How to Write Effective Blog Post Titles

Getting search engines to your blog and getting readers to click into your blog post are all based on your title and the first 250 characters of your blog content. Your blog post title is important and can generate traffic and interest so it's important to take time to make it winning.

Most of our clients are blogging for search engines and so here are a few tips to creating a good blog post title that works well for readers too.

1. Consider making your blog post a question. Think of search query phrases that a reader may use to find your information on Google and make that your post title.

2. Consider adding "How to" or "Review" in your blog post title depending on your content.

3. Include keywords in your blog post title but not as a list rather as a keyword dense phrase.

4. Consider creating a catchy title one that grabs attention.

5. Consider adding "Best Practice" in your blog title.

What is key as you think about your title is that it is keyword dense and could possibly match a search query that may match a phrase that many people are searching for verbatim. On your own blog try out different variations and see what works for you by watching your blog site traffic statistics. You'll quickly find out what content your readers are most interested in and then be able to build blog post series around that content to garner even more traffic.

Use Feedburner For Blog Feed Tracking

Feedburner has been around for a while and just last year Google bought this interesting free tool. That should tell you something right there, when Google buys something, it has increased perceived value.

Feedburner allows you to make your RSS or Atom feed generated by your blog or e-newsletter user-friendly. Providing it in a format that matches the feed reader of your subscribers. It can turn an Atom feed into an RSS 2.0 feed or other version of RSS feed. It will track your activity and subscriptions with the new PRO tools that are now free to all, and will even allow you to send your blog posts as emails to subscribers.

Previously I have been leery of losing my domain tag on my feed address, but I have decided that the information and ability to track performance is more important than keeping my domain name tag on my feed.

Feedburner is easy to implement with WordPress and New Blogger auto-install widgets. So if you haven't checked out Feedburner, now's the time to take the leap and to know more about your news feed, reach, and subscribers.

Carnivals, Blog Memes, & Synchroblogs

What is a carnival, meme or synchroblog? I've pulled a snippet from Wikipedia to help you understand what each one is so you can decide if you want to participate.

Carnival
"There are many variations, but typically, someone who wants to organize a carnival posts details of the theme or topic to their blog, and asks readers to submit relevant articles for inclusion in an upcoming edition. The host then collects links to these submissions, edits and annotates them (often in very creative ways), and publishes the resulting round-up to his or her blog." Full definition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog_Carnival

Blog Meme
"...an Internet meme is simply the propagation of a digital file or hyperlink from one person to others using methods available through the Internet (for example, email, blogs, social networking sites, instant messaging, etc.). The content often consists of a saying or joke, a rumor, an altered or original image, a complete website, a video clip or animation, or an offbeat news story, among many other possibilities. An Internet meme may stay the same or may evolve over time, by chance or through commentary, imitations, and parody versions, or even by collecting news accounts about itself." Full definition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_phenomenon

My version a blog meme is where you post links of blogs that you like and then ask others to add them name and five others to the list and then post to their blog. It creates interest and typically works in someways like a chain letter - you take off two from the bottom and add two at the top. Let me know by posting a comment if you've seen other uses or definitions of blog memes.

Synchroblogs
"A recent variant is Synchronised Blogging, or synchroblog, where a group of bloggers agree to post on their own blogs on the same broad topic on the same day. The titles are circulated a day or two beforehand, and each blogger includes links to the other blogs." Wikipedia considers this an extension of a carnival. See the full definition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog_carnival

The bottom-line on all of these terms is that they are about connecting with others in much the same way as old web rings used to work. That being said they have a special twist, can spice up your blog, and are a fun way to interact with other bloggers in the blogosphere.