by Shelly Barclay

Created on: October 24, 2010   Last Updated: January 05, 2012

A good internet title is one of the few components an online article needs to be noticed. It grabs the attention of the reader, but more importantly, it grabs the attention of search engines. That is not to say that search engines are more important than readers are, but that without the help of search engines, you will not get readers. That is why you cannot use any old title on the internet. You need something that is searchable and informative, all at once.

• Searchable internet titles

A good internet article title is searchable. It does not necessarily use keywords that are popular at the moment. It uses keywords that internet users apply to their searches. For example, if someone is searching for a drinking establishment in El Paso, they are most likely going to search for "bars in El Paso." Therefore, if you are going to write an article on the subject and need a good title, you will incorporate bars and El Paso into your title. "Drinking establishment" will not get you as many readers.

It was mentioned above that internet titles do not have to be keyworded with hot search terms to be searchable. That is true, if you are not writing about a hot topic. If you are, you want your title to incorporate keywords that pertain to that topic. For example, if you are writing about a celebrity who is pregnant, you need to include her name and other keywords, like her husband's name, that might help with searches. Do not use "Hot Movie Star Finally Pregnant by Long-time Husband." This is too non-specific for the internet.

• No Fluff

A good internet title is sans fluff. That means there are no unnecessary words. For example, "Scientists discover new Earth-like planet: Goldilocks" has all the keywords you need without extra padding. On the other hand you may write, "Scientists are thrilled at the discovery of a new planet they call Goldilocks which may be capable of sustaining life like Earth does."

While the latter may seem a touch more "creative" to the writer, it does nothing for the search or the reader. You have to remember that not only are search engines trying to find pertinent information for users, but also users are trying to find information that they can digest quickly. They want it to be informative and to the point. The first title tells them that this article is going to be just that.

• Narrow Down Your Topic

Your title needs to tell the reader and the search engine that you are providing exactly what they are searching for. If a person

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