If you’re a fitness business owner, having a fitness blog isn’t an option – it’s essential.
You need it because it’s a fantastic marketing tool. But here’s the thing:
The blog title needs to grab the attention of the reader. Otherwise, they won’t bother clicking it.
Creating engaging titles for a blog post can be a pain, especially if you’re not a writer.
Do you have a fitness blog, and you have some doubt about a few (or all) of your posts?
Let’s discuss some beginner-friendly tips for how to write a catchy title for your fitness blog post.
How to Write a Catchy Blog Post Title for Your Fitness Blog
I want to go over my own tips and actionable advice on how to write a better blog post title.
I’ll structure these tips as a checklist so that you can ask yourself each question and immediately put these tips into practice.
1. What is the Blog Post About?
This one seems obvious, but this is a critical question to ask yourself before any writing happens.
If your article tries to cover too much unrelated information, your title will reflect this and you’ll end up with a title as confusing as the post itself.
You should be able to answer the question of what the blog post is about in one sentence.
And if you’re able to do that, it’ll be easier to write a clear, concise, and engaging blog post title.
2. Is This a How, What, Why, or When Post?
Putting one of these question words in the post title tells the reader that you’re going to answer that question.
People tend to respond better to these questions, especially when you’re writing a how-to guide (much like what I’m writing now).
If the post is not a how, what, why, or when post, then try using numbers.
3. Can You Use Numbers in the Title?
Numbers signify a specific number of points or bits of helpful advice. They set the stage for what to expect.
Are you offering a certain number of tips?
Will the reader be able to decrease their workout time?
Is the reader going to be able to gain a certain number of pounds of muscle with your advice?
For example, “How to Start a Running Program in Five Easy Steps.”
Use numbers when it makes sense, but do not use BOTH a question word and a number. Pick one.
4. Is This Blog Post Going to be a List?
Lists are a great way to make your post seem more organized.
And your readers will appreciate it because it’ll be easy to follow.
For example, “Ten Ways to Lose Weight Without Dieting.”
This combines two strategies: you’re using a number and you’re letting the audience know this is going to be a list.
You’re painting a clear picture before they even click on the post, which is what you want to do with each and every post.
5. Is this Blog Post Title Specific?
Speaking of painting a clear picture, the next question you need to ask yourself is whether your title is specific enough.
If you have a specific niche, focus on that.
Don’t try to write something to please everyone because you could miss the mark and your target audience.
Stay specific to your area of the fitness industry.
For example, if you’re a yoga studio owner who caters to primarily women between the ages of 35 to 45, you probably wouldn’t want to write a post about powerlifting for men.
Stay in your lane and narrow your focus.
6. Can You Make This a Personal Story?
If it’s applicable, you can make your title more personal by using words like “you” or “I.”
This works great if the post is about your own personal fitness story or a client success story.
For example, “How I Lost Ten Pounds in Two Weeks.”
7. Can You Quote Someone?
Good quotes can quickly grab attention when used in a title.
But here’s the thing: the quote can’t be long (more on this below) and it must be related to the article.
For example, “I Hated It” Says MMA Star About How He Lost the Weight.
This is a good title because it’s short and to the point but it also tells the audience what the blog post will be about: the MMA star’s weight loss.
8. Is the Blog Post Title Clear?
I’ve been hammering this throughout the post but I’ll say it again:
Your blog post title must be clear.
This might seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how often people write titles that are vague or confusing.
If your title is unclear, people won’t know what they’re going to get from reading the post, and they’ll likely move on to something else.
Again, consider what the blog is about, who you’re writing it for, and what type of post it is.
This ALL needs to be conveyed within a short and concise title. Speaking of which…
9. Is the Title Concise?
Ideally, your title shouldn’t be anymore than eight words long.
More often than not, any longer than that and it’s likely that readers won’t bother.
Think about it: How many times have you looked at an unnecessarily long title and immediately clicked away because it felt like clickbait or unprofessional?
10. Is the Title Optimized for Search Engines?
Don’t hate me (I’m just the messenger here), but yes… You do need to incorporate SEO into your blog post titles.
This means including your primary keyword in the title.
The primary keyword that you’ll use for your blog should be what is used in the title.
And yes, this means doing some keyword research. If you’re not confident with your SEO abilities, check out my post on personal trainer SEO.
Even though it’s written for personal trainers, the skills you’ll learn still apply to all fitness businesses.
Once you have your keyword, make sure you can seamlessly incorporate it into the title. It shouldn’t look like your keyword stuffing (using too many keywords).
For example, the primary keyword for this post is “how to write a catchy blog post title.”
I used this keyword but I also threw in the word “fitness” to demonstrate who the post is for: someone with a fitness blog.
Does the Title Make Me Excited / Interested to Read More?
After you write a few blog post titles, step back, take a look at them, and ask yourself,
“Does this title make me excited or interested to read more?”
Be honest. If you wouldn’t bother reading it, chances are, not many people would want to read it either.
If you’re about to throw your hands up, I can help you.
Contact me and let’s chat about how I can help you write better blog post titles for your fitness website.
