I recently assumed responsibility as an Editor and as such I am spending a lot of time reading and also editing a few. However one consistent flaw that I have noted with every article I have read is that no matter how good the information in the article, the title of the article is so weak that people won't bother reading it. I mean, they won't even know what the article is all about in the first place.


And yea, just to clarify, I am not talking about SEO or keyword stuffing here. Just talking about the title. As a writer, you guys should be able to title your articles effectively. Killer titles can sometimes alone make your content go viral.


Now to demonstrate my point, I would like to put forth some example of bad and good titles:

Bad Title: Can't Study, here's how to study?

Good Title: Can't Concentrate on Studies?Here's a list of 10 surefire techniques that will make studying a breeze


Bad Title: Boss Scolded Me

Good Title:Having a Bad day at Work? 5 Things to do When being Scolded by a boss


Bad Title: Mahabharata

Good Title: Read the Best Tales from the Best Epic in the World; "Mahabharata"

or

Why Mahabharata is called the best epic?



The above are just examples and you should always title your article according to the content. Never mislead.


Here are few tips you can use to produce a killer title:


1. Ask Questions. A question title most of the time reflect the query of the user and hence a reader would easily connect with you. Question title don't produce a dramatic or emotional signal in the brain but they are the most effective one.

E.g. What is the best smartphone today?

What to do after 12th Grade?


2. Use a cliff hanger: If you are writing something interesting and valuable and want to make sure reader reads through the end, use a cliff hanger.

e.g. Want to Make Money Online?3 tricks to make money that no one is telling you about.

3. Be Descriptive: Your title should be self explanatory and not misleading in anyway. A reader should upfront have the idea what he is going to expect in your article, else he would leave the site pissed off and vowing never to return.




The above tips are just starters and there is a hell lot more to writing effective titles. However, if we start implementing the above, the change would be drastic and for the best.

I hope you found the above suggestions useful. If you have any queries, feel free to ask me.