How to write a title that gets clicked

Start with the reader, not the topic

Most weak titles describe the subject (“Notes on budgeting”). Strong titles describe the result for a person (“How I Stopped Overspending Without a Spreadsheet”).

Before you write anything, finish this sentence: “After this, the reader will be able to…” The answer is your title’s promise.

Promise one thing

A title that promises three things promises nothing. Pick the single most useful or surprising outcome and put that first. The rest can live in the subtitle or the content.

Make it concrete

Specific beats vague every time. Numbers, names, times and places make a title feel real.

• Vague: “Tips for better mornings”
• Concrete: “7 Small Changes That Gave Me an Extra Hour Every Morning”
• Vague: “A trip to Kerala”
• Concrete: “Three Days in Kerala’s Backwaters on ₹5,000”

Create curiosity without cheating

Curiosity comes from a gap between what the reader knows and what they want to know. A little gap is good: “The Mistake Most Beginners Make With Logos”. A huge gap that your content never closes is clickbait, and readers remember it.

The test: if someone reads the whole thing, will they feel the title was fair? If yes, you’re fine.

Keep it short enough to scan

Titles are usually read in a glance on a phone. Aim for five to nine words. On YouTube, search results cut titles off at roughly 60 characters, so put the important words first.

On a thumbnail or cover design the title should be even shorter, often three to five words. See the guide on thumbnail text for how to split the work between the title and the image.

Read it out loud, then test two versions

If it’s awkward to say, it’s awkward to read. Write two or three versions in different tones (clear, curious, bold) and choose the one you’d click yourself. itistitle’s Create page does this for you: it gives you options in the tone you pick.