Making Good Content Titles – Clickbait, but classy.
Blog Titles: The Tiny Line That Decides Whether Anyone Cares
In SEO, your blog title isn't decoration. It's the ad for your content, the first (and often only) thing real humans and fickle robots will read. A strong title earns clicks, shares, and rankings. A weak one makes your post invisible and your analytics depressing.
Let's make titles that pull their weight.
What Makes a Good Title (Beyond "Catchy")
A solid title is:
Clear: Says exactly what the page delivers. Not a riddle.
Accurate: Promises you can keep. No bait, minimal switch.
Relevant: Matches searcher intent (informational, transactional, comparative).
Specific: Concrete benefit or angle, not vague "thought leadership."
Keyword‑smart: Your primary term appears naturally, ideally near the front.
Unique: Every page gets its own title. "Blog – Company" does not count.
Clarity beats clever. Every time.
How to Craft Titles That Actually Get Clicked
1) Start with the reader's problem (not your brand's ego)
What is the searcher trying to do right now? Reflect that in the title. Intent mapping cheat sheet:
How to or Guide or Tutorial: instructional intent
Best or Top or Review or Vs: comparative or commercial research
Cost or Pricing or Alternatives: transactional curiosity, late‑stage research
Examples or Templates or Checklist: "give me assets I can use"
2) Keep it short‑ish, but optimise for pixels not mythology
Aim for titles that fit within ~580–600px on desktop (often ~55–65 characters), but don't amputate meaning to hit a number. If the choice is clarity vs. 60 characters, pick clarity. Google rewrites titles anyway if yours is unhelpful, spammy, or mismatched.
3) Front‑load the point
Put the primary keyword and the payoff early. Bad: "A Few Thoughts on Content Briefs and Why They Matter" Better: "Content Briefs: How to Write One That Cuts Draft Time in Half"
4) Use numbers when they add structure, not because "odd numbers convert"
Numbers signal scannability. Use them when the format is a list or when you're quantifying a result. "7 Link Building Tactics That Still Work in 2025" beats "Some Link Building Thoughts."
5) Add qualifiers that sharpen the promise
Brackets and parentheses help set expectations: [Template], [Examples], (2025), [Checklist], For Beginners, For SaaS, Without Ads, On a Budget. Use them sparingly so they keep meaning.
6) Match <title> and H1 without cloning
They should align, not duplicate. Keep the <title> laser‑focused for SERP; let the H1 carry a touch more nuance if needed. And no, bold/italics do nothing in the <title> tag - save styling for on‑page headings.
7) Consider brand at the end (only if it helps)
Title | Brand is fine on high‑intent pages or if your brand genuinely increases trust. Otherwise, skip it. Your brand isn't a keyword.
8) Avoid clickbait; use credibility instead
If your post doesn't deliver "ultimate," don't say "ultimate." Under‑promise and over‑deliver. Novel idea, I know.
9) Optimise for social separately
Use og:title/twitter:title for punchier social phrasing if you like. Keep the SEO title clean and intent‑led. They can differ.
10) Iterate with data (not vibes)
Ship a sensible title, then watch impressions and CTR in Search Console. If CTR is weak while rankings/impressions are healthy, test a sharper angle. Change one variable at a time (intent, specificity, bracket, number).
Title Patterns That Work (Fill‑in‑the‑blank)
How‑to or Instructional
How to [Do Task] Without [Common Pain]
How We [Achieved Outcome] in [Timeframe] (Step‑by‑Step)
List or Playbook
[Number] [Topic] Tips That Actually Work in [Year]
[Number] Common [Topic] Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Comparison or Decision
**[Tool] vs [Tool]: Which Is Better for [Use Case]?
[Product] Alternatives: [Number] Options to Try in [Year]
Cost or ROI
[Service] Pricing: What You'll Really Pay in [Year]
Is [Tool] Worth It? Costs, Trade‑offs, and When to Skip It
Templates or Examples
[Topic] Templates: [Number] Ready‑to‑Use Examples
[Topic] Examples That Outrank Competitors (Breakdown Included)
Case Study or Outcome
We [Metric] by [X%] with [Tactic] - Here's the Playbook
From [Baseline] to [Result] in [Timeframe]: What Changed
Local or Niche
[Service] in [City]: [Number] Red Flags Before You Hire
The [Industry] Guide to [Topic] for [Audience]
Pick one, fill it properly, and you're already ahead of 80% of blog titles.
Before‑and‑After Rewrites
Weak → Stronger
"SEO Tips for 2025" → "2025 SEO: 11 Tactics That Still Move Rankings"
"Improve Site Speed" → "Site Speed: How to Cut Load Time Under 2s"
"Content Strategy Ideas" → "Content Strategy: 9 Plays To Find Topics That Rank"
"Email Marketing Best Practices" → "Email Marketing: 12 Plays for Higher Opens and CTR"
"Is Tool X Good?" → "Tool X Review: Pros, Cons, and When to Use Something Else"
Notice: clearer promise, tighter scope, front‑loaded intent.
Common Title Mistakes (Please Stop)
Vague poetry: "Elevate Your Digital Future." Into the bin.
Keyword stuffing: "Best SEO SEO Tips SEO Strategy." You will be rewritten - by Google or by shame.
Title/H1 mismatch: Confuses users and invites rewrites.
Duplicate titles across posts: A great way to sabotage your own pages.
Clickbait: Short‑term clicks, long‑term distrust.
All caps or weird Unicode: Looks spammy. Save the circus for banners.
"Learn More" as a title: No.
Quick Recap: Best Practices for Content Titles
Lead with the reader's intent and the concrete outcome.
Aim for SERP‑friendly length, but prioritise clarity.
Front‑load the primary keyword naturally.
Use numbers/qualifiers when they sharpen the promise.
Align but don't clone your H1 and
<title>.Keep every title unique.
Measure CTR and iterate.
A Simple Workflow You Can Repeat
Identify intent (read the live SERP; what's ranking and why).
Draft three angles (clarity, comparison, asset - e.g., "How to…", "X vs Y", "[Examples]").
Pick one that best matches your content's actual value.
Front‑load keyword + benefit; keep it short‑ish.
Ship and monitor CTR in Search Console.
Iterate after 2–4 weeks if impressions are solid but CTR lags.
Useful Resources
Ahrefs: Blog Title Formulas - https://ahrefs.com/blog/blog-title-formulas/
HubSpot: Types of Blog Headlines - https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/types-of-blog-headlines
HubSpot: Blogging for SEO - https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/blog-search-engine-optimization
Freeman Social Media: SEO Blog Titles - https://freemansocialmedia.com/seo-blog-titles/
Google Search Central: Title links in Search results - https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/title-link