New Medium Writers: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Title for Maximum Engagement
One of the Skills That Got Me 500 Followers and Counting
Are you wondering what skills you need to master to start earning and gaining Followers on Medium? Here’s the first article on the topic. Based on my personal experience and experimentation.
Right before the end of the year, I reached the 500 Followers Milestone. I also published more than 100 posts and had a 50-day writing streak. I’m not the best writer in the world, but you don’t need to be to make it this far and beyond.
In retrospect, there are three main things that I needed to work on, and that I still am working on: Title, Hook, and Engagement.
Today I’ll be talking about the first one, Title!
Title
The most important tool for understanding human behavior is putting yourself on the other side of the screen.
After all, you are a human trying to understand other humans, and analyzing your behavior can provide a powerful dataset.
Think about when you scroll around Medium stories or any other social media platform.
How do you decide whether you want to read an article or not?
The first thing that may prompt you to click on an article as you scroll here on Medium is the title*. So it is an understatement to say it is the MOST important skill to master.
*And maybe who the author is, if you already have favorite authors. But this usually comes up later on.
How do you choose a title then?
Here are some considerations and insights with examples.
Curiosity Sparkers:
- “The Ultimate Guide to…”
- “You Won’t Believe What Happened When…”
- “Breaking News:…”
Why does this work?
Well, we humans are naturally curious. Titles that promise the ultimate guide or tease with unexpected events trigger our curiosity.
So, what do we do? We click and satisfy our human need for information.
Value Propositions:
“Top 10 Tips for…”
“Exclusive Insider’s Look at…”
“Unlock the Secrets of…”
Why does this work?
People are drawn to content that promises to provide value. Whether it’s tips, insider insights, or unlocking secrets, these titles suggest that, by reading a post, the reader will gain something beneficial. So they click.
I have actually observed that if these secrets are about money, love, peace of mind, or all of the above, they tend to be even more popular.
Mystery Unveiling:
“The Untold Story of…”
“Why [Something] is the Key to…”
“The Shocking Truth About…”
Why does this work?
Similar to curiosity, these titles imply hidden information that’s not widely known. Maye a different perspective on a commonly known topic.
So, the promise of uncovering untold stories or shocking truths creates intrigue and drives clicks.
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out):
“Don’t Miss Out on…”
“What Everyone Needs to Know About…”
Why does this work?
FOMO is a powerful motivator. Titles that suggest exclusivity or emphasize that everyone needs to know something. This plays on our fear of being left out, prompting us to click to stay in the loop.
Future Insights:
“The Future of [Industry/Topic] Revealed”
“Warning: [Something] Can Harm Your [Something]”
Why does this work?
We humans are also naturally future-oriented. Titles predicting the future or issuing warnings tap into our desire to be prepared — we really don’t like surprises. Thus, we are more likely to click for foresight or potential protection.
Final remarks
Let me ask you. What do you think all these titles have in common? If you said that they tackle a human emotion or need, you are correct.
Understanding psychological triggers can help in crafting engaging titles that capture attention and drive user engagement. Here on Medium, as much as on other social media platforms.
However, a word of caution!
Use these wisely and responsibly. Make sure that you don’t fall into the trap of “click-bait,” where your content doesn’t match your title.
When this happens, you leave your readers with bad taste. They won’t engage as much, they won’t follow you, and… they won’t come back for more.
Hey there! I hope you enjoyed my story. If you did, why not give me a follow and subscribe to my publications? That way you won’t miss any of my quirks in the future. Thanks for reading!