5 Blog Title Formulas To Help You Rank Higher On Google
What if there was a quick and easy way to help your website rank higher on Google. A way to improve blog visibility, attract website traffic, and appear as high up the search listings as possible. An opportunity to make your business stand out online and for it to be found more easily. Well, guess what, there is, and I’m going to share my method of how to rank higher on Google with you now. It all starts with blog title formulas.
Yep, what words you put in a blog title and how you structure that title can make a massive difference to how search engines like Google decide to rank your website.
I’m going to explain what blog title formulas are, tell you why they matter, show you the key features of good quality SEO-friendly titles for blogs, and then share 5 blog title formulas that really work.
What Are Blog Title Formulas?
Blog title formulas follow a structured plan that creates compelling, click-worthy titles for your blog posts. Now, when I say click-worthy, I’m not talking about clickbait. That’s a whole different thing. We want to ideally stay as far away from clickbait titles as possible, because these, in general, do not serve us or our readers in any way positively at all.
Click-worthy titles on the other hand are titles that are so good, so incredibly useful to the person searching, that they are worthy of being clicked on. That’s what we’re aiming for!
When we follow these formulas it helps guide us to create titles that not only grab readers’ attention but also helps us to rank well on search engines. And this is all done by including relevant keywords and thinking about user intent.
Why Blog Title Formulas Matter
Now, you might be thinking that as long as you’ve given your blog post some kind of title it doesn’t really matter what words you put in there. But that’s where you’re wrong.
Every single word in your title matters.
Blog titles are the driving force as to whether someone clicks through to your post or not. Bad, unoptimized blog titles will go unnoticed by search engines and scrolled past by readers. Whereas well-thought out, optimised blog titles that exactly answer what the reader has searched for and provides value to them in some way, sends positive signals to search engines and will result in a much higher click through rate.
For business owners, blog title formulas are especially important because a well-crafted title can significantly impact how potential customers discover and engage with your content.
Here are some more reasons why having blog title formulas matter:
- Consistency – They give you a structure that ensures every title you come up with is engaging and effective.
- SEO – Well-structured titles are more likely to include relevant keywords. These keywords will help your posts rank higher on search engines, which therefore improves the visibility of your blog, your website, and your business.
- Audience Appeal – They are designed to address your readers’ pain points, curiosity, or needs. By tapping into these emotions, you immediately grab the attention of the people you want to read your posts.
- Saves Time – Formulas give you a good starting point, so you don’t have to brainstorm from scratch each time. Once you know how a blog title should be structured, it makes the process much easier and much quicker. Which is especially useful for business owners who struggle to fit blogging into a busy schedule because they are juggling multiple responsibilities.
By using a formula, rather than hurriedly coming up with a half-assed title because you’re busy and you just want to get your blog post done and published, will see you get much better results. You’ll create titles that stand out, that deliver value, and that drive measurable results for your business.
Key Features of Blog Title Formulas
So, we’ve figured out they’re important, now we need to know what we should include in our blog title formulas to help our websites rank better.
The features you include in your blog title need to grab immediate attention and deliver value to both your readers and the search engines.
Here are some things to think about when creating headlines that drive clicks:
- Clear and simple – Make it easy for people to want to click through to your post. Be clear with what you’re offering and keep the language simple and easy to understand.
- Keyword opportunity – Blog titles are a way for search engines to check the type of content you are publishing. By including keywords in your title formulas you make it easier for search engines to notice and rank your website.
- Aimed at your reader not you – Remember who you’re writing for. Your blog titles should be geared towards your readers’ pain points and the ways you can help them. The language you use should be aimed directly at your reader to create a title that resonates with them.
- Straight to the point – People haven’t got time for fluffy titles that merely hint around a subject. They want the facts. A title that gets straight to the point about what the content is about will always do better than one stuffed with meaningless filler words.
- Promote the benefits – Make it clear what benefits the reader will have by clicking through to your content. Motivate them to take action.
- Tug at the emotions – Including an emotional hook within your blog title encourages reader engagement and increases click through rates.
- Versatile – Good blog title formulas can be adapted to fit any niche, topic, or audience.
It sounds like a lot to fit into one blog title, I know. But there are ways to combine these features into well-crafted blog titles that will help get you more clinks and see you moving up the search engine rankings. And I’m going to share 5 examples of good blog title formulas with you now.
5 Blog Title Formulas That Work
Here are 5 blog title formulas that you can use as a basic structure for your titles. Simply take the formula, adapt it to your niche and the subject matter of your blog post and remember to include relevant keywords in there too.
1. ‘How-To’ Formula
The ‘how-to’ formula breaks down a process into manageable steps, which helps turn a reader’s curiosity and what ifs into them taking action and clicking on your post.
Formula – How To [Achieve Desired Outcome] In [Specific Timeframe/With Specific Method]
Example – How to Grow Your Blog Audience In Just 30 Days
Benefits of the ‘how-to’ formula
- Addresses a specific need/problem – It indicates to the reader that your post will overcome a challenge, answer their question, provide a solution. People are naturally drawn to content that is useful to them and that will help them to achieve something.
- Provides clarity – It says exactly what the blog post is going to do for the reader, giving them confidence to click through on your link.
- Incentivizes – Creates an incentive to click. The reader currently doesn’t know something, but if they click through and read your post they will.
- Builds trust and authority – You are providing the solution to a problem, which tells the reader your content is a helpful resource. This builds trust in the reader and gives more credibility to you.
2. ‘Listicle’ Formula
The ‘listicle’ formula is a great option if you’ve identified that your audience like to get information fast, which let’s face it is, is most of us! Most people are time-poor and don’t want to be too overwhelmed with information, so content that’s easy to take in and that gets the point across in the simplest way is a winner.
Formula – [Number] [Adjective] Ways/Ideas/Tips to [Solve a Problem or Achieve a Goal]
Example – 7 Simple Tips to Write SEO-Friendly Blog Titles
Benefits of the ‘listicle’ formula
- Specificity – Listicles provide a very clear expectation of what the reader will find in the blog post. Numbers help content to stand out and odd numbers also tend to perform better.
- Skimmer friendly – When people are searching for information they’ll often skim read an article to get to the points they actually need. Listicles work well for this as they are structured in such a way that the reader can skim through to the points that interest them the most.
- Memorable – Information that is visually organised and easy to consume is more memorable and therefore increases the chance of readers referring back to it or sharing it with others.
- Easier to read – By breaking down content into smaller chunks of numbered points of interest it makes it much easier for people to read. And the easier your content is to read, the higher the chance of them staying on your site for longer and for them returning in future.
3. ‘Question’ Formula
Questions draw readers in and help gain their trust. It makes them feel as though they’ve been listened to. They ask, you answer.
Formula – [Question Addressing a Pain Point or Curiosity]? Here’s the Answer!
Example – Struggling to Rank Your Blog Posts? Here’s How Better Titles Can Help!
Benefits of the ‘question’ formula
- More personal – Including a question in a title will make the reader feel as though you’re talking directly to them. This strikes up a conversation and connection between you, which grows trust and engagement.
- Encourages immediate action – People are more likely to click through to a post if they believe their question can be answered comprehensively. By addressing their questions head on, it creates a sense of urgency, which makes them take action.
- Optimised for search engines – When people search for something online, it’s often in the format of a question. And search engines love questions. Blog titles that contain a question can help your website rank for specific long-tail keywords (specific search terms made up of 3 or more words), which drives more targeted traffic.
- Targets pain points – The ‘question’ formula makes you more relatable to your audience as it shows you recognise the struggles they have and that you want to help them to overcome them.
4. ‘Secrets/Strategies’ Formula
The ‘secrets/strategies’ formula taps into people’s fear of missing out (FOMO) on valuable information. There is a natural curiosity in wanting to know how someone else has achieved something or to find out what the big secret is.
Formula – The [Adjective] Secrets/Strategies to [Achieve a Goal]
Example – The Best Strategies to Attract More Traffic to Your Blog
Benefits of the ‘secrets/strategies’ format
- Creates a sense of exclusivity – Both the word ‘secrets’ and ‘strategies’ creates intrigue. It implies the information isn’t available to everyone and that the reader should feel privileged that they have access to it. This then taps into the readers FOMO, making them feel as though they have to click to find out more, or they’ll be missing out on vital information.
- Offers actionable advice – This type of blog title formula highlights practical solutions for readers seeking actionable advice.
- Builds trust – People want to know that the information they’re reading is from a trustworthy source. The ‘secrets/strategies’ formula helps build trust with your readers and marks you out as an expert in your field.
- Social media friendly – Blog titles that use this particular formula do really well on social media because they are intriguing and offer direct value. People love sharing content that they consider exclusive, as they are seen to be passing on the help.
5. ‘Mistakes’ Formula
No one likes making mistakes. But they do like reading about other people’s mistakes, to discover what lessons were learnt and to prevent them from making the same mistakes themselves. By focusing on what not to do, content that talks openly and honestly about mistakes to avoid feels both practical and relatable.
Formula – [Number] Mistakes [Audience] Make When [Doing Something]
Example – 5 Mistakes Business Owners Make When Writing Blog Titles
Benefits to the ‘mistakes’ formula
- Emotionally triggering – Titles that play with our emotions will always lead to clicks. To prevent ourselves from doing something wrong, failing to achieve our goals, or making mistakes drives a natural urgency to click and read.
- Encourages self-reflection – The ‘mistakes’ formula encourages readers to reflect on their own actions and strategies to then question whether they’ve made the same mistakes. This increases engagement with the content and a desire to rectify and improve on past decisions.
- Appeals to a broad audience – Because no one likes making mistakes, this formula is one of the most broad-reaching and versatile of all the blog title formulas, as it appeals to everyone.
- Relatability – By owning your mistakes and showing how you overcame them, not only do you mark yourself out as an expert, but you also make yourself highly relatable to your readers. You’re showing them that you have firsthand knowledge of these problems and have the experience to deal with them and make good. This strengthens your authority, gains trust with your audience, and makes you more human. Because let’s face it, everyone makes mistakes!
Each of these 5 blog title formulas are designed to grab attention, appeal to specific needs, and to highlight the value of the content behind the click. All of them can be used to drive traffic to your website and increase engagement with your audience. Over time this will increase the online visibility of your website and position you as a thought leader within your industry.
For more search engine optimisation tips and other useful blogging advice join the BlogWell Facebook Group.
Author Bio
Bex Stafferton is a blogger who started off writing her blog The Art of Healthy Living as a hobby when she was a stay at home mum and caring for her two young children. The same blog now earns her a full time salary while working part time hours.
Bex is on a mission to help teach businesses how having a blog on their website is a valuable marketing tool. Helping to build a strong online presence, grow an engaged audience, and increase sales.
When she’s not blogging, Bex spends her time hiking up mountains, trail running, cuddling her two cockapoos, and volunteering at a local wildlife rescue centre.
This was sooo interesting thank you for all this information!!
That’s quite OK, I’m glad you found it useful. Let me know if there’s anything in particular I can help you with on your blog.