5 Must-Knows to Develop Article Titles that Get Read

I just got through writing another article about article writing. If you are not currently using article writing as part of your overall marketing stragegy, now is the time to begin.

Kathleen

5 Must-Knows to Develop Article Titles that Get Read
by Kathleen Gage

Does the title of an article determine whether or not the article gets read? In most cases, yes. Readers are drawn to an article (or not) based on how compelling the title is.

Think about your own reading habits - especially online. It is likely you skim over titles before deciding to spend time reading the entire piece.

Whether you receive something in your inbox, visit an article directory, or get a blog announcement, within seconds you make a decision whether to hit the delete button or read the article.

If you are using article marketing as part of your overall online marketing strategy it is essential your information be written in such a way as to establish your credibility and expert status. An aspect of establishing your credibility is to catch the reader’s attention. To do this you must have an appealing title.
1. Intrigue the Reader Titles need to intrigue the reader and convey some type of benefit. The following words in a title have proven to be very effective.
- Secrets to …
- How to …
- What if…
Think of titles that have caught your attention. What about them did so? Experiment with various types of words to draw readers in.
2. Use SubtitlesAdding a subtitle enhances the power of the title. For example:
How To Train Your Boxer Dog What you need to know to have a well-behaved companion
3. Make it Hot and Timely One of the most effective strategies for developing titles that draw readers in is to write on topics that are hot and timely. Keep current with what is going on with your market and industry in order to be viewed as leading edge. If your titles are outdated, chances are people will view your information as outdated.
4. Time is of the Essence
Writing a catchy article helps to retain the attention of your reader. You only have a few seconds to this. What your readers see first is your article title.

5. Discover What Readers Want A great way to find out what people are interested in is to visit forums and find out what people are inquiring about and talking about. This will help you to craft catchy titles guaranteed to be read.

Regardless of what your article is about your title is what will get people to read it. Take time to develop a title that appeals, entices and intrigues.
Kathleen Gage is an Internet Marketing Advisor for Speakers, Trainers, Authors, Consultants and Entrepreneurs. Access her eBook The Truth about Making Money on the Internet at http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htm