I’ve heard it said that analogies are a great way to get an idea across and I reckon that’s true because I’ve used the odd one or two with great success. For this post I’ve decided to compare blogging to fishing. Let’s say that the most important things in fishing, other than the fish itself, is the bait, the hook and the line. A hook on it’s own is pretty useless because if you throw it into the water it’s just going to sink. Even if you tie the hook to the fishing line you’d have to be really lucky to land a fish. What you need is some tasty bait.
So, let’s consider the hook to be your post. You’ve written what you consider to be some ripper content, you’ve published it but nothing happens. You may get a visitor or two sent by the search engines but they bounce so fast that it was like they were never there in the first place.
Image via Wikipedia
What you need is a ripper title to get their attention. Your title is the bait you’re using to hook your fish, which is your reader or even potential customer.
If you’ve ever checked the results from using a search engine you would have noticed that the majority of the time the first thing that appears is the title of the article. Do you see how important this is? If you’re using the wrong bait you’re not going to hook any fish. They’ll just sniff at it and move along. It makes it kind of pointless listing well in the SERPS doesn’t it?
Whilst I’ve always tried to come up with inspirational titles I never really knew if they were performing the way that they should. It wasn’t until I followed Larry to his blog, thanks to commentluv and my promise to try and follow my commentators to leave a comment on their blog, that I found a solution to this dilemma.
It was his post, Network Marketing – How To Get Your Post Read, that introduced me to this brilliant site, or more specifically a specific page of the Advanced Marketing Institute website that dealt with headlines. Their Emotional Marketing Value Headline Analyzer is the tool that will help us to find the right bait for our hook. The tool that will help us develop those titles that will lure people to our blog.
OK, now we have the right bait for our hook but the whole thing would be a waste of time if the line we’re using isn’t strong enough for the fish. If you remember at the beginning of the post we likened the content to the fishing line. If after all your hard work to land the fish they find your content lacking they’re more than likely to snap the line and swim away looking for something tastier to latch onto. So while the title is very important to get people to your blog you want to make sure that your content is good enough to keep them there and to keep them coming back for more.
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Tagged with: blog titles • blogging tip
Filed under: Blogging Tips
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Hi Sire
Food for thought eh lol I notice if the headline is interesting I am more likely to click over and investigate. However, like you say; if the content does not live up to expectation then the reader will feel cheated.
I have seen visitors to sites where they have felt duped by the headling; comment angrily when this has happened!!! Cos there are so many new blog going up every day; bloggers seem to be getting more discerning and also more critical if headlines don’t live up to whatever topic they are meant to be discussing.
Patricia Perth Australia
Twitter: AussieSire
Yep, those titles that people come up with merely to get people’s attention that have nothing to do with the post itself certainly can backfire. I personally don’t like them and hopefully I’ve never used them.
I used that site to help me with this title and after several attempts I score over 50% which apparently is quite good.
Sire recently posted…Don’t Mess With Mature Women
I noticed already that I am more likely to click on headlines that start with ’10 xxx’ or ’5 xxx’ because I know that I get an easy to read, quick list of stuff, rather than long boring text that takes time to read.
Twitter: AussieSire
Not what I call a truly emotional headline but I reckon some functional ones work just as well.
Very cool Sire! Thank you for the tip and the great tool! I will use it on my next post and see how it does.
I will be back to read more!
Much mahalo (thank you),
Kellie :)
Kellie Hosaka recently posted…Are You Willing To Transform To Become A Successful Entrepreneur
Twitter: AussieSire
No worries Kellie. I hope it works as well for you, and I see no reason for it not to, as it did for me.
Thanks so much for sharing this video with me, it was a great start to the day. Your husband really did a great job with it.
Aloha Sire,
Glad you enjoyed our video! I sm so happy to connect with you on FB too! Thanks again!
Aloha,
Kellie :)
Kellie Hosaka recently posted…Great Leaders Use Power Versus Force
Having a catchy emotional headline is definitely important. I actually have a site ranked #1 and #2 (different ones) for the same keyword, and notice site #2 actually gets MORE clicks than #1 due to a simply catchy title.
Henway recently posted…Dieting Suggestions
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Well, if they stay on the site longer I reckon there’s more chances that clicks will be generated.
This exercise for attractive titles is also best observed in youtube where the video submitters try to get you to click on their videos through their titles. Some of them deliver real content while others fail to live up to the titles.
James Moralde recently posted…Canon Rebel T2i- My First Attempts
Twitter: AussieSire
You are so right James, attractive titles would work almost anywhere.
Nice tips Sire,
This is quite a useful tool and can help a lot in creating a stirring headline for our blog posts. I most of the time fail in this i.e. creating good headlines since my English is too Bad. This tool will certainly be a life saver
Twitter: AussieSire
Actually your English isn’t all that bad Shiva, but you’re right when you said the the tool could be a lifesaver.
Sire recently posted…Don’t Mess With Mature Women
Twitter: larryrivera
Hi Sire, Much gratitude :smile_wp:
Larry Rivera recently posted…Network Marketing Blog- Stop Being A Victim
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Nope, it’s me that should be thanking you Larry, so thanks man.
First, nicely written my man. I love the analogy; I bet that took you awhile to write. I’m fairly terrible with titles, I think. They’re either very direct or just something I know has to do with what I’m writing but not very catchy. That’s why it took me 2 1/2 years to find the title to my book. I need a title editor.
Second, wow, look at the spam; you must be at work! lol
Third, look at the first line in the second paragraph next to the fish and see the error; hey, this is what we do to each other.
Mitch recently posted…Showing Your Blog Or Website Feeds Elsewhere
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Man, that error was soooo small it took me ages to find it
I’m glad you liked the post Mitch, maybe you’d liked it sooo much you’ll share it with your thousands of Twitter followers.
I did just that very thing, though it took me forever to figure out where you were hiding the retweet button. :furious_tb:
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Why, it’s right there at the very top of the post Mitch. It’s also included in the Bookmark and Share icon at the bottom of the post.
Oh, I know what it was, you were still suffering from the agony where I twisted your arm to Tweet the post.
Dude, you won’t believe me but that wasn’t there last night when I was looking for it. I thought you had removed it.
Mitch recently posted…How Can You Get Noticed On Other Blogs
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Man, don’t you love it when these things keep happening to you?
Stuff is always happening to me. Good thing I have a sense of humor.
Mitch recently posted…Bad Writing Kills Sci-Fi Shows
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You and me both Mitch, that’s probably why we take our frustrations out on our chess games. :tongue_wink_ee:
Sire recently posted…Testing Market Samurai’s Keyword Research Tool
Oh no, I guess I am not emotional. Only a few of the titles I tested got a score over 30. Most were 0 (ZERO).
I usually go for blunt facts titles rather than emotion.
Maybe I should work on that.
Wendy recently posted…Live Broadcast About Polar Bears Migration in Churchill Manitoba
Twitter: AussieSire
You just got to persevere until you hit the right combination of words Wendy. My first attempt was 20, then a few zeros but I kept at it until I got over the 60 mark. The total process only took a couple of minutes.
Emotional headlines?
Never use ‘em myself.
As you can see by my last post. :)
My secret weapon for emotional headlines is Thesaurus! I’ll always go over and look for words more exciting than decayed toenail clippings to use – it makes my headlines far better than what they used to be.
Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach recently posted…I just BOLDLY removed ALL of my Internet Marketing products from my site – here’s why
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Your title actually scored 33% which is pretty good.
When they’re talking emotional they’re also including words that have intellectual, empathetic and spiritual values that combined gives you your EMV, Emotional Marketing Value.
Obviously everyone can do as they like but I for one will be using their services. Who knows, it may give me an edge.
I agree that you need to keep the title interesting and the content fresh, but also you need to use the correct words and analogies to appeal to your public, which implies that you need to know who is your public. Otherwise, you risk to be “less appealing”.
Twitter: AussieSire
That’s an interesting way to look at it Kevin. Thanks for your comment mate.
Sire recently posted…Don’t Mess With Mature Women
By the way, I thought I’d mention that I tried some of my titles on that headline analyzer thing. Most of them came between 0 and 20, but I actually scored 100% with one of my titles; didn’t see that coming. That would be a lot of work to do every time, so I don’t see that happening.
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Now, now Mitch, that’s not like you. Besides, I’m supposed to be the perpetual lazy blogger and I’ve found that it didn’t take all that much time.
Sire recently posted…Getting Close To The Surfers Paradise Meter Maids
You know, I got that 100%, but I have absolutely no idea how I got it. Kind of reminded me of my old statistics class in college; always knew the answer, but had no idea how I knew it. That’s why it’s too much work; no explanation as to why it was top notch.
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It’s not like I’m trying to get 100% Mitch, I’m happy with anything over 50% and if that’s good enough to increase people’s awareness of my post then all is good.
Sire recently posted…Testing Market Samurai’s Keyword Research Tool
True, but if it still gives you no idea how you got there then it’s kind of worthless. Way too much trouble; I’ve got writing to do. :-)
Mitch recently posted…100 Greatest Sports Movies
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I don’t know. I used to have problems with math because I didn’t understand why things worked they way it did. Then I stopped worrying about it and just applied the formula and I was fine.
I’m using the same idea here. As long as I score well and the title sounds good I’ll continue to use it.
Sire recently posted…Testing Market Samurai’s Keyword Research Tool
Hey Sire,
The title will always be a deal maker or breaker. Because no matter how good your content is if you have a plain, uninteresting title you wont get anyone to read it, on the other hand a too enthusiastic title might make your readers frown and never visit your blog.
By the way I wonder how will dynamite or net fishing would compare to blogging :D
Alex recently posted…Box Nebun
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Dynamite or net fishing?
Good post. I believe it’s always a good idea on creating headlines that have an emotional impact on readers. it always pull them in
Twitter: AussieSire
Too bad you didn’t read my comment policy, or my many posts on how to leave could comments, as it may have saved your link.
I always struggle with my titles and I’m sure that comes from the way I think. I think all over the place so how do I make a thought succinct? I normally know the point I want to drive home so it’s easy for me to start with the finish but getting there …. is easier said than done.
More than emotions, I want to stroke your intellect or stimulate your curiosity. How does one get that across or is that your point?
See what I mean … I’m all over the place in my comments too! ;-)
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It all comes to the same thing Kissie. What that site does is help you choose the right words that will optimize your title. Use it as a sounding board. Try different combinations until you get one that scores well.
I used to struggle with my titles but I found a good way of getting inspiration. I am a web designer rather than a writer so I find using Amazon really helps. Simply search for a subject topic you need a title for, refine your search for best selling books and then take a look at the title. This can often give you an insight into what sells books. If the book title matches the subject title then reword it or use the top three as inspiration. Job done.
Twitter: AussieSire
Sounds like a lot of work to me Tom, but if it works for you mate, then you should stick with it.
Sire recently posted…Testing Market Samurai’s Keyword Research Tool
I suppose it is a lot of work but I am quite new to the game so I need as much help as I can get. Eventually I would like to get a content writer but that is additional funds.
Ask yourself: “Does my headline effectively stop people from scanning my web page, capture their attention and trigger their emotions in order to pull them into the copy?” More importantly, ask yourself, “Does my opening statement beg for attention, arouse curiosity and genuinely cater to the motives and emotions of my market?”
Twitter: AussieSire
Unfortunately even though you may think you’ve thought up a brilliant heading it may not be the case, which is why I think this is a great tool.
Sire recently posted…Testing Market Samurai’s Keyword Research Tool
When it comes to picking the right title, I have much to learn from you, Sire. It’s interesting how you illustrate the whole scenario with fishing – it makes perfect sense, and I admit I’m eagerly looking for a tastier bait before each post got published. Whether to be impactful, humorous or straight to the point? Funny that at times I spent more time on a title than a paragraph.. an on-going lesson. :)
@wchingya
Social/Blogging Tracker
Twitter: AussieSire
The fact that your headlines rock shows how much time you spend on it Ching Ya. Your posts are also very intensive and would take a lot of time to put together, so if you do spend more time on your titles, maybe this site will help by telling you when to stop changing things around.
Sire recently posted…Don’t Mess With Mature Women
Nothing more to say as you are spot on. I really like analogies…. In some cases it makes it easier for people to understand. What better way of showing the importance of having a good title, great content and of course, the fishing line :)
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I like them too which is probably why I get so exited when one pops into my head. I wonder if I can work one around sex without offending the big G
Sire recently posted…Testing Market Samurai’s Keyword Research Tool
Yeah, and that’s frustrating me more these days as well. lol
Mitch recently posted…I’m Supposed To Ask You To…
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That last game sure turned out to be a surprise. Must admit it’s fun playing someone who is so evenly matched.
Sire recently posted…Getting Close To The Surfers Paradise Meter Maids
I enjoy it as well. I tried something different in that game; you know, every once in awhile you try to experiment. Should know better; back to my norm.
Mitch recently posted…Loyal Blue Not So Loyal
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Not if that means it’s going to make me work harder to win a game. Come on Mitch, have a heart mate ;)
I did have a heart; I “let” you win one lol
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Oh weird, didn’t know there were tools out there – I plugged a few of them into it as an experiment: the posts that I did receive the most amount of comments often had a higher level of emotion in them – really came down to those emotional words; this should be interesting for future posts :D
Twitter: AussieSire
I never thought to do that Murlu, so thanks for that, those results would have been very interesting.
Sire recently posted…Testing Market Samurai’s Keyword Research Tool
The A.I.D.A. formula still rules…
Attention
Interest
Desire
Action
Use it when writing headlines, site / blog content etc. to ensure best results.
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Yep, I can see how all those would work and how emotion may play a great part in them as well. You have to admit that stirring someone emotionally can call them action?
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Hi Sire,
If i checked my archive pages, my posts in the first months, those i made/wrote with 0 knowlegde of SEO.
However some ranks higher some are not. But mostly don’t rank LOL.
So it is very important to write SEO posts, i guess.
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Hey Kimi. I reckon that we all get lucky sometime, so some of those earlier posts could have been SEO lucky ;)
Sire recently posted…Do You Want Increased Income Chango Could Be The Answer
Fantastic tips. Will definitely be considering this for future blog titles.
Alex Wise recently posted…Tasmania Stream – Daytime Long Exposure Photography
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I hope it helps you to create many great titles.
Sire recently posted…Twitter Is More Fun And More Profitable When You Follow The Right People
Pretty good analogy :). If I may just add, that people should use power words in their titles. You can find power words by searching in google.
Also try to make the bait (title) tasty for both people and search engines.
Regards.
Twitter: AussieSire
Thanks Max. While it would be good to make the “bait (title) tasty for both people and search engines” I’ve usually found that it’s pretty difficult.
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