They'll still find you even if you can't write decent titles
There’s nothing to be done.
The title is what makes the difference.
If you write a shitty title you don’t go beyond its line of text.
And this makes me very sad, for me, for you, for all of us who create content every day. Who give all of ourselves in the hope of being read even without being excellent headline writers.
Because headline writers are born, not made.
We think, write, revise, hesitate and publish a killer post, and in 30 seconds we realize that it won’t go anywhere because its title doesn’t know how to make its way into the mind of those who should read it.
It’s a title that promises, whose commitment we scrupulously maintain in the text, but we’ve attached a fuse that’s too long. It struggles to light the post and there’s a risk that it will burn out along the way.
The title shouldn’t inform. It should explode.
And unfortunately, artificers are born, not made.
I have seen too often wonderful articles burned by a modest title. But even more mediocre and senseless posts, illuminated by the atomic explosion of a formidable title.
Which is better? Neither one nor the other. It would be better to apply a awesome title to a special content.
The combination is certainly possible. Perhaps unlikely, but possible.
Bold headline writers, but underwhelming article writers could have a hard life. Burn the short fuse in record time. Exhaust their reputation in the span of a few broken promises.
But if you, like me, have difficulty writing titles, you read them a thousand times and they never satisfy you, you can aim to conquer your audience by building their esteem for you post after post.
It is a long and patient position work, but you can do it.
When that lump of trust begins to coagulate and attract other trust, your titles will lose their decision-making weight on the fate of your content.
The color of your graphics, your tiny circled face will be enough. Your name will be enough to Leave a good reason for someone to pause and stay with your words, maybe after having just paid attention to the terrible title.
Strong headlines help. You can get better by writing a lot of them, maybe even with a little help from AI. But if it’s not your discipline, there’s little you can do.
It’s better to keep running and focus on the text.
Your readers will choose for what you write, not for the ribbon you use on the package.