How to Write Catchy Titles for Coaching Blogs
Below is the Mystery-Value Technique, which teaches you how to write catchy titles for your coaching blogs.
This approach to crafting blog titles (also works well for email subject lines or your freebie) — and basically for any writing piece.
The title is vital if you want people to consume your content (especially blog posts).
Online, there’s a ton of content flying around everywhere. It’s just insane.
From Facebook ads, Gmail ads, social posts, discussion group updates, email lists and more — a lot is trying to get your attention.
And if you want people to read your blog posts or any content, you’ll need them to click to it.
And before they click, they are looking at a title (or headline, or subject line, or notification, or ad, etc.) and making the decision.
It’s right there — Should I read (open, download, watch) this or not? Is it valuable to me? Is there something I’m going to learn, discover, gain?
And so, if the title isn’t promising good value, your content will be skipped over.
KEY LEARNING: The title is the make-or-break point. Do or die. Win or lose. If it doesn’t get attention and offer anything useful, people won’t click it.
If you’re going to share any content online like posting blogs or emailing your list, the title (or email subject line) is the make-or-break point. People will look at that title and decide to click or not. So, it’s gotta be enticing.
Kenn Schroder, Web Designer for Coaches (Yes, I’m quoting myself ;P)
Enter Mystery and Value — The Dynamic Duo for Writing Catchy Titles That Get Clicked
When it comes to content like blog posts, your clients (people) can’t help but want to learn how to get what they want.
- The mystery is what the reader DOES NOT KNOW
- The value is what the reader ULTIMATELY WANTS
And when a title has both, it tells the reader to click and read to learn what you don’t know to help you get what you ultimately want.
Here’s an example …
A Simple Example – How to Lose Weight
Consider a blog post titled How to Lose Weight and let’s say you’re a health coach focused on weight loss.
This is a great title because it has both mystery and value ...
- The mystery is HOW TO. It’s what the reader does not know.
- The value is to LOSE WEIGHT, which is what the reader ultimately wants.
If someone who is overweight were to see that as a subject line in an email or a title of a group discussion or in their Facebook feed, he/she would be compelled to click it.
True, the subject of losing weight might be tired, and so such messages lose interest or even get blocked by spam filters. You may fare better by getting more specific.
For example, make your title more unique and valuable like this: How to Lose Weight Without Extreme Exercise or Starvation, assuming you’ve got an approach to back that up.
On a related note, A similar thing happens when it comes to your website — the entire experience must also lead people through pages with mystery and value so they get excited about working with you and get in touch. I wrote all about this in The Coaching Website Guide.
Also, with a great title, it will be much easier to write the content.
When you’re specific in your title to both the challenge it addresses, as well as a framework for the material to be delivered, it’s easier to create.
For example, a blog post titled, Three Tips for Choosing Better Friends When Breaking a Substance Addiction, will be easier to write than one titled, Friends and Addiction.
As another example, Four Ways to Motivate Your Lazy Staff Without Offering More Money would be better than the massive topic of, Employee Management.
Make sense?
Quiz Time! Can you pick out the mystery and value for these three titles?
Client, coach, friend, blogger, and all-around winner of a coach, Mary Franz has learned how to write catchy titles for her blogs. Here are two examples from her website.
Can you pick out the mystery and value for each of these?
Title 1 – Do This to Stop Complaining Quickly
Title 2 – How to Say No to Someone Nicely
Title 3 – How to Write Catchy Titles for Coaching Blogs
Take a second before seeing the answers …
Answer 1
For the first one, the mystery is Do This and the value is to Stop Complaining Quickly.
Someone who is trying to break their complaining habit would love to read this article.
Some possible variations would include …
- Do This to Stop Complaining Quickly
- Do This to Stop Someone Else from Complaining Quickly
- Do This to Break Your Complaining Habit Once and For All
- Do This to Stop Complaining and Regain a Sense of Control
Answer 2
For the second one, the mystery is How to Say No and the value is about how to do it Nicely.
Someone wanting to be in control, be cool, and say “no” nicely would want to read this article.
Variations on this title could be …
- How to Say No at Work
- How to Say No to Family
- Three Things to Think About Before Delivering a Painful No to Loved Ones
Answer 3
Yep, I use this formula often, and well, as you can see- you’re here reading my article.
The mystery is simple How to and the value is Write Catchy Titles for Coaching Blogs.
I could have done other titles like these …
- How to Write Catchy Titles that Attract Clients
- Five Steps to Write Catchy Titles
- The Ultimate Guide to Writing Catchy Titles that Attract Your Ideal Clients
Your 1-Minute Exercise to Write a Catchy Title
Let’s see if you’ve been paying attention!
- Think about ONE challenge that you or a client had recently.
- Then, think about 3, 4, or 5 things/steps/questions/insights/tips to help them overcome that challenge.
- Then, in the comments, craft a title.
I’m waiting …
How to create powerful teams with this one simple thing your mom taught you.
I like it 😉
Hi Kenn, here is a few of my post topics and the headlines.
Key Steps With Goals – A year from now you’ll wish you had started today!
Family Connections – Communication builds a helpful picture!
Team Building – Achieve greater team work, performance & service delivery
Supervision – Working towards the healthy package.
Hey Lawrie! Good first go at it.
Take this …
“Family Connections – Communication builds a helpful picture!”
… and make it this …
“3 Ways to Communicate to Build Strong, Happy, Familiar Bonds”
Make the benefit big (strong, happy bonds).
Make the mystery specific (3 ways)
And don’t add exclamation points in an attempt to make it exciting.
Instead, use words to make it exciting.
Cool?
Great!!!
(Notice where I used !)
Hi Kenn,
Thank you for your feedback, appreciated.
Hi Kenn,
Further thoughts on your comments re my post on “family communication builds a bigger picture” what you gave me back was spot on, but I think the wording I wrote needs to be improved with your idea in mind but differ, as if the post is read, it is about, my experience working with young people in a care setting, sometimes unable to convey what is going on through verbal communication and I found that when relating to the dynamics of the family, it was a useful tool to some young people, to explain family links by compiling a family tree to draw in how strong the relationships was and explain via picture presentation. My experience sharing, reason for that headline.
“What you can learn from bad bosses”
After reading your article, I changed my original title of ‘5 Steps to overcome self-defeating behaviours’ into the one above.
I have started writing (still in draft) about leadership and management style, and was thinking about an article with regards to managers having self-defeating behaviors (SDB) which just don’t serve them well, and come up with a few steps to overcome SDB.
I just wrote some days ago:
“5 Tips to Sleep Well and Wake Up Refreshed”
https://www.cleanlifeprogram.com/blog-1/5-tips-to-sleep-well-and-wake-up-refreshed
NIIIICEEE!!!
Be sure to test your links before and after sharing them.
I think with WIX it’s easy to confuse the right link.
The english link is here:
https://www.cleanlifeprogram.com/english-blog/5-tips-to-sleep-well-and-wake-up-refreshed
Another thing, how do I comment at your blog? It asks me to log in, which I wouldn’t do. By the time I create an account and log in, the thoughts are gone. Might want to make that public or easier.
(Wix sucks for blogging)
Love the suggestion on relaxing the mind so you can wake up with answers.
Hi Kenn,
Thank you so much for your feedback and for the right link!
oh, yes, I totally agree. It’s my new website. I don’t know how people can put their comments without loging in. Maybe it’s not too long, because they can enter with fabook account or G+, but it is boring. l’ll ask to make it easier.
Thank you! 🙂
Hi Kenn.This is so timely and useful for me as I have felt a bit stuck.
I provide equine assisted coaching learning and development for leaders and teams. All of our work is done on the ground with no horse riding involved in an open area with the horses free of any halters or harness. An essential key to the work is that our horses provide real time feedback through our learning and development process when people are interacting with them. We do our work in a 60 metre round arena. I want to write some blogs about what horses can teach us. I wondered about playing with the 360 degree feedback process which is commonly used for leaders in the workplace.
So if I was to try the following
How horses can improve your performance.
Get in the ring and not in the saddle. Learn how interacting with horses will transform you!
Nice! I like the sense of movement and transformation. Thank you Gretchen
Deirdre …
That’s a good title. It’s got both mystery and value.
I’d get more specific, get simpler like this …
How Horses Make Great Leaders and Create Winning Teams.
I know you want to talk about the HOW but you have to tie in the WHY. Otherwise what you do isn’t seen as valuable (to others).
When you write that article, come back and post a link to it. Love to check it out.
Thanks so much Kenn
Much appreciated! I will post the article for sure!
How to get promoted while staying true to you.
That’s it Lisa!
I’m wondering, would people say “I want to get promoted while being true to myself” or more like, “I want to get promoted without having to change who I am” or “I want a promotion without having to be fake”.
That’s for you to find out from those you work with.
I did a search on google for your title, some interesting related ideas/wording shows up …
Hi Lisa, I was reading through Kenn’s website and was struck by your comment. I have been an executive coach for women for 20+ years and get asked that a lot. My question to you is Are you assuming you have to change yourself or be fake to get promoted? It can feel that way but usually isn’t. I often suggest to clients that they think of their role at work like a role in a play or a movie – I like Meryl Streep who can play dramatically different roles but they don’t change who she is. Best, Ellen Snee
Thank you Kenn.
I’m going to play around with some titles.
I’m a fire your boss strategist and am always looking for interesting titles for my blogs.
Great! Let’s hear one, pop it in. What’s one big struggle, sticky spot, tough part of firing your boss and going out on your own?
ok let’s try this: I work with Brides. They are in a blissful mode and don’t want to hear or even think about anything going wrong on their wedding morning: At bridal fairs they practically veered away from my book table: My book was….The morning of Your wedding- the mom’s bought it-
so my new updated book is called wedding morning success and i am trying to find a positive way to present material they don’t know they need!! 60 % of brides afterwards say they wish they planned better. I am stumped as to how to write enticing copy-….I am a clarity coach with this side project 😉
wedding morning drama I witnessed at hundreds of wedding mornings as I was the first on the scene to do hair and make-up…brides running late, drama with bridesmaids, no food, lost car keys, no one to help the bride, matron of honor super stressed because she is also the flower girls mom…brides hungover,….on and on…lost items, left the headpiece at home, dresses ripped, make-up artist came late, dog got the cake, cat got the veil, dressing rooms too tiny, resort too crowded….local parade made guests lost…..what would make a bride want to read my book? I need help!!!
How to progress through your wedding morning like a relaxed pro? How to claim the morning for a successful day? How to make a plan work like a dream? How to orchestrate your dream morning like a pro? help….
Hi Gretchen,
I’ve got a few ideas:
How to have a stress free wedding
Do this 7 steps to avoid having drama on your wedding day
How to have your dream wedding without the stress
The ultimate guide to the perfect wedding
I hope you find this useful.
Regards
great thanks Donna, very helpful!
Nice ones Donna! Lots of Mystery and Value. Brilliant!
A “conceptual” blog like, 3 Ways to Drama-Proof and Protect Your Wedding Day, could go over top-level ways to think.
Like (1) Plan ahead (2) Talk to these key people (3) Get a responsible comrade on board
It’ll let you go over the way to think without giving away the high detail gems in your book.
Hahahaha, one of the most beautiful post I’ve ever read! To me, just writing the examples above, it’s a very good presentation, because after that my idea is:
1) You are an expert
2) You shortly and nicely let me know how many unaxpected things can happen.
3) Finally, if I am, or if I have a friend or a son, or any situation close to a future bride, I absolutely need or want your book. And I think it wiil be even funny. Is it downloadable by internet?
About titles I imagine something like a wedding mission where your expertise is like being ready with the plan B, and plan C, so, eg. (pls note that I don’t know so much english language)
– (title) Wedding: How to avoid your cat get the veil | (subtitle) and more (12) tips on having a succesfull and stress free wonderful day
– How to get married being fresh and calm having a plan B and C for any unaxpected event
– How to make your wedding a perfetct day having the best strategy for any eventuality
– How get ready for your best wedding mission with your plan B and C
– (title) Enjoy Your Wedding | (subtitle) practical guide on how to prevent any eventuality coming from 20 years wedding management (or something else)
So, Enjoy your job. I love weddings 😀
And if you want you can even invite your readers to learn some immediate techniques to release stress and increase a peacefull vitality in 5 to 15 minutes. it’s on my website. Maybe we can prepare a short video for them 🙂
Best wishes, Angie 🙂
Thanks Angie! Love these….yes it is funny find me @weddingmorningsuccess for funny videos too 😉 real book coming soon…
Love this! Thanks Kenn. As always your content fits a need I have. Much apprecaited
Cool, will do…and attribute title to you!
How to wake up feeling full of energy
Perfect!
This came to my mind, “How to Wake Up Completely Rested and Full of Energy”.
When you write that article, come back and link to it 😉