avatarCasey Botticello

Summary

The provided content discusses the use of kickers in Medium article titles, explaining what they are, how to create them, and their benefits for organizing content and alerting readers to related articles.

Abstract

The article titled "Medium Article Title Formatting — the Kicker" delves into the underutilized feature of kickers in Medium's title formatting. It clarifies that a kicker is a brief phrase placed before the main title, serving to hook readers, provide additional context, or categorize content. The author, Casey Botticello, demonstrates how to create a kicker in Medium's editor with a step-by-step guide and visual aids. He emphasizes the utility of kickers for writers with a series of related articles or a common theme in their work, suggesting that hyperlinking the kicker can direct readers to a collection of related content. Botticello also recommends creating a Medium publication for better content organization and customization. The article concludes with an invitation to engage with the author on social media and a promotion for an AI service.

Opinions

  • Casey Botticello believes that kickers are underused by Medium writers, who often assume they are reserved for Medium's own publications.
  • He suggests that kickers can enhance the reader's experience by providing clarity and context, as well as by organizing articles into thematic sections.
  • Botticello finds kickers particularly useful for writers who produce a series of articles on related topics, as they help to alert readers to the full scope of the content available.
  • He advocates for the use of hyperlinks in kickers to guide readers to a curated page of related articles, which can be facilitated by creating a Medium publication.
  • The author values the community aspect of writing on Medium, encouraging readers to join a Facebook group and subscribe to a newsletter for further engagement and learning opportunities.

Medium Formatting

Medium Kicker

Medium article title formatting — the kicker

Source: Casey Botticello of Blogging Guide

A kicker is one of the most underutilized title formatting options on Medium. Most medium writers do not realize that they can use this feature, assuming it is reserved for Medium’s own publications.

A kicker is a short phrase that precedes the title of the article. Kickers can be used as hooks or to further explain titles and they can be used to present a section or classification of content.

For example, in my publication, Medium Blogging Guide, I have a number of sections which are grouped by article theme. This article you are reading covers Medium formatting, so I used this as the article kicker.

Medium Article Kicker Example

How to Create a Medium Article Kicker

Creating a Medium kicker is slightly confusing. My suggestions would be to start with a formatted title and subtitle.

  1. Using the example seen above, click in front of the the letter “H” in the word “How” and click enter, creating a new line.
  2. Now type the text for your kicker on the top line (which should be blank).
  3. Highlight the text you just typed in the top line (what will be your kicker) and click on the lowercase t icon. This is demonstrated below:
Medium Kicker Steps
Medium Article Kicker

A kicker is not required for most Medium articles. However if you have a directly related series of articles or a large amount of articles written about a common topic or theme, a kicker can be a great way to alert readers to your content.

I like to hyperlink my kicker to link to a page with a collection of related articles. To do this, simply highlight your Kicker and click the chain link icon.

If you want to create a page for your related articles, I suggest you consider creating a Medium publication. Medium publications allow for the easy creation of customizable pages.

— Casey Botticello

Thanks for reading this article! Leave a comment below if you have any questions. Be sure to sign up for the Blogging Guide newsletter, to get the latest tips, tricks, and news about writing on Medium and to join our Facebook group, Medium Writing, to share your latest Medium posts and connect with other writers.

If you liked this article, here are some other articles you may enjoy:

Casey Botticello is a partner at Black Edge Consulting. Black Edge Consulting is a strategic communications firm, specializing in online reputation management, digital marketing, and crisis management. Prior to founding Black Edge Consulting, he worked for BGR Group, a bipartisan lobbying and strategic communications firm.

Casey is the founder of the Cryptocurrency Alliance, a Super PAC dedicated to cryptocurrency and blockchain advocacy. He is a graduate of The University of Pennsylvania, where he received his B.A. in Urban Studies.

You can connect with him on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or by visiting his website, Blogging Guide.

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