The Story of How I Had a Pro Edit My Note Titles Because They Were Hopeless

The title is the first point of contact with the reader.

It is a cruel world where if you cannot grab their interest here, they will not read any further.That is how important titles are (assuming, of course, that you have written solid content).

…I say that quite arrogantly, but here is a recent note I wrote after nine years of experience as a writer!

So, this time, I asked Yuki Ishikawa, an author and writer who has been helping me with my notes for the past six months,to "please edit my note titles thoroughly!"

Ishikawa-san is someone who has even published books starting from her notes. Her feedback is sharp, as expected.

During a one-hour session, she edited my titles one after another, and as I was jotting down the golden nuggets of wisdom coming from her mouth,I began to vaguely understand the characteristics of note titles that get read.I will summarize them here.

Three Characteristics of Titles That Get Read

After receiving feedback from Ishikawa-san, I realized that the edited titles (in other words, titles that get read) have the following three characteristics.

1. It is clear "who" the author is
2. The reader can imagine "themselves after reading the note"
3. It includes "concrete" numbers or examples

1. It is clear "who" the author is

In short, it meansconveying to the reader "what kind of (amazing) person is writing this note."You could also say it is about properly establishing "authority."

For example, something like this.

Even just the title "How to Clear Your Unread Book Pile" before the edit might attract people who want to clear their unread books. However, adding "I, who have accumulated over 100 books" as in the After version increases the persuasiveness.

In short, it becomes, "If someone who has accumulated 100 books says so, it must be persuasive. Let me read it."With so many people writing about "How to Clear Your Unread Book Pile," it also helps differentiate your title from similar ones.

▼ By the way, using AI is recommended because it gives you hints!

This is quite helpful, isn't it? I think you should definitely use AI as much as you can in times like these.

2. The reader can imagine "themselves after reading the note"

Next, it is also important for readers to be able to imagine "themselves after reading the note"! This is what is known as a "benefit." Simply put, it means writing about the Before (before reading) and After (after reading) by saying, "When I did XX, it became YY."

For example, it looks like this.

I don't think the Before version is bad. But the After version is more intriguing, right? That's because you can imagine what you will be like after reading that column.

With the After title, readers might think, "Maybe I can become someone who never has a gap in work?"

To derive this kind of title, it is a good idea to use the "In Other Words Method" written in Mr. Ohashi's "Complete Guide to Sales Copy".

For example, regarding the title I introduced as the Before version this time, if you think more deeply about "efficiency," it seems like it could become a benefit.

▼ I verbalized it like this

Easy to understand! As expected of Mr. Ohashi.

By the way, I think "Complete Guide to Sales Copy" is the easiest-to-understand book on sales writing in Japan. Highly recommended.

③ Including "concrete" numbers or examples

I will explain using the same example again.

The word "efficiency" in the Before version is made concrete in the After version as "cut a 1-hour job down to 30 minutes."

This is easier for readers to imagine. "I can finish my work in half the time!" That's why they want to click. You just need to be conscious of including "numbers" or "case studies"!

Of course, it's no good if the content doesn't match.

I think if you are conscious of the three points I introduced this time, you will be more likely to get clicks.

▼ Recap

That said, it's meaningless if the content doesn't match. If the title is catchy but the content isn't great, they might never read your note again.

A title is just a trigger to get people to click, and writing content that provides insights to the reader is the most important thing!

I hope this is helpful.
See you next week.

▼Please let me make a quick announcement
A book compiling interviews with 13 members of the community I run, "Web Writer Lab," will be published by KADOKAWA!

I created this with the hope that you would gain some hints by reliving the lives of web writers. If you'd like, please pre-order it m(__)m