Write a blog post title

1. Keep your title under 60 characters.

Search engines truncate anything longer. You can test your title length with Moz’s Title Tag Preview tool.

2. Place your target keyword at the front of the title.

A common strategy is to start your title with the keyword phrase and offset a subheading with a colon.

3. Run a Google search for your target keyword to see what readers want.

Titles of top-ranking posts reveal what users have clicked in the past. You don’t want to look the same, but if top results are all list posts, it suggests that users want them. Alternatively, you can use Ahrefs to see the top ranking posts for multiple keyword alternatives and variations. Use BuzzSumo to see what types of titles the top shared articles are using.

4. Avoid clickbait headlines.

Not every post will be an “ultimate guide” or contain “secret” information. A promise by a headline that an article can’t keep isn’t a good strategy.

5. Emphasize what makes your post unique- without overpromising-to pique reader interest.

Ask yourself: What’s your angle? Do you include tons of examples? Expert interviews? Original research?

6. Punch up your headlines with emotionally charged words to achieve social success.

Social sharing thrives on generating an emotional response.

7. Use a multi-title strategy for social, then search.

When you first publish your article, highlight the emotional impact of the title even if it excludes the target keyword. Refocus your title on the target keyword after sharing decreases.