Over the last few articles you learned how to write articles that are optimized for the search engines. Now we’re going to turn our attention away from SEO articles and instead talk a little about writing compelling articles in general. Specifically, we’ll talk about the most important part of your article: the title.
You see, if your title doesn’t capture attention – if it doesn’t make your reader dig into the article – then the rest of your article might as well not even exist. Your title can literally make or break the success of your article.
Let’s get to it…
Writing engaging titles. Your title has one job: to get the reader’s attention (and his interest) so that he starts reading your article. That means that whenever possible, you should include these two factors in your title:
A big benefit or promise. This is the most important factor to include in your title. That’s because your prospective reader always has one question in the back of his mind: “What’s in it for me?” And if your title doesn’t answer that question – if your title doesn’t give the reader a good reason to keep reading – he’ll click the back button and be gone in a flash.
Indeed, sometimes your reader will skim a long list of titles, as might be the case when your article title is included in an article directory, in the archive of a blog, in the search engine results and other places. Your title needs to jump out at him by smacking him between the eyes with a big benefit.
So how do you do this? By getting inside your prospect’s head. Think about what pains him the most and what he most wants. Think about his problems. Then create a title that suggests you can solve at least part of his biggest problem.
I’ll give you a few examples in just a moment. But first, let me offer another word of advice: Your prospects are looking for a quick and easy solution. Thus your title, when applicable, should suggest the easiest solution you know.
For example:
- Three Simple Ways to Burn Fat Fast
- How to Train a Dog in Just Three Days
- How to Buy a House With No Money Down
- The Quick and Easy Way to Make More Money
Look at those examples. Words like “simple” and “just three days” and “quick and easy” all suggest that the solution is indeed easy. And you’ll notice that all titles promise the reader a big benefit, too.
Now let’s look at the other factor…
A bit of curiosity. Whenever possible, your title should arouse curiosity. However, the key is to arouse relevant curiosity. For example, you can arouse curiosity about the “big benefit” that you’re promising in the title.
One easy way to do this is by including a word like “secrets” or “revealed.” It makes the reader curious about what he doesn’t yet know. For example:
- The Secret of Training a Dog in Just Three Days
- Revealed: How to Buy a House With No Money Down!
Another good word to use if you want to arouse curiosity is the word “surprising.” For example: “The Surprising Truth About Burning Fat.”
Yet another way to arouse curiosity is by offering a benefit, but tell the reader what the article is NOT about. For example: “How to Lose Weight Without Dieting, Exercise or Pills!” That title will have the reader wondering how to obtain the benefit without using those three common methods. And he’ll have to read the article to satisfy this curiosity.
Okay, that’s it for my introduction to article marketing series. If you like what you’ve read over the last few weeks and are keen for more you should visit http://www.writenowforprofit.com/
For earlier articles in my Article Marketing introductory series you can click here (introduction), here (establishing your expertise), here (building your list), here (selling products), here (building back-links), here (traffic from SEO – part 1), here (traffic from SEO – part 2) and here (traffic from SEO – part 3).
Now you can use simple articles to get more traffic, more customers and more cash. Fast. And you don’t need to be a world class writer to do it. Sound interesting? http://www.writenowforprofit.com/