dnewton3
Staff member
It is important to understand why BITOG needs good thread titles. There are two reasons good titles are effective and beneficial.
- Thread titles are the preferred criteria when search engines scour the internet for content. Good thread titles increase external hits from Google, Yahoo, etc. This increases non-member traffic and results in favorable metrics which improve our marketability. All opinions aside, we need good visibility; it's what brings in sponsorship, and without that, we'd not survive. It's that simple.
- Thread titles are also a means for our members to do a quick visual scan of the threads in a sub-forum, and decide if the content is of interest to them.
So, a good thread title can help our site be attractive to outside visitors via prominent "hits" (search results), and also assist fellow BITOGers in their daily time here. To that end, the thread titles must be two things: specific and concise.
Specificity assists in the obvious way; it narrows the focus of the thread with clear information about the thread topic. This is where "clickbait" thread titles actually hurt us. When members make generic, broad titles, it provides a low quantity of external hits. Conversely, when the title is focused, it greatly improves the hit values. And, the reader has a much better idea of what the thread is about.
Examples of poor thread title: "This isn't what I expected"; "Why did this happen?"; "Bad experience"
These are actual thread titles we've had to fix. These are just a few of (literally) thousands of titles we fix every year. They are the epitome of clickbait garbage; they tell no story and give no indication of the content.
Being concise is also of value. There's no need to use dozens of words when a few will convey the same context. Don't make run-on thread titles, please. Pick the single most important part of your topic, state that topic with clarity, and be done. Any additional information should go into your initial post; you can expound with all your supporting information in the body of the post.
Examples of poor thread titles: "I really didn't like the latest James Bond movie - it was boring and cliche"; "Why can't the car and truck makers get quality right the first time? My Ford F-150 has been recalled twice"
These are also thread titles which had to be changed. Thousands of them.
This topic of thread titles is not unlike the Goldilocks concept. Too little or too much will be a failure. Titles have to be "just right". The right core topic expressed with the least amount of words which get the point across clearly. Titles should not be clickbait. Titles should not be obtuse, or verbose. Titles should read like a good newspaper headline; get the key point across and entice the reader.
If your thread title is changed by a Moderator, it's because it wasn't up to the standard we need to drive our site's success into the future. Please don't take offense if your title is changed. Rather, see it as a learning opportunity which is your chance to directly improve the site.
Please, make a concerted effort to create good thread titles. It helps bring new members to our site. It solidifies sponsorship. And it helps readers understand your topic at a glance.
Thank you.
BITOG Staff
- Thread titles are the preferred criteria when search engines scour the internet for content. Good thread titles increase external hits from Google, Yahoo, etc. This increases non-member traffic and results in favorable metrics which improve our marketability. All opinions aside, we need good visibility; it's what brings in sponsorship, and without that, we'd not survive. It's that simple.
- Thread titles are also a means for our members to do a quick visual scan of the threads in a sub-forum, and decide if the content is of interest to them.
So, a good thread title can help our site be attractive to outside visitors via prominent "hits" (search results), and also assist fellow BITOGers in their daily time here. To that end, the thread titles must be two things: specific and concise.
Specificity assists in the obvious way; it narrows the focus of the thread with clear information about the thread topic. This is where "clickbait" thread titles actually hurt us. When members make generic, broad titles, it provides a low quantity of external hits. Conversely, when the title is focused, it greatly improves the hit values. And, the reader has a much better idea of what the thread is about.
Examples of poor thread title: "This isn't what I expected"; "Why did this happen?"; "Bad experience"
These are actual thread titles we've had to fix. These are just a few of (literally) thousands of titles we fix every year. They are the epitome of clickbait garbage; they tell no story and give no indication of the content.
Being concise is also of value. There's no need to use dozens of words when a few will convey the same context. Don't make run-on thread titles, please. Pick the single most important part of your topic, state that topic with clarity, and be done. Any additional information should go into your initial post; you can expound with all your supporting information in the body of the post.
Examples of poor thread titles: "I really didn't like the latest James Bond movie - it was boring and cliche"; "Why can't the car and truck makers get quality right the first time? My Ford F-150 has been recalled twice"
These are also thread titles which had to be changed. Thousands of them.
This topic of thread titles is not unlike the Goldilocks concept. Too little or too much will be a failure. Titles have to be "just right". The right core topic expressed with the least amount of words which get the point across clearly. Titles should not be clickbait. Titles should not be obtuse, or verbose. Titles should read like a good newspaper headline; get the key point across and entice the reader.
If your thread title is changed by a Moderator, it's because it wasn't up to the standard we need to drive our site's success into the future. Please don't take offense if your title is changed. Rather, see it as a learning opportunity which is your chance to directly improve the site.
Please, make a concerted effort to create good thread titles. It helps bring new members to our site. It solidifies sponsorship. And it helps readers understand your topic at a glance.
Thank you.
BITOG Staff
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