How To Write A Catchy Blog Post Title

A blog post title isn’t just a way to summarize your content, it’s also the key piece of content that’ll attract readers to your blog post! A blog headline has to not only tell followers what a blog post is about, it also convince you to read it. Plus, you have limited words and characters to say all you need to say. Knowing how to write a catchy blog post title is a TALL order!

With so much competition out there, writing a post that goes viral needs more than great body text. It needs a catchy and engaging blog title, too! Learning how to write catchy blog titles isn’t easy, but you can get the hang of it with a few research-backed tips. So, today we’re dishing out our ultimate guide to creating blog titles that stand out and draw in readers old and new!

Here are our tips:

How to Write A Catchy Blog Post Title

Research top competitor posts.

If you’re unsure what to name your next blog post, head to your competitor’s website. Read their post titles and note what sticks out to you. Even browse their comments sections to see which posts get the most interaction! This will help you know what readers in your niche are drawn to and hopefully give you plenty of title ideas.

Use a blog post title template.

Another tried-and-true way to get a catchy blog post title is to use a template. Find a blog post template list like this one and choose a format that fits your topic well. Then, you just fill in the blanks! These templates are proven effective, so they’re sure to help you get that perfect catchy blog headline.

Use numbers and statistics.

Research shows that when titles include numbers or statistics the post gets 2.5 times to 6 times more traffic than titles with only words. WHOA. Big difference. If it’s natural to include numbers and statistics, add them to help grab the reader’s attention right away. Think things like: “10 Essential Tips for New Bloggers” or “85% of Bloggers Are Making This Big SEO Mistake.”

Include keywords and phrases when you can.

Keywords and keyphrases are significant for a reason. These are the search terms people use every day when browsing the internet and social media. If you want to capture a lot of organic traffic (of course you do!), then do some keyword research and use those phrases in your blog post titles!

Optimize the length for SEO.

The length of a blog post title matters. Google’s maximum number of characters on title tags is 60 characters. That means, that when people search for your topic on Google, only 60 characters of the title will display on the results page. Keep your post within that 60 characters, otherwise, searchers may not be able to see your whole title. If they can’t see the whole headline, they’re less likely to click the link and travel to your page!

The 60-character limit is a good rule of thumb, but you should also try to craft a title that’s between 8-14 words. When you share your posts on social media, your title tags will also appear as a preview for social media users.

Studies show that on Twitter (or X) titles between 8-12 words perform the best and on Fa c ebook posts between 12-14 words get the best results. So, if you aim for your title to be between 8-14 words and around 60 characters, you’ll see the most success all around.

Be super specific.

If you’ve been reading our posts for a while, you know that we always recommend you niche down your brand. In a way, we also recommend niching down your blog post titles. Make them super specific and targeted to a particular audience. This will make sure you pique the right reader’s attention and get them to engage with your post. As an example: “Affordable Fall Capsule Wardrobe for Teachers” is better than “Fall Capsule Wardrobe.”

Add a colon, parenthesis, or brackets.

Extra punctuation like colons, parenthesis, and brackets can be powerful in a blog post title to express more information. You want to front-load your blog post title when possible to give readers the most important info first, but additional text can provide more details or personality. This can take your blog post to the next level!

Consider something like: “Winter Self-Care Tips: How to Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder” or “Top Summer Road-Trip Destinations for Families (2023 Travel Guide).” It gives readers a little something extra to sell them on the post.

Play with language.

When someone says “catchy” they don’t just mean engaging, they also mean memorable! You can make a blog post title catchy by playing with language. Let’s work with the topic of productivity for our examples below. Here are some ways language can change the way you’re title is perceived:

Alliteration – “10 Pivotal Principles of Productivity for Parents”
Rhyming – “10 Work Perks of Using a Planner”
Acronyms – “DIY Command Station to Level-Up Your Productivity”
Trendy Language – “Why Toxic Productivity is Not the Vibe for the New Year”
Vivid Language – “15 Transformative Productivity Tips for the Overworked Woman”
Strong Language – “4 Reasons You Suck at Getting Sh*t Done”

Vibe with your target audience.

Who is your target audience? What is their vibe? If they expect informal, slightly humorous content, play that up! If they demand professional, well-researched blog posts, the title should reflect that. So, take a minute to think about what would appeal to your audience specifically.

How To Write A Catchy Blog Post Title List

Use a question.

Asking who, what, when, where, and how in your blog post titles is another good tip. These are probably questions your readers (and other internet users) are asking online. So, if your post looks like it’ll answer their query or solve a problem, they’ll probably give it a read. Try saying things like “How to Do A Smokey Eye,” “Why You Should Start Your Own Business,” or “What is a Sinking Fund?”

Hook readers with a story.

If you write a lot of personal posts on your blog, hook readers with a little bit of the story in the blog post title! It’s sentimental and will immediately connect with readers. “After Years of Struggle, I’m Finally Getting Weight Loss Surgery” or “I Took a Solo Trip to Paris and It Was Amazing” are headline structures that will definitely get people interested in your story!

Appeal to readers’ emotions.

When titles appeal to a reader’s emotions, it can make opening the post almost irresistible. People love to feel an emotional connection to bloggers and their content, so lean into that and make your readers feel seen by your titles. Think about how much more powerful “Self-Care Tips for the Mom Who Can’t Do It Anymore” is than the title, “Self-Care Tips for Moms.” It really reveals a much deeper emotional component to the post that readers will be really into!

Say something controversial.

Whether good or bad, controversy gets people’s attention. A catchy blog post title could excite passion in people if it has a slightly argumentative tone. It doesn’t have to be super problematic, but taking a firm stance like “Why I Think Manifestation is B.S.” or “Reasons We Don’t Celebrate Our Anniversary” could help get people reading and interacting with your post.

Tell readers what they can expect.

Make sure your blog post title tells your readers what to expect. If your title is too vague, readers may just scroll past, not really realizing what you’re offering. For example, if you put, “My Picks This Week,” your followers won’t know what you’re offering. Instead, “20 of My Favorite Authors Lately” tells readers that they can expect book recommendations in list form!

Imply there’s a list.

Speaking of lists—people love lists! If you can imply in your blog post title that there is a list, you’ll get a much better click-through rate. It’s one of the most popular post formats! So, if your post is a list, make sure your blog title represents that. The title, “10 Best Restaurants in St. Louis” may perform better than “Where to Eat in St. Louis,” because of the implication of a list.

Establish a sense of urgency.

You don’t want readers to just bookmark your post but never actually read it. To avoid this, establish a sense of urgency by using words like “right now”, “must-have”, and “need to know.” This tells your audience they can’t wait another minute to open your post and get to reading.

Don’t be clickbaity.

Nothing will kill your brand loyalty faster than posting clickbait. Always give your readers exactly what you say you’re going to do. You might get fewer hits initially, but you’ll get a lot more read-throughs and life-long followers from a genuine blog post title.

Use analytics to track success.

At the end of the day writing great blog post titles comes down to trial and error. These tips should get you close to your goal, but track your posts on Google Analytics to determine the types of titles that actually get you readers. Before you spend more time experimenting, get the data!

Bonus Tip:

Never double-up on blog post titles. If something works well, it may be tempting! Especially if it’s recurring content like your latest Amazon finds or recent clothing hauls. However, duplicate title tags negatively impact your search engine optimization, which means less organic traffic.

Catchy Blog Post Title Examples

Be intentional about your blog post title strategy to attract lots of readers.

Every part of writing blog posts takes intentionality and focus. This includes the blog post title! When you’re establishing your content strategy, make sure you’re not just thinking about great topics, but effective titles to go with them!

For more blog tips and SEO guides, check out the InfluencerSEO blog. We have all the content you need to make every part of your blog super effective for your brand goals!