What’s in a title?

Possible 2
Photograph by Florian Klauer (unsplash)

This is a short post that hopefully sparks a discussion about what to call a post?

In my previous post, I first published the recipe and called it Oriental Salmon with Stirfried Vegetables but after looking at Google results that grouped so many different Asian salmon dishes together, I  decided that I needed a recipe that mentioned the spring onion and garlic sauce.

We all blog/write for different reasons but if you want your post to be seen what do you do to help it get seen in search engine results?

I certainly don’t have all the answers and am not an internet SEO guru, but I do try hard to get my blog posts as high as possible up the “Google” rankings so as many people as possible can stand a chance of seeing my recipes and writings on the subject of food.

Social Media

I have written about my own experiences before in this post but to cut a long story short I try sharing my posts in as many places as I have time to.  Which leads me to the other conundrum of the balancing act many of us participate in, of creating content versus promoting it.

My Own Balance

These days I am often preparing work for my online cookery courses.  Some of the recipes are videoed and shown in class and others done as a live demonstration.  Some of the videos end up on my YouTube channel others need more work (editing).   Then I still need to fit in time for creating blog posts of my recipes.  When photographing real food it is unforgiving and the time you have to take photos is fleeting.

In the case of my latest recipe, this was an adhoc shoot at the end of making the video used in class that hopefully will be added to my Youtube channel, shortly. In just a brief couple of minutes my wife and I took photos before the  rumbling of our stomachs told us to put our cameras down and eat the salmon for dinner.

I Try Not Not To Beat Myself Up

Sometimes the photoshoots don’t give us good enough still photos that are blog worthy but I try not to beat myself up.  Sometimes we are able to fit in a daytime photo shoot which will always give you better results, but I accept our other commitments don’t always leave us time to do that.

Work Life Balance?

I’m constantly amazed by people who post every day or once every couple of days, how do they do that? I have to be realistic as I get older that I can’t post more that once a month and meet my other commitments. I am happy in my life, and lucky I have a creative and helpful partner in my wife Sophie who helps me keep that balance.

Naming Your Post?

Perhaps for a cookbook review the name of the post writes itself. But I would love to hear from my fellow bloggers how you choose a name and the process you go through. Perhaps if the post involves a wellknown person, coming up with the title is easier?  Or perhaps you want the title to have hook to get readers to pay more than a cursory glance? Let me know what you do,

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25 thoughts on “What’s in a title?”

  1. Hi. I’m not sure that I have a process for picking titles for my pieces. Usually I decide upon the titles fairly quickly. I guess I tend to have titles that are punchy and/or punny. And sometimes I choose pretty straightforward titles. It depends. Take care. Neil S.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thanks Elvira as always it is so good to hear from you and I hope you are well?
      I was curious about the title “From the Balcony” you write you blog post from a wonderful balcony as you imagine your passionate stories?

      Tenía curiosidad sobre el título “Desde el balcón”. ¿Escribes tu publicación de blog desde un maravilloso balcón mientras imaginas tus apasionadas historias?
      Best Wishes from Kevin and Sophie 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Thank’s Kevin for your kindness and support, always.
        I don’t have a balcony, but can imagine one, so glad you like it.
        Best wishes for you and Sophie.
        Nice day!

        Liked by 1 person

  6. While volunteering for the writing company, I discovered that every title has significance. If you want to have a large number of followers and hype, you must create a good title.

    Normally it should summarize in the fewest possible words the content and purpose of the article.

    Have a great week, Kevin!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  8. A good title is truly a beautiful thing! I often struggle to come up with poem and short story titles and feel it is the same battle we all face when titling everything from recipes to videos!

    Liked by 1 person

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  9. I always put a title with a related photo at the beginning of the blog. I enjoy seeing photos on other blogs too. Your food photos are very appealing, Kevin! 🙂 I watched a few of your youtube videos yesterday and found them very engaging and informative. ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you Cheryl for your kind thoughts about my Youtube videos.
      It is really good to hear positive feedback. Many cooking videos are very short but leave a lot of questions, so my approach is to try and give as much information as possible to give people confidence to try my recipes.
      Best Wishes
      Kevin 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  10. It’s true that finding the right title can make a difference in search engine visibility and attracting readers’ attention. Personally, I believe it’s important to strike a balance between being descriptive and engaging. Incorporating specific elements of the recipe, like the spring onion and garlic sauce in your case, can help differentiate it and increase its visibility in search engine results. Additionally, considering the target audience and their interests can guide you in creating a title that resonates with readers.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you Finley for taking the time to share your thoughts on choosing a title. It seems we think along similar lines.

      That is not say any one method is better that another but the comments on this post do show a wonderful diversity of thinking how to name a post.

      Best WIshes
      Kevin

      Like

      Reply

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