An online article title can sometimes help make or break the article's popularity. People use search engines to find their favorite subjects by typing in not only the name, but sometimes also a specific phrase or question about the subject. As a writer, you should be familiar with what terms people plug in to Google and other search applications, so that you can craft a descriptive, succinct, searchable title for your article.
What specific terms do people search for? The following list outlines various types of searchable article titles and the accompanying subject and writing style.
== Explanation Titles ==
- How to
Examples: How to learn HTML; How to handle dry ice safely
Use this popular phrase when offering your expert perspective and experience. This article describes, in detail, a physical or intellectual process that you believe many folks are curious about. You could include a sequential list of items for easier reading.
- Tips/Advice/Ideas/Suggestions
Examples: Writing tips; Jet lag advice; Woodcarving design ideas
Give tips, tricks, traps, and warnings that go beyond the normal "How to" or common knowledge of a subject. Tips are extremely detailed recommendations that frequently come from vast experience and/or research. Specify if your advice is from second-hand experience (i.e. a friend did it, not you).
- Basic/Introduction/Beginners
Examples: The basics of tact; Hiking for beginners; Introduction to Goth fashion
Focus on a subject, whether it is general or a niche topic, and write for those who are just starting to learn it. Include enough information for an easily understandable overview of your topic, but don't inundate your audience with too many details.
- Advanced/Specialization/Experts
Examples: Expert's guide to geography; Advanced origami
These titles cover the wiser and presumably richer end of the experience spectrum. If you're a topic expert who remembers your beginner days, but does not want to write for beginners, you don't have to. Write for fellow experts using the terms and nomenclature of the industry, perhaps also dividing your topic into specific parts.
- Importance/Reasons/Why
Examples: The importance of comic relief; Reasons to work for the government
Tell the "why" instead of the "how." Explain your subject's significance to readers who may have been wondering about it. In addition to reviewing overall importance, describe the reasons behind a particular physical trait, common action, or way of thinking.
== List Titles ==
- Best/Worst
Examples: Best ways to ask for a divorce; Worst cake decorations
These titles should describe articles that cover topics with many options. You should help readers learn the best or worst ways to do something, or know which topical items to use/avoid. Also remind them that "best" and "worst" have different meanings for different people.
- Top Lists
Examples: Top ten funniest comedians; Top five most expensive banks
Use this when you need a modifier that's more descriptive than "best" or "worst." People generally enjoy reading lists, either to learn something by comparison or perhaps to be entertained by an author's pithy or insightful list items. Be sure to use a precise descriptor in your title.
- Common
Examples: Common web design mistakes; Common home remedies
Remember that "common" doesn't necessarily mean "boring," especially if you're writing about a specialized topic. Infuse the article with your own knowledge and experience to help it rise above similar online offerings. Examples work well.
- Differences
Examples: The differences between crocodiles and alligators
Know your sub-topics well and make sure you give equal space to attributes of both; people rarely trust lopsided comparisons. For the example above, you might focus on appearance, life span, hunting styles, or any other differences that the average reader might not know.
== Subject-Specific Titles ==
- Reviews
Examples: Movie, event, website, hotel, restaurant, album, or game reviews
This title is self-explanatory. Just remember to write a comprehensive review that includes all aspects of your subject, such as origin/creator(s), servers/performers, items used, location, convenience, entertainment/educational value, end result, etc. It's also a good idea to include a rating (i.e. "4 out of 5" or "4/5").
- Biographies
Examples: Michael Jordan; Princess Diana; Albert Einstein; Harry Potter
Most biographies are about famous people, but you can always write about someone whom you believe did or said something important/interesting, and missed his/her time in the spotlight. Also, who says a biography always has to be about a real person? Fictional characters work, too.
- Other
Examples: Verbs; Canadian lumberjacks; Polo explained; Fear of insects
Of course, no one is forcing you to use any of the aforementioned title categories. If you can express your subject with simple or common words that people can relate to, go for it. Even if your topic is extremely uncommon, remember to keep the title short and searchable; use words that most people know.
== Question Titles ==
If your subject is widely debated, you might consider phrasing your article title as a question, which invites others to share their own beliefs. For example: "Are we Products of our Environment?" No matter what side of the debate you are supporting, a questioning title will not only get others to click on it, but will probably get feedback. Most folks will appreciate a chance to either post their opinions on the subject or reply to your article specifically. The more popular or controversial a topic is, the more you're likely to hear about it from your readers.
If you aren't interested in the opinions of others, don't worry - you can still phrase your title as a question. However, you may need to hunt around for a website that can host your article without requiring you to use a feedback/reply feature (most commonly seen on blogs and some social networking sites).
== Google Trends ==
TIP: Want to find out what subjects (and therefore what search terms) are hot? Go to Google Trends. You can compare up to five terms or phrases at a time and see how often they show up in Google search results and news stories. The frequency of your chosen terms is displayed on a time graph and is also divided by world region. You can change these and other displays to better suit your particular situation (i.e. You want to see how popular "Elizabeth Hurley" is in the U.K. over the last three months, instead of in the entire world over the last year.)
You can also use Google Trends to see which terms are the most popular from a group of similar words or phrases (i.e. "Ice Hockey," "Hockey Pucks," "Hockey Sticks," and "Hockey Uniforms.") If you can't think of similar terms to plug in, use a thesaurus. That's what it's there for.
== Keep Titles Short ==
Try to avoid using conjunctions or other connecting words (i.e. "and," "for," "with," "in," "of," etc.), unless absolutely necessary. Be succinct and make every word count. Here are a few reasons why.
- Most Web users have notoriously short attention spans, so don't make them sift through a wordy title. The faster you can give them the accurate information they want, the more likely they will become your clients, customers, friends, fans, or followers.
- Some search engines have a character display limit. If your title is too long, the user will see only the first part, which may create confusion and will lessen the chance of him/her clicking on your article link.
- Shorter titles are generally easier to read and comprehend. It's easier on the brain.
== Summary ==
A major part of online writing is making your article title searchable and onto a user's screen, because it's no use posting a quality article if no one can find it. Part of ensuring that potential readers will click a link to one of your articles is creating a short title using common phrases and words that people type into search engines like Google. Your future fans will then be drawn in to enjoy your well-crafted words of intellect, humor, or wisdom.