How to Write a Good Blog Post Title

Whether you are into blogging, article writing or email marketing, writing a good title cannot be underestimated. No matter what the purpose of your write up is, writing a good title gets half the job done.


"Title", "headline" or "subject line"...whatever you call it, you must put as much thought into it as you put into writing your article. If you are a blogger, the fate of your blog post depends on the title to a great extent.

So let's consider the importance of a title to a blog post.

The Benefits of Writing a Good Title

• More Readers
• Site Credibility
• More Followers
• More Traffic
• Successful Blogging
  

Types and Styles

I regularly come across various emails and blog posts where the titles are overused cliches:

• For free traffic this works like crazy!
• Use Your Traffic to Make Money
• Some Good News!
• Don't Know How to Make Money?
• The #1 Secret Revealed!

Then there are titles that are soft and yet subtle:

• Your Membership
• You Would Love This

Some titles are ambiguous:

• Choose Now! This One or That One!
• Would You Do This to Your Blog?

Others are straight forward (like the title of this post):

• How to Write a Good Blog Post
• Learn to Blog in 3 Minutes

Some of the above mentioned titles are questions while others are exclamatory sentences. Regardless of the type, style and wording of the title, many of these titles are just irresistible, while others make you balk. However, If you are a writer, you must have resorted to these approaches at some time or the other.

So what is the secret (another cliche) of writing a good title?

A Good Title

A good title must have the following ingredients:



1) It must Grab Attention: The least a title must do is to attract the attention of the reader. This is the first step to getting your readers to read your blog post.










2) It must give the Gist: One look at the title, and it should tell the reader what your post is all about.

3) It must be Genuine: A title that seems promising, but slyly leads to a bunch of marketing waffles will immediately result in the reader hitting the "x" button.

4) It must portray Generosity: Your title must have an air of generosity. The reader must get a feeling that he or she is going to gain something. The blog post that follows must share some information and dispense some relevant knowledge that will be helpful to the reader.

5) It must give some Guarantee: A promising title will always make the reader stop over and read the entire article. You must offer solutions that guarantee results, and not just some hype.

The above mentioned guidelines are applicable not only to blog posts but also to email messages, articles, sales letters (let's not look down on marketers), and tweets.

None of us are born bloggers. We are all learning. I remember writing some crappy blog posts with some pathetic titles. We all have been there. However, in my opinion, even if your blog title has three out of the above five elements, you can consider the job well done.

Happy Blogging!

3 Questions to Ask When Your Blog Puts You to Sleep

I believe that blogging should come naturally.

The In Thing
Blogging seems to be the in thing. Everyone wants to own a blog, whether they are students, entrepreneurs, parents or grandparents. Why not? Blogging has become as easy and entertaining as picking up your guitar and strumming on it. It can be a hobby- something that keeps you occupied for hours (beware though!).

The Rut
No matter how much on the blogging edge you are, there are times you fall off the edge and into a rut. You may begin to be in need of new things to write. At times such as these, your own blog posts may put you to sleep.

If you are pushing yourself too hard to write your blog posts,
you will soon tire yourself and your readers.

How to Get Out of the Rut
How do you go about maintaining your enthusiasm to keep on writing? Well, the truth is that YOU DON'T HAVE TO! I believe that blogging should come naturally. If you are pushing yourself too hard to write your blog posts, you will soon tire yourself and your readers.

Anyway, we are all human! So, should you find yourself gasping for new content, here are 3 QUESTIONS you can ask yourself:

Your talent must dictate your niche

THE 3 QUESTIONS
Question #1: What is the Aim of My Blog?
If you are blogging aimlessly, and just for the heck of it, you will soon fall asleep on your laptop.

Here are some things that your blog (or your blog posts) can do;
- Inspire (I love to do this)
- Entertain (I use my cartoons to entertain)
- Educate
- Provide solutions
- Share what you have learned
- Earn an income (I believe that this is a bye product of blogging)

If you think you do not possess that gift,

you have not yet explored your inner self.

Question #2: What am I good at?
Your blog is a good platform to display your talents. Everyone has that unique gift that they can show to the world. Your talent must dictate your niche. If you think you do not possess that gift, you have not yet explored your inner self.

Here are some talents that your blog can reflect:
- Writing (that's my gift)
- Photography
- Blogging
- Marketing
- Cartooning (that's my gift)
- Parenting
- Educating (that's my gift and my main source of income)

(This list can go on...)

Note: I did not mention "making money" in the talent list. This is because if you are doing what you do best, you WILL make money.

Question #3: How Can I Benefit from Blogging?

Draw your zeal from the benefits of blogging. Realizing the benefits will keep you in a positive frame of mind and prevent you from snoozing over your blog posts.

Three main benefits for blogging are:

- Being able to express yourself (this definitely is a stress buster)

- Gaining online exposure to what you have to say or sell

- Building a community of like minded people from around the world

So gear up! Allow your readers to enjoy some lighter moments! Brighten up someone's day; give someone some answers; make someone smile! 

- ContentScoop

The Power of a Few Words- My Take on Microblogging and Micro URLs

Everything's going micro,
from handhelds to laptops,
and now blogs and URLs have joined the trend.

Microblogging

Just when I began to enjoy blogging on my blogger account, someone introduced me to microblogging. The world's getting faster, I tell you,...and smaller.

Everything's going micro, from handhelds to laptops, and now blogs and URLs have joined the trend.

(For those quick readers, it's fine to scroll down to the last few paragraphs of this article)

I'm a writer. I  love to write long and well organized blog posts. However, with microblogging, my words are restricted to just 140 to 150 characters.

"140 characters?" I thought to myself. What in the world can I write using just 140 characters! All my inhibitions faded away once I started using Twitter- the name that  has become synonymous with microblogging and social networking.

Just a few days into Twitter
and I figured out
the power of those 140 characters.

Micro Social Networking

Facebook allows you a lot of activity on its turf. You can be a part of as many "stories" as you like. Your posts are not very much restricted and you can write volumes on your "notes." You can upload your pictures directly from your camera onto the site, and you can comment on your friend's pictures. You can create your own group and invite all your friends to join it, or you can join another group. That's a lot of disk space allotted to you! However, you've got to be disciplined about whom you invite, and cannot add a "friend" unless they confirm you. This restricts the stray marketer and the intruding moneymaker.

Twitter does not make friendship conditional. You can "follow" anyone you like, unless they block you or "protect" their "tweets." At the same time anyone can be your "follower." It's an open platform for moneymakers and marketers alike, and the same goes for the one who is seeking friends and fans.

Just a few days into Twitter and  I figured out the power of those 140 characters. Almost every day I have "followers" pouring in without much action on my part. Yes, many of them are marketers and do not hesitate to say, "Hello."

Now, there are also ways to add a 100 followers a day; however, I'm still a bit slow at blogging (oops...microblogging), and would not like to delve into that at full steam. I'm not a full time blogger; so whether it is blogs or microblogs, you will see a little activity on my part every now and then.

Note: You may soon see third party contextual ads on Twitter, just like the ones you see on Facebook.

Microblogging has created another need:
the need to shorten URLs.

Micro URLs

Microblogging has created another need: the need to shorten URLs. Most tweeters would like to save on character space, and this is where URL shorteners come in.

Tinyurl has been in business for many years now, helping one to shorten URLs mainly for masking the actual URL. Bit.ly and tr.im have gone a few steps further by shortening the URLs even more. That's not all; you can even post your URLs directly to Twitter with just the click of a mouse. Furthermore, you can get detailed statistics as to how many people have clicked on your newly shortened URL and how it is  performing throughout.

Lessons from Microblogging

That 140 word restriction can teach you a lot:

- to be concise

- to write to the point and not ramble around

- to get the maximum impact from minimum words

- to be restrained in your phraseology and get cracking with business

  

Here's the bottom line:

Twitter has fewer features as compared to facebook, and yet the impact it has been having proves that if you've got to make a point, words need not be many.

So, don't waste your words! There is power in a few words!

-ContentScoop
September 10, 2009

How to Rewrite an Article

Let me begin by saying that you must rewrite only your own copyrighted articles. Rewriting someone else’s articles amounts to plagiarism, and writers are known to be original dudes.

Now, why would someone want to rewrite an article? Doesn’t that sound silly? Once upon a time articles were written only to correct flaws and inconsistencies. Nowadays the reasons can be different.

Here are some reasons for rewriting your articles:
1) To post a different version of your original work on newsletters and other websites
2) To incorporate hot keywords into your existing articles and make them search engine friendly
3) To give your web content a new look
4) To improvise on your original article

'Don’t lose the message,
purpose and
the call for action'

Now a few tips on how to rewrite an article:
Read the entire article and make a note of the key points and important keywords.
Don’t lose the message, the purpose and the call for action.

1) Retain
a) The central idea
b) The essence and feel of the article
c) Important keywords

2) Recreate
a) The heading
b) The sub heading
c) The Illustrations, metaphors and analogies
d) The action lines

3) Rewrite
Now that you have the entire article in your mind, begin to rewrite the ideas paragraph by paragraph.

If you create new ideas see to it that they blend with the central idea without overpowering it. Feel free to change the style to suit a different clique of readers. It’s your article after all. Look for ways to improvise your original article

Each paragraph must contain no more than 3 to 5 sentences. Each paragraph must emphasize on only a single point. Every consecutive paragraph must follow in logical order and must build momentum.

'Emphasize on the message or
purpose of the original article'

Conclude by summarizing the entire article and providing information or solutions, whatever the purpose of the article may be. Emphasize on the message or purpose of the original article.

4 Keys to Writing Mesmerizing Content

Writing content is more than just putting down your thoughts on paper, or publishing it onto a website. Just cranking up an article for the heck of it will create no momentum.

'there are times
when you sit there like a dumb duck,
staring into thin air'

No matter how quick you are at conjuring up some lip smacking writing ideas, you will have to admit that there are times when you sit there like a dumb duck, staring into thin air.

What is to be done when you face the writer’s mind block?

1) Create a Thought Bank
A thought bank is nothing but a diary where you write down every noteworthy thought that comes to your mind. Remember that thousands of ideas cross your mind every hour- writing ideas that could serve as solutions, information and inspiration. If you don’t stop and write them down right then, they will escape the confines of your mind in no time.

So write them down. You don’t have to elaborate on them right away. Keep them handy and save them for a rainy day. If nothing else works, think about what drives you. What makes you tick? What are you passionate about? Get going with your writing ideas…

'what makes you tick?'

2) Create an Ambiance
Choose the time and place where you will write. Early mornings and late nights are the best. That’s the time when there are no phone calls, no chores and no kids to take care of.

Find an outdoor location where nature will stimulate your creative juices. If you write on your computer, keep your room free of all disturbances and distractions. Stay focused!

3) Choose a Direction
Brainstorm and write down everything that comes to your mind concerning that particular idea you want to write about.

Now, don’t let yourself stray. Give your article direction and purpose by thinking about what your readers want to read. Think of what will meet needs; what will provide solutions; what will bring happiness; what will uplift; what will give purpose; what will send them on their way satisfied.

'See it!
Feel it!
Write about it!'

4) Chisel Out Your Masterpiece
Now that you have a deposit of original writing ideas, you must rely on your ability to mold them into something worthwhile. Remember that you’ve done it before, and you’re going to do it again. You are Michelangelo and already have the statue of David to your credit. What’s next?

Write to create pictures in the minds of your readers. Use your creativity. See it! Feel it! Write about it! It will create the same effect on your readers.

Spanking Hot Tips to Make People Read Your Articles

The internet is all about content, content and content. However, there is too much to read.

'No one has the time these days!'

How will you make a rambling reader stay? How will a focused reader dig for more?

The problem is that no one loves to read through an entire article! No one has the time these days!

If getting the reader’s attention is one of your woes, it need not be! With the right direction and mindset, you can write articles that will keep readers glued. How? Here’s how…

Here are your SPANKING HOT tips to make people read your articles:

1) Keep It Short: Keep every paragraph short. For that matter, keep the entire article short. No paragraph must be longer than 3 to 5 sentences. Some one sentence paragraphs may be all that the reader may to get the point.

'Make it mind blowing
and not mind boggling'

2. Keep It Simple: Make it mind blowing and not mind boggling. Don’t throw in too many ideas. Stick to the main point. Too many points will keep your readers spinning. Reading must be a delight and not hard work. Use metaphors and illustrations to promote understanding of the topic.

3. Use an Attention Grabbing Title: The title is what makes the reader stop and explore, even though time at hand may be short. This is the bait that will get the reader hooked on to your article. Appeal to their wants and their desires; strike those heartstrings; give them answers…all in one line: The Title

4. Use Subheadings or Bulleted Points: Most readers skim through only the sub headings to get a taste of the pie. Sub headings will help you divide your article into neat bite sized pieces that are easy to chew on and digest. Let the sub headings proceed in a sequential and logical manner. This will give the reader the feeling that he is making good progress.

5. Add a Touch of Humor: Who doesn’t want to laugh a bit? Having your funny bone tickled feels good and enlightens your spirit. Humor will keep them reading from start to finish. Make reading a pleasurable experience for them.

'Don’t tell a plumber about a stethoscope,
and a doctor about a pipe wrench'

6. Make it Relatable: Don’t tell a plumber about a stethoscope, and a doctor about a pipe wrench. Articles that people can relate to and identify with are the most effective. They generate responses and clicks. Keep your tone warm and helpful.
If you add these six essential ingredients to your articles, you will have your readers coming back for another bite.

3 Common Mistakes to Avoid While Submitting To Article Directories

To begin with, you must first work up your creative juices. Only then will your articles act as a bait to hook up multitudes of readers.

People are digging for information
left right and center.

Modern technology allows you to market your websites or products using words that act like treasures. Words help you attract visitors to your website. Therefore article directories are getting popular by the day. People are digging for information left right and center.

Before submitting your articles to article directories, you must avoid 3 common mistakes that most people make:

Quality content
will lead them to the resource box

1. Don’t Make It Pushy
Make your articles informative and solution oriented. Any effort to push your products will be sensed by the omniscient readers of today.

Articles that offer solutions will be eagerly read by readers. Quality content will lead them to the resource box, which they will click for more details.

Use the right keywords...
without overusing them.

2. Don’t Overuse Your Keywords
Many enthusiastic writers tend to repeat their punch lines and their call for action. This produces a negative effect on readers. Use the right keywords and use them appropriately without overusing them.

See to it that the keywords are relevant to the context of the article. This will not only get you more visitors but also yield better search engine results.

...never promise
more than you can deliver.

3. Don’t Mislead Your Readers
Leading visitors to your website is just half the job. Keeping them there and making them act is the ultimate goal. Therefore never promise more than you can deliver.

Being taken to a website that displays irrelevant content is the biggest turn off. You will lose credibility immediately.

Helpful Tip: Find out what publishers want. All you need is one successful publisher who can transmit your content to thousands of readers at the bat of an eyelid.