I never really focused on writing a good blog title for my posts. I always thought a short and simple title was enough, but I wasn’t considering how it could affect traffic from my readers.

After 3 years of writing, here’s what I learned: your blog title matters, and you should take it seriously.

According to Copyblogger, 80% of readers will read headline copy, but only 20% will read the rest. This only says that you can get the attention of your readers by writing a good blog title and they should be included in that 20%.

On top of that, your blog titles contribute a lot to SEO and can help your post rank higher on Google.

If you’re serious about blogging, start writing catchy blog titles, and you’ll get more clicks.

Why does your blog title matter?

A well-written blog title helps you to increase your click-through rate (CTR), which is a good indication that your readers find your content helpful.

It also helps to rank your blog post on the top page of Google and build credibility with your readers.

How does your blog title define your content?

Your title defines your whole content. That’s why you need to write an engaging headline and never fail your readers.

When someone clicks on your post because of the title, make sure the blog itself delivers on that promise.

When I read blog posts, I always look at the title first. If I find it helpful, I immediately click and start reading.

Some writers are really good at crafting catchy titles, but the problem is that they don’t always back it up with quality content.

I remember reading content on Medium where some titles were so catchy that I just had to click.

But since I wasn’t a paying member, I only had three free reads for stories behind the paywall.

One time, I clicked on a story, read the first paragraph, and realized the title was pure clickbait. I had wasted one of my free reads on an article that didn’t deliver.

As a reader, that was frustrating.

So if you’re writing, don’t take advantage of your readers.

Never try clickbaiting. Instead, write titles that attract attention and content that truly provides value.

Also read:

• How To Choose Your Niche in Medium
• How to Grow Your Medium Followers Without Publishing (Hacks)
• How to Write a Blog Post: My Effective and Efficient Workflow

The psychology behind writing blog titles

We are all driven by our emotions.

Some readers get excited when they see a blog title that sparks their curiosity or triggers an emotional response.

As a blogger, you should take advantage of this. The goal is to use emotion to encourage readers to click and read your content.

When I write a blog title, I make sure it has the following:

1. The subject
2. Words that teach
3. The result

For example, this blog post title, “How I Write SEO-Friendly Titles and Meta Descriptions That Get Clicks,” follows my standards:

1. The subject (SEO-friendly title)
2. Words that teach (How to)
3. The result (Get Clicks)

Notice how I wrote it? I am solving a problem by using “how to” in the title and adding the result = get clicks.

If I were a newbie writer, I would definitely click the title to learn how to grow my clicks. This approach works for me, and I know it also helps other writers.

Some writers use a different strategy, such as including numbers in their titles.

I try this too sometimes because, as a reader, numbered titles also hook my attention and make me curious about the content.

But are you wondering how I double-check my titles?

I actually use a third-party platform called Headline Analyzer.

I’ve been using it since I started my website, and it has become my go-to tool for analyzing titles.

The best part is that it breaks down your headline and shows areas where you can improve, such as emotional impact, word balance, and readability.

This tool shows the score of your headline based on psychology that will hook your readers.

I tried 3-5 times before getting the best title that might help me hook the attention of my readers.

From the image, you will see that I started from having a 66 score until I made it to 84, which is not bad; a green color indicates a good title, but it can still be improved.

As you can see in the next image, you will see a breakdown of your title and what parts you can improve.

I find this tool helpful to analyze my title, and I always use this every time I write informative long-form posts.

Keep your title simple but engaging

Make your title clear and simple

You can write a title that shows the three mentioned above: subject, teach, and result.

It should also meet the readers’ intent and align with your content.

You should also consider that Google SERPs meta title should be only 50-60 characters to show on the page, and readable.

The image above shows the difference between 50-60 characters and more than 60 characters for your blog title.

As you can see, the second title is just too long, so it won’t fit on the page of Google.

My Actionable Plan for Writing Better Titles and Meta Descriptions

Here is the exact process I now follow whenever I publish a blog post:

1. Write the draft title first with my main keyword in it.
2. Check the length and trim it down to around 55-60 characters.
3. Add one power word if it feels natural and fits the content.
4. Ask myself: “Would I click this if I saw it on Google?”
5. Write the meta description right after finishing the post.
6. Keep it short (150–160 characters) and include my main keyword.
7. Add a call to action like learn more, discover, or find out.
8. Review everything before publishing to make sure it is honest and not clickbait.
9. Check Google Search Console after a few weeks to see if clicks improved. If not, I try a different version.

This simple checklist saves me time and helps me consistently write titles and meta descriptions that actually get results.

FAQs About SEO Titles and Meta Descriptions

1. How long should an SEO title be?
From my experience, the sweet spot is 50–60 characters. That way, it does not get cut off in search results.

2. Can I use more than one keyword in a title?
Yes, but I keep it natural. I focus on one main keyword, then if I can fit a title without making it awkward, I include it.

3. Do meta descriptions affect rankings?
Not directly. Google does not rank pages based on meta descriptions alone. But a good one improves click-through rate, and higher clicks can indirectly help rankings.

4. What happens if I do not write a meta description?
Google will pull one automatically, but in my experience, it rarely sounds as good as a custom one. That is why I prefer writing mine.

5. How often should I update my titles and meta descriptions?
I check them whenever I notice a post is getting impressions but not many clicks in Google Search Console. Sometimes a small change in wording makes a big difference.

Conclusion

Writing content takes a lot of time, but if you look deeper, you will realize that writing your title will also take much of your time if you take it seriously and want to level up your game of blogging.

Few writers don’t realize it, but your title has a huge factor in driving traffic to your post.

The title usually represents your post, so make a good impression on your readers and take advantage of learning the psychology behind writing good titles for your posts.

If you haven’t done this, you can always write a blog post of your case study, sharing the comparison of using a regular title vs a well-crafted title using Headline Analyzer.