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How To Make Catchy Titles: 26 Tips & 88 Examples (Original & Fun!)

How To Make Catchy Titles: 26 Tips & 88 Examples (Original & Fun!)

How do you write catchy titles, for example for your (blog) article? Here you will learn all the tips for successful titles that will make readers click. We are also interested in coming up with original titles, but above all we need titles that work and make people click! And you can find it here. Read more…

Contents of this page:

Tip 1 – Add a number to your title (which is not a round number!)

So the following title can be improved:

The best tips for falling asleep

We just need to add the number of tips.

The 10 best tips for falling asleep

You get bonus points if you place an odd or non-round number because it feels ‘real’ then:

The 11  best tips for falling asleep

A number like 10 or 5 is very round. Because top 5 lists and top 10 lists are made so often, the reader will think: “They probably only had eight tips and they should have added two just as quickly to complete it.” When you use a non-round number, such as 11, all 11 actually seem to be in the list correctly. This arouses the most curiosity.

Tip 2 – Add the year in which the article was updated

Suppose your title currently looks like this:

The 50 Most Inspiring Movies Ever

Then add the following:

The 50 Most Inspiring Movies Ever (Update 2021)

A current year reassures the reader. He / she no longer has to think about whether it is an outdated article. This ensures that readers do click on your article, and not on the articles of the competitors that do not have a year.

Tip 3 – Add parentheses [Square] or (Round)

Somehow this addition gets a lot more people to click on your article.

Examples of this tip:

Learning to knit … what are the 20 best tips? (List)

The 8 most common spelling mistakes in the US (# 5 will surprise you)

Pony riding, everything you need to know [Checklist]

Square brackets are especially useful for indicating the type of content. For example:

  • [Checklist]
  • [Roadmap]
  • [Complete Guide]
  • [List]
  • [Worksheet]
  • [Infographic]
  • [Video]
  • [HowTo]
  • [Slideshow]
  • [Incl. Photos]

Tip 4 – Make your title active: Add a verb where possible

catchy titles write examples tips

With every title you create, from now on you think: ‘Is it possible to add a verb here / adjust the sentence so that it contains a verb’? In other words: a call to action.

Example:

‘Helpful podcast about quitting smoking’ changes to: ‘ Listen to this handy podcast about quitting smoking.’

“The Best Method to Quit Smoking” changes to ” Use This Best Method to Quit Smoking.” Or, ” Learn this handy method to quit smoking.” Or: ” Download this method to quit smoking.”

Buy these recommended e-cigarettes.

Find your perfect method to quit smoking’

Download this hypnosis to quit smoking ‘

Learn everything you need to know about quitting smoking here’

Get access to all tips to quit smoking here’

Tip 5 – Create catchy titles? Add an all-or-nothing statement

All-or-nothing statements are a powerful part of the Milton model . Let’s immediately show some examples of this technique:

With these sleep tips you will never be awake again at night .

9 crazy photography tricks that always work.

20 tips to always beat everyone with Monopoly.

You always get fantastic grades with these study tips.

Get rid forever of your unproductive work habits.

Tip 6 – Make a promise: ‘After you have read this article (you will never do x again)’

Combine this tip with the previous tip for extra effect:

After reading this article you always jump out of bed in the morning .

After reading this article, you can read anyone like a book.

Tip 7 – Use hypnotic / emotional words

These are words like

  • Now
  • Straight away
  • Today
  • Dangerous
  • Guarantee
  • Thing
  • you
  • Finally
  • Popular
  • Powerful
  • Influential
  • Shocking
  • Unmasked
  • pay attention
  • Pride

[ Beware ] 20 Dangerous  Tips for Reading Someone’s Mind

With these 20 tips you guarantee that your entrepreneurial dreams come true

10 Happiness Tips – Have a smile that you can be proud of

21 things you immediately can do for confidence

What This Shocking 2021 Study Reveals About the Paleo Diet

[Unmasked]  Timmy’s E-Course Carpentry Review –  Shocking (Caution)

You can read all about these powerful words in the article about powerful marketing words .

Tip 8 – Use adjectives and adverbs wherever possible

catchy titles write examples tips

Does your title still have room for a few extra words? Then see where you can add an adjective. You can also find powerful adjectives in the previous tip (about powerful words).

This title could be improved: “25 Ways to Earn Passive Income.”

With adjective, “25 Guaranteed Ways to Earn Passive Income.” Or, “25 Incredible Ways to Make Passive Income.” Or, “25 Effortless Ways to Earn Passive Income.”

Let’s look at one more example:

This is already a very strong title: ’36 Ways to Instantly Connect with Everyone! ‘

With a few adverbs we can make it even more powerful: ’36 ways (that work!) To instantly connect with everyone! Or: ’36 proven ways to instantly connect with everyone! ‘

Here are more powerful adjectives and adverbs for titles:

  • Effortless ways to …
  • Guaranteed …
  • Incredible …
  • Irresistible …
  • Top-…
  • Fast working… (tips)
  • Immediately applicable … (tips)
  • Simple …
  • Bizarre…
  • Never seen …
  • Unusual …
  • Surprising …
  • Funny …
  • Step by step -… (for example: explanation / methods)
  • 10 golden tips …

Tip 9 – Use a surprising or threatening statistic

For example:

How 60% of people in their thirties encounter a burnout.

Tip 10 – Use the premise ‘Why’

come up with catchy titles

The technique ‘ presuppositions / implications ‘ is very useful to use in titles because it ensures that something that is actually not normal at all is displayed as the status quo.

Why you as a man should buy a watch.

Why Everyone Should Use This Sleep Tip.

Tip 11 – Refer in the title to your fantastic content

Use the words “This way,” “Like this,” or “This.” With this technique you refer in your title to fantastic tips and techniques in your article. In the meantime, there is nothing about this in the title itself. The reader must therefore now click.

Examples:

This is how you blow your audience away during your presentation (10 tips)

In this way you pass your driving exam in one go.

These 9 tips will transform your dating life.

Tip 12 – Use the word ‘How to …’

Start your title with, “How to …” This will appeal to your readers’ “how to” instinct. An example of this is:  How you do / get x.

Starting entrepreneur? How to immediately achieve your first 5,000 in turnover.

Tip 13 – Don’t finish your title

Give a very concrete answer to the reader’s search question, but leave out the most important part of the answer so that one has to click through to the article.

Example:

I tested a Deliveroo job for a week and earned $ ___

Tip 14 – Use the words: ‘Who else?’

This is one way of incorporating social proof into your title.

Who else wants more real fun and less stress during their vacation? 20 Tips!

Tip 15 – Start with: ‘The secret of …’

This technique for catchy titles only becomes clear when you see the examples:

The secret to successful podcasting.

Tip 16 – Use the ‘You can get the most out of it’ title

I am actually referring to the English saying: ‘Have your cake and eat it too’. This is the feeling that you get bonus on bonus on bonus. The benefits don’t stop!

Now you can quit your job and make even more money.

Tip 17 – Do {skill} as {World class example person}

View the examples to immediately understand this technique:

Speak Spanish like a diplomat.

With these tips you can party like a Paris Hilton.

Tip 18 – You did … wrong all this time

There’s nothing more tempting to click than to be told you’ve been doing something wrong for years … And the title doesn’t even tell you what it is! These titles are therefore guaranteed to generate clicks.

An example:

You brushed your teeth wrong all this time – This is how you fix it!

Tip 19 – Ask a question

catchy titles write examples tips

If necessary, combine this tip with the previous tip. Somehow include a question mark in your title, because according to studies by Clickflow and Backlinko, titles with questions have a click through rate that is 14% higher.  compared to titles without question.

Did you know you’ve been brushing your teeth wrong all this time? This is how you fix this!

Tip 20 – Refer to scientific research in your title (or other authorities)

Scientific research can sometimes give that extra push to get someone to click. You can also refer to CEOs or celebrities! Just look at the example below:

Do you want to know what research really works to fall asleep quickly?

Tip 21 – Respond to the fundamental needs with your title

One of the related basic needs is the fear of falling behind or missing out . An example is:

Did you know that you miss out on a lot of fun evenings ? 10 tips for the best outings!

17 things you need to know / read to keep up with the latest fashion trends.

What Everyone Should Know About Writing Catchy Titles.

We have written a separate article about the basic needs . At the bottom of that article you can read how you can respond to this in your titles and other marketing communication.

Tip 22 – ‘Upgrade’ your tips!

You may already know that putting the word ‘tips’ in your title will generate a lot more interest. Now let’s take it a step further: don’t just give tips, but upgrade your tips. Just look at the examples below:

9 tips that actually work.

8 things you didn’t know … 

60 tips you wish you had known before. 

10 golden tips.

18 quick-acting tips.

24 little  tips.

8 directly applicable tips.

11 tips (directly applicable!)

The above examples are a lot more catchy than usual: ‘9 tips …’ Right?

Tip 23 – Use these time-tested quantitative words for catchy titles

catchy titles write examples tips

There are a number of words that have proven themselves time and again as part of a catchy title. So use these words for your articles.

  • 24 Tips
  • 7 Reasons
  • 21 Lessons
  • 36 Tricks
  • 29 Ideas
  • 65 Ways
  • 11 Lesser known ways to …
  • Here’s a quick way to …
  • 50 Principles
  • 12 Facts
  • 39 Insights
  • 28 Secrets
  • 27 strategies
  • 6 Steps
  • 5 brilliant headline hacks for insanely high organic CTRs

What do you notice about these words? They are quantitative: you can put a number in front of them. This tip therefore goes well with the very first tip of this article: put a number in your title! This appeals to readers so well because it is so specific, among other things. This appeals to your readers’ ‘how to’ instinct.

36 ways to instantly connect with anyone!

Tip 24 – Address your readers directly in your catchy title

You literally name your audience in your title. Are you writing an article for fashion bloggers? Then use the following first words in your title:

WordPress fashion bloggers, read here 4 ways to protect your blog from hackers.

If your article is specifically for bloggers, your title could look like this:

All struggling bloggers, use these 3 strategies to get more blog traffic.

Tip 25 – Get inside your audience’s head: ‘What would your audience like to click on?

Put yourself in the shoes of your ideal reader. What makes a title irresistible to them? Simple: if you show that you also know all their pressing questions :

  • Who is that guy who can be seen on social media every day?
  • Why is {infamous person} spamming us?

People also like to click on honesty and free things:

  • Our honest review / experience
  • Honest opinion
  • Free
  • Is it worth it?
  • Is it worth your money?
  • Everything you need to know
  • Read this before you buy
  • This is what we know
  • Is he really what he claims?
  • Does it really work?
  • The truth about …
  • Reliable?
  • Fair?
  • Safe?
  • Suitable / Usable?
  • Integer?
  • Fact-check
  • Our experience as a customer

Tip 26 – Grab the Milton Model for inspiration for catchy titles

If you’re familiar with the Milton Model, you may have already noticed: many of these tips are based on techniques from the Milton Model. For extra inspiration, it is therefore a good idea to consult the article about the Milton Model .

Those were all the tips. Read my related articles about persuasion and let us know in the comments what great titles you have created. I like to read your convincing titles and articles!

About The Author

Rubin

Hello! Thanks for reading these articles. My intention is to make happiness as simple and clear as posssible. By the way, excuse my English. I am not a native English speaker since I live in Amsterdam. Much appreciated if you use the comments to make suggestions on my grammar. See ya in another blogpost!

3 Comments

  1. Triston Sampson

    Nice post. I learn something totally new and challenging on websites

  2. Jimmy Barker

    Estudo Cristão me ajuda a encontrar respostas para minhas perguntas sobre Deus e a vida espiritual. Os vídeos são esclarecedores e me permitem aprofundar minha fé de maneira significativa. – Isabel M.

  3. Kody Morgan

    Give a round of applause in the comments to show your appreciation!