s equally impactful that doesn’t imply death and destruction?! It’s probably one of those “trigger words” I’ve come across. But that’s a topic for another blog post. End rant.)
We’ve covered this topic more than a few times in the 40+ Breakfast Blogging Club meetings we’ve held. And it’s always a hit.
Why? Because we make it fun and easy to learn, and to do ~ which should be our mantra.
Below is a list of 19 different kinds of blog post titles and what they’re designed to do. There’s also an example of each to help model your own.
If you want to go for a few giggles, try doing this in a small group and challenge each other to make up titles that would be appropriate for a post you might write. Copy and paste into a document. Print it out. Cut up the paper so each of the 19 is on a separate strip. Fold up the strips and put into a hat. Pass the hat around. As each person picks one piece of folded paper, they read what the title is, the examples, and then the come up with their own.
Really spice it up by putting a time limit on coming up with a title. Hey, you can even make a drinking game out of it!
Carry on!
19 Blog Headline / Title Ideas
1. The List post
example: 100 Ways To Beat Stress
2. The How To post
example: How To Write Better Tweets
3. “Who Else Wants _______?”
example: Who Else Wants to Lose Weight and Feel Terrific?
4. The Secret of _____
example: The Secret Of Cheap Gourmet Travel
5. Here Is A Method That Is Helping specific audience To result/benefit
example: Here Is A Method That Is Helping Bloggers Become More Unique
6. Little Known Ways To Get Rid Of problem Once And For All
example: Little Known Ways To Get Rid Of Credit Card Debt Once And For All
7. Here’s A Quick Way To solve a problem
example: Here’s A Quick Way To Succeed In Affiliate Marketing
8. do something Like world class example
example: Conduct An Interview Like Katie Couric
9. Have A / Build A _____ You Can Be Proud Of
example: Build A Website Your Can Be Proud Of
10. What Everyone Ought To Know About ______
example: What Everyone Ought To Know About Hiring A Virtual Assistant
11. Do You Make These __ Mistakes That _________?
example: Do You Make These 10 Mistakes That Drive Customers Away?
12. Ask an intriguing question
examples: What Are the 7 Secrets of Success?
Do You Make These Mistakes With Your Taxes?
Which Scheduling Software Will Boost Your Productivity?
13. Authentic Testimonial (note the quotation marks)
examples: “This Is The Most Powerful Weight Loss Method I’ve Ever Tried!”
“These 2 Books Saved My Marriage!”
14. Quiz people
examples: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
What Is Your Emotional IQ? Take This Quiz And Find Out.
Does Your Relationship Pass The Intimacy Test?
15. I & Me – needs to hold curiosity and benefit; balances with You
examples: I Finally Discovered The Secret To Easy Blogging
Every Time I Shake Someone’s Hand, I Get A New Client
16. Use the word “Breakthrough”
examples: Ready To Breakthrough Your Home Office Clutter?
Wanted – Consultants Ready For Breakthrough Profits
Breakthrough Weight Loss Results In 3 Easy Steps
17. Use the word “Wanted”
examples: Wanted – Motivated Entrepreneurs
Wanted – Stressed Out Moms
Wanted – Frustrated Professionals Looking To Change Jobs
18. Make something “easy”
examples: Easy Ways To Make A Promotional Video
Plumbing Problems Cured Easily
Perfect Soufflé Made Easy
19. Use “reasons” (combines well with List post)
examples: 3 Reasons Why You Should Stop Drinking Milk
7 Reasons To See Your Dentist Today
10 Reasons To Call Your Accountant
Disclaimer: these were gathered from multiple sources over a long period of time, and I’m afraid I can’t remember which ones, or point to a particular blog-about-blog resource. Maybe you could do a search on “How to Create Killer Blog Titles” and see what comes up.
Waking Up Like a Dog
Kara Mia taking a nap
Yeah, it’s been a while. I know. I’ve been in the process of re-invention for too long and it’s time to pull the trigger on a few things, even if they’re not perfect. Anyone relate?
The topic of this post seemed like an easy way to ease back into regularly blogging for the Breakfast Blogging Club. Although, I can tell you that future posts will likely NOT be about just blogging. It feels too narrow and there are SO many other blogs doing it better.
Besides, it still stings when I recall telling some snobby Oakland blogger a couple of years ago about BBC, and he sniffed, “Oh, how refractive.” I think that was the word he used. Yet another Blog Snob encounter.
But I digress.
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m still a HUGE proponent of blogging for business, and it can work well when incorporated into an online and social media strategy. Happens all the time.
So as I peek out, one eye open, gearing up for full blog consciousness, I thought I’d start with this easy beginning step. I’ver already committed to going to WordCamp in August, and now I’ll throw my collar in with The Media Awards coming to San Francisco in October. (This Oakland girl thanks the organizers for not picking a south bay venue!)
Here’s the scoop.
The World Media Awards and Event
Learn how to use the latest technologies and techniques to boost your blog and publishing results. The purpose of the event is to gather people and knowledge to celebrate the best in blogging and media creation. If you get the importance of a content startegy – regardless of the size of your business – you’ll want to be there.
At this event, there will be a series of workshops and events hosted by some of the world’s leading publishing experts. The event takes place on Wendesday, October 26th at the PayPal building in San Francsico.
Tickets are $50, but you can blog about this event for a chance to go for free. Yes, I’m going this route myself. But you need to be one of the first 100 bloggers to post about it. Wish me luck.
Space is limited to 500 attendees and you can contact the organizer, Murray Newlands. Murray is also the organizer of the San Francisco Blogging Club Meetup. Sorry to say I haven’t been to one of their meetings yet.
If you’re part of the Breakfast Blogging Club circle and either follow this blog (really, thanks for hanging in there), are a member of our Meetup, or get the weekly emails from our Quick Start Guide of juicy blogging topics (HUGE thank you), then this event is for you. I also think folks in PR, media marketing, authors, business bloggers and content creators will benefit from attending.
Here’s what Murray Newlands says about it:
“I love blogging and wanted to create an event to celebrate the best in blogging and media. I meet lots of publishers and want to be able to create an environment where they can exchange knowledge and creativity.
“We are pleased to have eBay as lead sponsors of the event. eBay is keen to support the publishing community.”
More to be said about the event includes:
The eBay partner network is increasingly reaching out to support bloggers. Other sponsors include Growmap, VigLink and Trancos.
World Media Award judges include Steve Hall, Sarah Austin, Chang Kim, Pierre Zarokian, Cheryl Contee, Krystyl Baldwin, Adrian Harris, Jeremy Wright, Rob Bloggeries, Dave Duarte, Tanya Alvarez and Dana Oshiro
Media partners include Adrants, The Affiliate Marketing Awards, Read Write Web, mediavisioninteractive.com and Bloggeries.
And just who is Murray Newlands? Seems like a busy guy, doesn’t he?
Murray Newlands is author of “How to Make a Blog Book” and “Online Marketing; a User Guide.” He is also founder of the Affiliate Marketing Awards. Born in the UK, he now spends his time in San Francisco and New York. Murray works for Audience Mindshare and consults for Trancos Ins as well as being an advisor for VigLink.
Would love to see some of our Breakfast Blogging peeps there. Let me know if you’re planning on going.
And I promise not to hit the snooze button.
P.S. That’s my dog Kara in the picture. She’s about 10 months old. Got her from the Oakland SPCA. They told us she was a border collie mix, but she looks a lot like a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. She seems to like herding and loves water…well, mud anyway.
Can You Blog Like Google?
Marvel's Invisible Woman
Think of it as blogging like the big boys…..or in this case, the big girl!
When it comes to corporate blogs, you probably don’t get much bigger than Google. And one of my favorite websites in the entire solar system, Hubspot, published a post this week on 4 Business Blogging Lessons from Google’s Chief Blogger. Gosh, I think I’d like a title like that some day….
And guess what! Their Chief Blogger is a woman! Suhweeeeet!
Our Super-Blog-Chick, also known as Karen Wickre, answered 4 questions about blogging for business and how to do it effectively. While Karen provided good tips for corporate types, I’d like to add my insights on how they translate for the entrepreneur, the small business owner, the self-employed professional, and the DIY business blogger. Read more
What are you passionate about?
Filed under: Blog Topics, Writing Tips
What are you passionate about?
How do you express your passion for your work? A perfect blogging topic for all kinds of writers.
Passion drives us, whether we realize it or not, usually it’s a combination of our passion for our profession, and for helping others. Read more
