Great Hub Titles

Why a good title is important

Coming up with a good title to your Hub is extremely important, for these reasons:

The words in your title is one of the most important ways Google and Yahoo know what your Hub is about
The title is what Google and Yahoo searchers will see and click on in search results

The goal of your Hubs is to attract visitors who are searching for just the kind of information you're looking for. Say, for example, that you plan to write an informative Hub on your favorite cheap-but-great restaurants in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Of course, there are plenty of people (especially visitors to your city) that might want to know that kind of information.

What do you think they would type into Google? Probably something along the lines of "best cheap restaurants tuscaloosa". Now let's say Google serves up results that look like this:

Google search results

1. Oh, you would not believe how much fun I had...

Want to eat well but not pay too much while in town? Here are my top 5 picks, based on the 3 years I've been living here in...

2. Restaurants

Want to eat well but not pay too much while in town? Here are my top 5 picks, based on the 3 years I've been living here in...

3. Terry's Page

Want to eat well but not pay too much while in town? Here are my top 5 picks, based on the 3 years I've been living here in...

4. Best cheap eats in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Want to eat well but not pay too much while in town? Here are my top 5 picks, based on the 3 years I've been living here in...

4 rules for a great Hub title

clearly describe the contents of your Hub, as specifically as possible
be as short as possible. Google cuts off titles at 60 characters (including spaces), so make sure you communicate the contents of your Hub in 60 characters or less.
not include unnecessary words (like your name, random meaningless words, etc)
NOT ALL CAPS. THIS IS THE ONLINE VERSION OF SCREAMING AND SEEMS AGGRESSIVE. PEOPLE DON'T LIKE IT.

Which do you think the searcher would click on first? Some people, of course, click on the first link no matter what. But others will take a quick look at the first few options on the page, and decide what they think will answer their search best. And Google is paying attention.

The first option? The title doesn't really say anything. This article could be about a great movie that the author saw. Not descriptive at all.

The second? Way too general. Which restaurants? In New York? Or is it an article on the history of restaurants? Or how to say "restaurants" in German?

The third? This title doesn't say anything either. Who's Terry? I just want to find a great inexpensive restaurant in Tuscaloosa. I don't care about Terry!

The fourth? BINGO. One quick look at the title says that this page will provide just the kind of information the searcher is looking for. It will get far more clicks than a usual fourth-position link gets. And, for that reason, Google will reward it by moving up to 3rd the next go around. And then 2nd. And then 1st, where it should be. Then it'll get the lion's share of traffic.

Notice that when words in the person's search query match the title of a page, those words get boldfaced. Yet another reason to try to match the words searchers are using.

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RSS for comments on this Hub

vic says:
3 years ago

Very informative. Thanks.

Tadeusz598 says:
3 years ago

i am curious about how Hub awards it's scores to entries.

Any ideas? It doesnt seem to make sense to me.

vitallywell says:
2 years ago

So basically a concise, informative title. Makes sense to me.

topstuff says:
2 years ago

yes its necessary

Karen Ellis says:
2 years ago

Good info. My best hub is "Famous Bridges" and stays up towards the top. I don't really know why other than it says exactly what the article is about. However, how many people really care about bridges?