Written on August 24th, 2008 at 12:08 am by Darren Rowse
Show Off Your Title Creation Skills - Rework These Post Headlines
In the last few days we’ve been talking about how to write good blog post titles here at ProBlogger.
We’ve talked about the theory of it - so now it’s time to get a little more practical.
In the next couple of days I’m going to launch a group writing project that picks up the topic of blog titles - but before that (and to help us ‘warm up’ for the project) I thought it might be interesting to workshop a few reader posts as a community.
I just asked my Twitter followers if they had any old blog posts that they feel had good content but poor titles that we could do a community workshop on.
Here are five of the posts submitted:
- My Sister Who Died at 10; Losing a Sibling
- 45 Ways to Exploit Bored Teens for Online Marketing Good
- Black Women and Preeclampsia
- Poorer Individuals Less Likely to Survive
- IM Charity & the Children’s Hospital
I had quite a few more posts submitted but decided to use these five randomly (although there are a few themes!) so that we could focus our energy on just five titles.
So what I’d like to invite you to do is to come up with alternate titles for these posts. Don’t just rush it - ‘craft’ the titles using some of the principles we discussed in the theory we discussed earlier. Feel free to come up with titles for each one or just one of them - but please say which one you’re reworking (use the numbers).
Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
Tags: blog titles
70 Responses to “Show Off Your Title Creation Skills - Rework These Post Headlines”
United Voices
August 24th, 2008 12:36 am
Here are my entries:
1. Loosing a sibbling
2. Exploitation of Teen for online marketing
3. Preeclampsia and Black women
4. Get rich, be ready for survival
5. Charity for Children’s Hospital
Shanel Yang
August 24th, 2008 12:54 am
Great idea, Darren! Here are my suggestions:
1. How to Cope when You Lose a Sister
2. 45 Ways to Grab Teen Attention on the Net
3. What Is Preeclamsia and Why Should You Care?
4. Poor People Live Shorter Lives
5. How Everyone Can Help Sick Children
"Motivate Thyself"
August 24th, 2008 12:59 am
I took a look at #4. It was actually a good article. I thought of this as a possible title:
Poverty Paralyzes Early Detection.
Brad Brown
August 24th, 2008 1:04 am
1. When Darkness Falls
2. Teen Marketing: The Miley Cyrus Way
3. Hypertension, Your Baby, and You
4. Poverty: The Silent Killer
5. Twitter For Change
Sunil Pathak
August 24th, 2008 1:08 am
1. The Pain of Loosing The Dearest Person
2. Not Earning Enough? Exploit Teens For Online Marketing
3. Black Women And The Life-threatening Disorder “Preeclampsia”
4. Survival Of The Richest- The Studdy
5.Be The Part Of The Noble Cause “Charity & The Children’s Hospital”
L-Jay
August 24th, 2008 1:12 am
I have to put this one up before I forget it…
2. 45 child labour jobs that Nike didn’t think of
Georgina
August 24th, 2008 1:20 am
1. Losing A Sibling: My Story
2. 45 Ways to Enlist Teens for an Online Marketing Boost
3. Preeclampsia Among Black Women
4. Survival of the Richest
5. The Children’s Hospital IM Charity Party
Frank Abrams
August 24th, 2008 1:25 am
I love to write, especially about marketing, so I’ll take a shot at these titles.
1. My Sister Who Died at 10; Losing a Sibling
How it Feels When Your Sister Dies
2. 45 Ways to Exploit Bored Teens for Online Marketing Good
Teens Switch from Being Bored to Doing Good
3. Black Women and Preeclampsia
A Disease that Black Women Need to Know About
4. Poorer Individuals Less Likely to Survive
The Poor Die Sooner
5. IM Charity & the Children’s Hospital
Children benefiting from this Hospital Charity
Jaseem Umer
August 24th, 2008 1:29 am
1. I lost a sister
2. 45 Ways to Exploit Bored Teens for Online Marketing Good (already have a good title)
3. (This link is not working for me)
4. Poorer Individuals Less Likely to Survive Breast cancer (just added ‘Breast Cancer’)
5. We are going to conduct an event for child health - ‘IM Charity Party’
Muhammad Siyab
August 24th, 2008 1:40 am
mine:
1. Losing Someone Special: A Story
2. 45 Techniques to Let Bored Teens Do YOUR Online Marketing, So You Don’t Have To!
4.Poorer People More Susceptible to Dying of Cancer Than Richer Ones.
5. Make Children Happy by Supporting a Children’s Hospital, And Be Proud of It!
P.S: For some reason, the third post isn;t working :S
Practically Thinking
August 24th, 2008 2:06 am
1.”Lost” Due to Loss
2. How to copy what Joe Camel isn’t allowed to do
3. Preeclampsia, and Predisposition of Black Women
4. No bank? more than likely your in the tank!
Jason Baer
August 24th, 2008 2:27 am
1. Tragedy at 10. When a sibling dies.
2. A minor advantage. Using teen labor to build your Web site traffic.
3. 3 reasons why pregnancy threatens the black community.
4. Does poverty = death?
5. Can social networking save a child’s life?
Jamie Simmerman
August 24th, 2008 2:33 am
Great exercise! What fun.
1. Coping with the Loss of a Sibling
2. 45 Online Marketing Secrets
3. Preeclampsia in Black Women: Facts, Fiction, and Advice
4. Does an Empty Wallet Mean Early Death?
5. Share the Love with Children’s Hospital IM Charity
Laura
August 24th, 2008 2:35 am
1. Coping with the Death of a Sibling
2. 45 Ways to Engage Teens and Do Good
3. The Truth about Black Women and Preclampsia
4. How Building Wealth Can Increase Your Lifespan
5. Celebrate & Support Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and The Children’s Hospital.
L-Jay
August 24th, 2008 2:48 am
Ok, I admit it, I love this game…
1. A Child Surviving Loss
1. When a child dies
2. 45 time-outs for teens
2. How to keep your grounded teen from sneaking out
3. Preeclampsia in Black Pregnancies
4. The Poverty-Cancer link
4. Are you poor? You might have cancer.
5. How to double your money for charity
5. The biggest match of the season
(Um -the post for number 3 is missing.)
Mary Lutz
August 24th, 2008 2:49 am
1. Life and Loss of Life
I chose this title after reading the post.
Mary Lutz
August 24th, 2008 3:07 am
4. Does Lower Income Mean Higher Fatality Rate?
Melody Campbell, The Small Business Guru
August 24th, 2008 3:12 am
1. Sibling Greif: Tribute to My Sister
2. Teens4Hire: 45 Online Marketing Services
3. Preeclampsia, Black Women & Pregnancy Health Concerns
4. Breast Cancer Facts: Why the Poor Struggle to Survive
5. Charity for Children. It’s an Internet Marketing Party!
This was a great excercise! Thanks Darren.
PPC Fool
August 24th, 2008 3:13 am
I need all the practice I can get :)
1. Lose a loved one? How I coped …
2. 45 Summer Teen Jobs to Boost your Marketing Efforts
3. -
4. Another strike against poor people
5. “2 Martinis for the Children’s Hospital please”
Abbas Shareef
August 24th, 2008 3:14 am
5) Im Charity At Children’s Hospital Possible?(Question)
4) Poor Individuals Die Fast (Controversial)
3) Preeclampsia and Black women: What Do You Know? (The Word You)
2) Online Marketing - Eploitation Of A Teen (Keyword: Online Marketing)
1) My Stunning News - My Sister Died At 10 (Power Word Stunning).
Mary Lutz
August 24th, 2008 3:16 am
5. Children’s Hospital Saved My Kids Lives
Bruce Simmons (brusimm)
August 24th, 2008 3:55 am
1. Dealing With Personal Loss
2. Retaining Your Teen Internet Audience
3. Hypertension and Pregnancy
4. Surviving Cancer and the Shoestring Budget
5. Donate to Worthy Children’s Causes
Ace Anderson
August 24th, 2008 3:59 am
1. My Sister Who Died at 10; Losing a Sibling
1. Losing a Sibling
2. 45 Ways to Exploit Bored Teens for Online Marketing Good
2. Exploiting Teens, Good For Marketing?
3. Black Women and Preeclampsia
3. Preeclampsia
[Blog is already about black women]
4. Poorer Individuals Less Likely to Survive
4. Get Rich or Die Sooner
5. IM Charity & the Children’s Hospital
5. Party for Charity!
[More of what the article is about]
ElegantCelebBlogger
August 24th, 2008 4:11 am
My shot at the post titles:
1. When a Sister Dies
2. Teens Can Help Your Online Marketing Advantage
3. Pregnant Sistah, Check Your Blood Pressure
4. Poor Women Die Earlier From Breast Cancer
5. IM Party Benefits Two Children’s Charities
Clara Mathews
August 24th, 2008 4:42 am
OK. I will give it a try.
1. Gone to Soon: Coping with the loss of a sibling.
2. 45 Surefire Ways to Market to Teens online
3. What Black Women should know about Preeclampsia
Steven Barchetti
August 24th, 2008 6:06 am
1.) Discover the tragedy of losing a sibling. Immediate cures!
2.) Danger, guide your bored teenagers, from destructive activities. Discover how!
3.) Bad news, for pregnant moms! Preeclampsia and YOU, what can be done?
4.) Surviving poverty, are you part of the problem or solution? Find out!
5.) Family Tragedy. Charity & Children’s Hospital, think of others!
Hey Darren, great idea for your blog. For blogging and living in an online world, headlines make all the difference.
I think that is what makes twitter such a great tool, you have 140 characters to make your point. Every time you use twitter you are getting head line writing practice.
Steven Barchetti
Your Digital Coach
http://www.KingOfSocialMedia.com
Dave Shaw
August 24th, 2008 6:25 am
My attempt…
1. What it was like to lose my 10 year old sister
2. 45 tedious online tasks your bored teen can do for you
3. The story didn’t open for me on this one?
4. Research claims poor people die young
5. Why I’m supporting The Children’s Hospital and how you can help
Dollface
August 24th, 2008 6:37 am
1. Dark Days: Losing a Sibling
2. Got Your Attention?: Exploitation of Teens in Online Marketing
3. Know the Symptoms: Preeclampsia
4. Less Money, More Problems
5. No Hoax — Instant Message for Charity
Julie Power
August 24th, 2008 6:59 am
I just love these reworkings of my headlines. Thank you so much. But my favorite, the one that made me laugh until I was sick, was “45 child labour jobs that Nike didn’t think of,” by L-Jay. Makes me feel like some rich capitalistic pig. oink oink.
Farah
August 24th, 2008 7:15 am
1. Life: After my sister died
2. 45 ways to improve online marketing with bored teens in mind
4. Health Risks for being poor
5. How to help a children’s hospital through IM Charity
#3 there was no article
العاب شمس الدين
August 24th, 2008 8:44 am
2- 45 ways to help teens succeed in online marketing
Ryan Letourneau
August 24th, 2008 9:33 am
2. Cheap Labour: 45 Tedious Website Tasks You Can Source Out To Bored Teens
Ryan Letourneau
August 24th, 2008 9:34 am
Sorry, that should be
2. Cheap Labour — 45 Tedious Website Tasks You Can Outsource To Bored Teens
Todd Andrews
August 24th, 2008 10:02 am
Apologies if these sound cruel or humorous, but these titles would DOMINATE digg.
1. Would You Rather: Lose a Sibling or iPhone?
2. 45 Laser Quick Ways to Rip Off An Idiot
3. (article not active, so no idea)
4. Buying Yourself a Longer Life
5. How To Avoid Hell and Help Kids Along the Way
Mark Dykeman
August 24th, 2008 11:52 am
4. Why don’t many poor people get screened for cancer?
Dan Mihaliak
August 24th, 2008 12:13 pm
4. Discover the Link Between Poverty and Breast Cancer Survival Rate.
Neil Duckett
August 24th, 2008 12:38 pm
Any reason why they’re all pretty morbid topics?
Lamyaa Hashim-Albayaa
August 24th, 2008 12:40 pm
4. Socioeconomic Status Factor in Breast Cancer Mortality
Jess
August 24th, 2008 4:10 pm
Neil…I think maybe they are all morbid topics cause morbid topics are probably the hardest ones to write titles for
Monarchen.nl
August 24th, 2008 7:57 pm
I vote for Shanel Yang’s suggestions.
Syed Balkhi
August 24th, 2008 8:21 pm
1. Death of a sibling can be tough
2. 45 Ways to Exploit Bored Teens for Online Marketing Good
3. Effects of Preeclampsia on Black Women
4. People in the lower class are Less Likely to Survive
5. Help the kids hospital
ITrush
August 24th, 2008 9:08 pm
#1 - How I Coped after loosing a loved one - “Secrets Revealed”
sundararajan
August 24th, 2008 9:51 pm
My attempt:
1. GOD clicked the ‘DELETE’ button of my sister
2. Do you know the ways of pulling teens into online
marketing ?
3. Preeclampsia ripping off Black Moms-to be
4. Poverty – Gun with a silencer
5. Its Party for the sweeties – Are you not joining??
Andrew the Organic Maven
August 24th, 2008 10:42 pm
Hi Darren,
Love this series, and your ProBlogger posts in general.
I can’t be certain, but I think you may have listed this wonderful tool in an earlier post of yours.
I use it all the time to really good effect - I’m now gaining good regular exposure through BlogBurst - and now I’m passing it on!
Emotional Marketing Value Headline Analyzer
http://tinyurl.com/caqb5
Enjoy!
Niamh Kiernan
August 24th, 2008 11:02 pm
3. Toxemia & Pre-eclampsia Swells Black Woman by 35lb in 1 week
Niamh Kiernan
August 24th, 2008 11:06 pm
I attempted to read the first one about the sister who died by found the text difficult to read on that black background and so did not bother. So a good headline would be a waste from my point of view.
Kate Holmes
August 24th, 2008 11:19 pm
1. She was 10; I was 7. Honoring her death
2. Got teen? 45 Ways they can help your online marketing
3. The swift and silent killer of pregnant women
4. Money can’t buy time? It can if you’re sick
5. Raise a Glass with us to the kids
charles
August 24th, 2008 11:52 pm
Here are my title suggestions:
1. Make billions but dont lose a sister
2. Viral, Kinky and Sexy: Teens Exploitation
3. Racial Blacks: Preeclaampsia
4. Bill Gates retired but the poor did not
5. Give but do not take: Charity and Hospital
If one of my titles are chosen, please visit me at: http://www.resourcesandmoney.blogspot.com
Jen
August 25th, 2008 12:15 am
5. Party with us - guilt free! Do it for the children….
Steven Wilson
August 25th, 2008 12:15 am
4.Cancer:The silent killer of the less fortunate.
Big Pumpkin
August 25th, 2008 12:16 am
Some of the titles they’ve come up with are hilarious!!!
Leo Hanes
August 25th, 2008 1:53 am
Number 4
Do you want to discover why the poor are less likely to survive cancer?
Leo Hanes
August 25th, 2008 2:00 am
Number 1
It just dawned on me - I survived my family - My sister didn’t, She died at 10
Leo Hanes
August 25th, 2008 2:06 am
Number 2
Do you want to learn how engaging a teens help your online buisness 45 ways?
Graham
August 25th, 2008 2:14 am
45 Ways to Exploit Bored Teens for Online Marketing Good
#2
Bored Teens on the Web: How to Exploit Them for Fun and Profit
Tapping into the Online Teen Market: 45 Methods
Leo Hanes
August 25th, 2008 2:17 am
Number 3
Are you a pregnant black woman - You are at high risk then!
Leo Hanes
August 25th, 2008 2:23 am
Number 5
Do You Want to Discover How Internet Marketing Is Helping Save Children?
Neecy
August 25th, 2008 5:56 am
2. Teenagers Know Everything, Put That To Good Use!
4 The High Cost of Cancer Survival, Do The Poor Pay With Their Lives?
5 The term IM makes me think of Instant Messaging,and I have never heard of an Internet Marketing Party, so he might have wanted to explain that part a little more. I am very glad that his family is ok, and i am also greatful we have a childrens hospital near us.
Gary
August 25th, 2008 11:00 am
1. I never got to dance at my little sister’s wedding
2. Teens are not motivated but don’t care-Not yet!
3. Lower your risk as a Black woman
Angel Cuala
August 25th, 2008 4:16 pm
This is a good training for us, Darren. However, I cannot read the first post due to very dark background and small font so I have to skip that one. Here is for the rest.
2.0 45 Ways on How Bored Teens can help us On-line
3.0 Preeclampsia and its effect on Black Women
4.0 Understanding Breast Cancer and Helping the Poor Victims
5.0 Join the IM Charity Party & support The Children’s Hospital
I think that’s good enough. So will there be a special prize for winners? Just kidding! This workshop is more than to be a prize.
By the way, I think number 3 link should be http://ebonywoman.info/?p=170
Thanks!
Niamh Kiernan
August 25th, 2008 5:49 pm
Hi Darren,
I see Blogburst was recommenede here and I was as keen as mustrd to get going with it but advised by an expeienced marketeer that:
‘Did not increase my viewer ship, they also pull your content
to their sites…(dup content issue)
Which means your content is on a high powered site giving
your own site little chance of beating it within the serps.’
Do you have any intelligence on this?
Regards,
Niamh
GAYATHRI
August 25th, 2008 7:07 pm
i was tempted to worked on one caption see if it matches your expectation
4. pretty lady!!! your attention please!!!
4. stop! Be aware else you could be the next..
4. Dear! can i have your attention please.
4. We need you. take care - Soceity
you can mail your comments bye
Lainie Petersen
August 26th, 2008 1:32 am
1. Dying at 10: Remembering my Sister
2. Revitalize Your Site: Hire a Teen
3. Black Women: Beware Preeclampsia Risk!
4. Breast Cancer: Poor Less Likely to Survive
5. Mark Your Calendars: IM Fundraiser for Children’s Hospital
casey
August 26th, 2008 5:26 am
Shanel Yang’s are the BEST!
Seth Ellsworth
August 26th, 2008 12:10 pm
1. One Mind, One Heart: Remembering Loved Ones Passed On
2. WARNING: New Contagious Viral Disease Affecting a Teenager Near You (TM)
3. A Black Secret: Preeclampsia
4. Pinching More Than Just Pennies: The Red Cent and Breast Cancer
5. Since Your Kids Are Better Marketers Than You, Donate to THEIR Cause
Yu Ming Lui
August 26th, 2008 4:30 pm
Another top post, Darren. You’ve broken down a process that most people would just go with their “gut”.
Bonie
August 27th, 2008 9:59 pm
Nice tips man :D , go Bloggers :D
Niamh Kiernan
August 27th, 2008 10:53 pm
4. Are You Poor? Undo The Pink Ribbon & Clamp Your Hands on Your Breasts
ladonnajeangreen.com
August 28th, 2008 6:26 am
1. My Sister Who Died at 10; Losing a Sibling
She Died at Ten and I Live To Tell About It
2. 45 Ways to Exploit Bored Teens for Online Marketing Good
NEW Online Marketing Tool -Teens!
3. Black Women and Preeclampsia
Baby Steps to a Healthy Pregnancy for Black Women
4. Poorer Individuals Less Likely to Survive
In Poverty and On the Brink of Survival
5. IM Charity & the Children’s Hospital
IM Charity Party Event for Children’s Hospital!
Mel Menzies
September 3rd, 2008 3:28 am
Really makes you think, this one. Here are my suggestions:
1. How I Faced the Loss of My Little Sister
2. You Can Alleviate Teenage Boredom: Employ them as Online Salesmen
3. Is Pregnancy A Threat to Black Women?
4. Poverty Shortens Your Life
5. Charity for Children’s Hospital: Count Me In
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