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Loading...From a marketing point of view, writing a catchy article title is one of the most important skills a good copywriter needs to have. After all, nobody will read even the best 2,000-word blog post, if its title resembles a scientific dissertation rather than an enticing catchy online article. Taking into consideration website and store owners, as well as experienced and aspiring copywriters, we’ve created this post to show you how to write the title of an article that is not only SEO-friendly but also reader-friendly. You’ll also learn what to do once you catch the user’s attention – after all, you don’t want to increase the number of visits to your site at the expense of a growing bounce rate, do you?
Article titles – why are they important?
Let’s start with a few words explaining why it’s worth creating catchy article titles.
What about the statistics?
- David Ogilvy once referred to the 8/10 rule and stated that “on average, five times as many people read only the title, not the full text. That’s why when you write a header, you spend 80 cents of your dollar” – that’s how much titles matter compared to the entire content!
- Peter Coachley, who used to work with UpWorthy, found that the exact same content with different titles can generate up to a 500% difference in traffic. He also repeatedly reminds us that users don’t wake up wanting to read about what we write – a catchy article title is a chance to attract a person who has a thousand other things to do. In fact, he stated that it’s the title that determines whether something can go viral or not.
- Headlines with around 11 words and 65 characters tend to attract the most shares on Facebook and Twitter.
- Using the word “you” in your messaging can boost conversions by up to 47%, underscoring the importance of addressing readers directly. This approach helps create an emotional connection, making the content feel tailored specifically for readers. Personalization is a simple and effective way to achieve similar engagement. Next time you’re writing an article title, try incorporating “you” for a greater impact.
- Question-based headlines can boost website traffic by as much as 480%. Just by adjusting a blog title, you could attract significantly more organic traffic. This works because readers often believe the author has the answer to the question, which sparks curiosity and leads to more clicks as they seek a clear response.
- Simple subject lines get 541% more responses than creative ones, emphasizing the value of clarity. Keeping article titles straightforward and clear makes it easier for readers to understand the message, leading to higher engagement.
How to write a catchy article title?
A great article title can make all the difference in attracting readers. When writing, it’s all about striking the right balance – piquing curiosity while clearly showing what your content offers. Research shows that titles with numbers tend to get more clicks, as they promise easy-to-digest information.
But it’s not just about being catchy; your title should speak directly to the audience’s interests and include relevant keywords to help people find it through search engines. When done right, a strong title can be the first step in getting your content noticed and read.
Changes, changes, and even more changes
It may sound like a cliché, but in the online world, things change in the blink of an eye. Sure, you can still reference those classic advertising lines, but relying on research from just a few years ago isn’t the smartest move. The content we once loved is no longer at the top. A few years ago headlines with heavy emotional tones like “will bring you to tears” or “you’ll love this” were big hits. Today, they’ve become buzzwords – fluff that doesn’t add value, feels generic, and just turns people off.
That’s why it’s so important to stay on top of trends, keep an eye on what’s happening in your industry, and stay in tune with the wider online world. Knowing your audience’s evolving preferences is key. The bottom line? Always seek out current data and ditch those outdated, ineffective trends!
How many words should be in a title?
Now, we’ll discuss the length of the title as this matters in creating a catchy title. For crafting a catchy blog title, you want to strike a balance between clarity and curiosity. Titles that have around 10 or 11 words and include numbers, as well as clear, strong verbs typically perform best – they’re long enough to convey your main idea but short enough to stay punchy. For search engines, aiming for 50-60 characters keeps your meta title from getting cut off and ensures it’s readable at a glance.
Numbers have a way of making an impact, especially odd ones like 3, 5, or 7 – they feel specific and are easier to remember. Rounded numbers like 10 or 20 are also great for list-style posts that feel complete and thorough.
Adding 1-2 relevant keywords is also wise, but remember to always keep the title natural. Keywords help search engines understand the post’s topic without compromising readability. Sticking to the recipe above, you’ll surely create a headline that’s not only catchy but also optimized for reach and engagement.
We want to read less
People today are reading less, preferring quick, digestible content over lengthy texts. With shorter attention spans – averaging around eight seconds – many readers now turn to social media or short articles for information. We love TikToks, reels and dopamine they give us.
This shift is especially notable among younger generations, who favor easily accessible content and often skim rather than dive deeply into topics. For example, people between the ages of 15 and 44 spend an average of just 10 minutes or less each day reading. As a result, content creators are adapting, focusing on concise, visually engaging formats to meet this demand.
Which words to use?
In recent years, we could have observed a certain trend when it comes to the words that are used in articles and inspire user engagement.
- Of the year (e.g. the greatest discovery of this year – such phrases make us believe that something important is happening and we can’t miss it)
- In X years (e.g. the best book in 3 years)
- For the first time (e.g. this comet will appear near Earth for the first time in several hundred years)
- One of the (e.g. one of the best selling cars)
- How to make (e.g. how to make homemade soy candles) + analogical guide keywords: how to find, how to cook
- Of all time (e.g. the most comfortable heels of all time)
10 tips on how to write the title of an article
1. Take advantage of our love for numbers
People love numbers and precise bits of information. According to informal research by Canva and Ian Cleary of Razor Social, adding numbers to your blog titles can actually double the number of social shares you get. Brian Dean at Backlinko backs this up too – his data shows that using numbers in blog titles can increase clickthrough rates by 36%!
You’re here, so you probably know that in the end, it’s better to read about 10 specific tips on how to write the title of an article than to enter a vague text without any promises
2. Emphasize the unique value you give to users
How can users profit from entering your website? Why should they even care about what you’ve written? Keep in mind that given pieces of content are related to your industry, not necessarily to the industry your readers operate in. Therefore, when looking at your title, you should be able to say what is special about your post: unique knowledge, news, great infographics?
3. Use memorable phrases
Replace common and repetitive adjectives (e.g., interesting, good, boring) with other words that appeal more to the emotions and imagination: after all, you’d rather learn the recipe for mouth-watering pralines than tasty chocolates, right? 
4. Consider your target audience
Understanding your target audience is the key to creating catchy, and, more importantly, relevant titles. Determine who you’re writing to – what are the needs of your recipients? What language do they like? What do they expect, maybe they have requirements you could meet? Tailor-made article titles are the best option.
5. Address the recipient, speak directly
It’s good to speak directly to your audience – show what you have for them, why they should get involved in what you create, or how your content can affect them, or improve the quality of their lives.
6. Ask questions
Sometimes simple solutions work the best. Especially if you’re writing articles with specific keywords, but still want to attract users. Start your title with a question: “Does content still affect your position in Google?”
7. Come up with several titles before you choose the one
It’s really important to brainstorm on different titles. Create a new document, think about your article content and then come up with at least a few ideas to ensure that you have something to choose from. 
8. Use keywords
It’s possible to create titles that are SEO and user-friendly. Frequently, you can create phrases that will help you improve your visibility in the SERPs, but will also attract users. It’s like killing two birds with one stone.
9. Don’t let your market rivals outdo you
Monitor your market rivals and determine which of their activities could help you refine your article titles. Use tools or manually go through your competitors’ sites. This might help you when you’re puzzling about how to write the title of an article.
10. Make a checklist and check if:
- The title offers a clear reward for clicking (knowledge, satisfaction, etc.)
- You can add something to make the title more believable/intriguing
- The title evokes emotions that will be followed by action (clicking, reading)
- The title is clear, specific, and easy to read
Catchy article titles – examples you should know (and use)
- Rankings with listings
- Hyperboles, all the “best” stuff
- Tutorials, guides
- Surprising facts and news
- Catchy titles
- Snapshots of unique stories
Now, you see, why it’s worth creating enticing titles.
Don’ts when creating article titles
Hopefully, by now you know how to create catchy titles. However, there are also certain tempting practices you should definitely avoid, as they may have a negative impact on your brand image, bounce rate, and much more:
- Worthless promises. Don’t write about things that can’t be found in the text. This way, you’ll annoy users and your bounce rate will increase.
- Random titles. Remember that each header and title should be unique. Don’t use things that worked on other websites without thinking about your strategy. Apart from the context, it’s also important to analyze your target group and its needs.
- Don’t use cheap clickbaits. Keep the quality of your content high. Clickbaits may anger your audience and this won’t bring you any benefits.
Examples of quality article titles. What is the best title for the article?
If you’re looking for catchy article title ideas, the examples below will tell you how to implement our tips and increase your conversion rate.
- The title uses distinguishing words: “easy”, “instant”, “budget”;
- Numbering – “10 recipes”;
- Appropriate length – 10 words.
- Understatement – it’s not clear which bank is involved;
- Sense of urgency – “Watch out”; relevant information.
- Question – interesting, SEO-friendly (frequently typed phrase);
- Relates to something common (bread);
- Numbering – ten facts (*It would be better if it was a number – “10”, not “ten”).
Exercise for you: one article, 5 different titles
1. You’ve written an article, but you aren’t sure about the title? Great. Think about the content and describe it in up to 11 words, in a possibly neutral way. So, think about something like: “Pasta recipes with vegetables”.
2. This is your cornerstone. Now you can work with it, refine the title and come up with different versions:
- number (“10 pasta recipes with vegetables”)
- a question (“What are the pasta recipes with vegetables?”)
- a message to the addressee (“Pasta recipes with vegetables you must know”)
- a hint (“How to prepare pasta with vegetables?”)
3. Now you can refine your title. Users are most likely to click on a title with a number in it. But remember about other tips from the previous section: add words users will remember (in the case of food, this would be something that stimulates the taste buds), think about something that could differentiate your entry and keep it appropriately long.
4. Read the title you’ve created and think if it’s catchy enough. A finished product might sound like this: “How to make real Italian pasta with vegetables? Learn 10 tasty recipes.”
And come on, if brainstorming the perfect blog post title isn’t your strength, you can always turn to AI-based tools, like omnipresent ChatGPT, for inspiration. By sharing your initial ideas with AI and crafting a few prompts that highlight what matters – tone, keywords, or the audience you’re after – you can leverage the tool’s creativity to develop fresh, engaging options, especially in situations when your brain goes blank.
Last but not least, 5 pillars of a good article title
- Make the user need you – offer necessary information, help, or arouse curiosity.
- Create a certain sense of urgency; let the reader know that they shouldn’t wait and need to read the article.
- Assert that you are unique and original – no one else offers what you do (you can express this with specific knowledge, or being the “first” or reliable).
- Don’t repeat generic schemes that work for other audiences, but not yours. You’re the one who should know your target recipients and write for them – not for all 100 million people on the web!
- Be specific and sincere, and if you’re trying to attract attention, make sure that your title is refined.
