| Article titles for online articles need to catch the | | | | Of Carpet" (about 6,000 times each). |
| readers attention, and be found by the search | | | | These are not attention-grabbing titles, but they |
| engines. Of my 550 articles, here are some that | | | | are also not topics covered well on the internet. |
| have done this most effectively. | | | | Obviously there is something to be said for |
| Online article titles have to do more than those in | | | | utilitarian articles with good keywords that are not |
| the print world. In a print magazine, you just need | | | | too competitive. Add easy-to-compete-for |
| to catch the attention of the reader. The title | | | | keywords to the list of things to try for in an |
| doesn't really even have to tell the reader what | | | | article title. |
| the article is about, since the magazine it is in will | | | | In the top five for visits are the article titles, |
| be on a specific subject area. Readers know that | | | | "Really Cheap Plane Tickets," (6,400) and "Cheap |
| if it is in a fishing magazine it about a | | | | International Plane Tickets" (10,050). A promise of |
| fishing-related topic. | | | | a way to save money seems to be a good bet. |
| In an online article, on the other hand, the title has | | | | My article "Worry - Five Ways To Eliminate It," |
| to tell the potential reader what the article is | | | | has been viewed 3,300 times, but it is fairly new, |
| about. He may see nothing but the title in the | | | | making it the most views per month by far. I |
| search engine results, and if he doesn't know | | | | suppose worry is a common enough problem that |
| what it's about, he's likely to just click on the next | | | | people need a solution to. |
| link. Online article titles have to be found in the | | | | Article titles that promise to help with a problem |
| search engines as well, meaning they have to | | | | work, then. So do those that promise to teach |
| have keywords in them that people are looking | | | | the reader something new, and those that are |
| for. Of course, just like print articles, they should | | | | directly targeting the keywords they are |
| also catch the reader's attention. | | | | searching. What else can make for a good article |
| My Best Article Titles | | | | title? |
| Sometimes you can do all three of these things | | | | - Ask a question: "Do You Make This Writing |
| pretty well in one article. An example is my article | | | | Mistake?" |
| titled "Cheap Homes In Nice Towns." You know | | | | - Tell them they can do something: "You Can |
| what the article is about, it is okay as an attention | | | | Write A Better Title Today" |
| grabber (not great), and "cheap homes" is a | | | | - Promise some value: "Ten Ways You Can Make |
| keyword that many people search for each | | | | More Money" |
| month. At one of the article directories I have | | | | - Use the words "how to": "How To Overcome |
| submitted it to, it has been read over 17,000 | | | | Writer's Block" |
| times - more than double the traffic of any of | | | | - Involve them with a story: "You Quit Your Job - |
| the other 550 articles I have there (many have | | | | Now What?" |
| been read only a couple hundred times). | | | | Watch the reports (at the article directories and |
| However, in checking the number of times my | | | | on your web sites) and try to learn from them. |
| various articles have been viewed at this | | | | Of course those statistics for "views" I mention |
| directory, I have often been surprised - enough | | | | above only tell me how many times people |
| so to remind me that "rules" are only guidelines. | | | | started to read my articles. Did they finish the |
| For example, two of the most-read articles I | | | | articles? Did they then click through to my web |
| have there are "Remove Permanent Marker | | | | sites? There is more to good online writing than |
| From Carpet," and "How To Get Candle Wax Out | | | | good article titles. |