The Importance of Compelling Titles
I’m thinking about marketing again, this time specifically about the importance of well-chosen titles.
How Consumers Choose
Have you thought about how we decide on the audio dramas that we are going to listen to? I’ve got no hard data on this, but I’m willing to bet most of us use a very similar method (and one that belies the idea that “we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover”.
My own process with regard to choosing audio drama is not all that different to book or film shopping.
First I look for a genre. “I’m in the mood for some sci-fi” or “some horror” or “some urban-fantasy” or whatever.
Then I look for a name I trust. “Narada Theatre Company produced this story”, or “it was written by Tony Sarrechia” (or Jack Ward or Pete Lutz or Mike Murphy or Gregg Taylor or any of several dozen others), or “it’s a Decoder Ring Theatre production” (or a production by Colonial Radio Theatre, or Broken Sea, or Habit Forming Films) etc. And yes, those are the names I personally respond to when I’m looking for something to listen to.
Next I’m often attracted by some cover art and, of course, THE TITLE. The title needs to grab my attention enough to make me consider giving the story a listen.
Of course, if nothing grabs me immediately I might decide to check out an unknown name (that has caught my attention through
When I’m looking for a book I check genre, producer’s/writer’s name, cover-art , title (roughly in that order). And if I still need convincing then I read the blurb.
Then, if I need further convincing, I’ll read any testimonials.
Finally, I’ll crack open the cover and check out the table of contents and perhaps even read the opening page or two. In audio drama this equates to looking at the list of episode titles and listening to a sample.
For a long time, I’ve been underestimating the importance of the title as a hook.
The Importance of the Gaps Between Content
As an unknown writer, I’ve got to attract the limited attention people are willing to give.
And, as an unknown writer, I’ve made peace with the fact that my material will only be examined after people have looked for the trusted name-brand writers and producers currently operating in the audio drama space and go “well, I’ve just finished listening to all of Narada Radio Theatre’s current backlog, I wonder what else I can check out?”. That’s fine.
An unknown is always going to be the next choice when folks can’t find what they are looking for right away. Horror writer’s who aren’t Stephen King
It’s the nature of the animal, that unknowns get the leavings of those who are better known… but they become a name in their own right when they can attract the eye of consumers who are, in that moment, looking for something new to try.
And there are always folks on the lookout for something new (in their chosen genre). Therein lies a very encouraging truth.
The Title Matters
One of the most important keys to grabbing the attention of those who are, because it is the right psychological moment, looking to try something new, is the title.
A great deal of the marketing advice I have been reading lately deals with the importance of gaining attention. If potential customers and audience members pass over, ignore, or otherwise miss what we’ve got on offer… well, then all they will do is remain potential customers and potential audience members and we’ll never see any growth.
According to most marketers the purpose of a title is to gain attention and get people to read the next sentence.
And the next sentence (and the sentence that follows etc.) exists to get the reader to the call to action.
And the call to action exists to turn the prospective customer or audience member into an actual customer or audience member.
If we ignore the importance of our titles then we ignore one of the chief tools available to us for building an audience.
So what makes a compelling title?
Firstly, compelling titles grab attention. They want the passer-by to notice them. They have personality. And they shout. As such they are surprising, or emotional, or familiar, or intriguing, or all of the above.
Secondly, they are easy to remember. They need to stick in the memory while the prospect is glancing around at the other titles nearby and as they talk to friends about what they are reading or listening to. If the title doesn’t stay in the memory it won’t be in the running when the prospect goes to make their final decision. Good titles often create a picture in the memory for just this reason. If you can picture it easily you can remember it. They are also relatively short.
Thirdly, they are informative. Good titles communicate. They let the prospect know what the story is about and invite them to read or listen. They have a specific target audience in mind and emphasise their uniqueness (make the story stand out from the crowd).
Finally, they are easy to say and non-embarrassing, again, so that they can be passed around via word of mouth. We want people to notice, remember and share my title with others.
An example of a title that succeeds wonderfully at this is “We’re alive – a zombie podcast”. To be honest, I didn’t like this title at first, though I enjoyed the show a great deal. But, I have since come to realise, it does everything a title should – and it does it well.
It demands attention. It is literally a shout, a cry both desperate and triumphant, and it arouses curiosity. It implies a threat that the characters have survived. It makes us curious to know what that threat is/was and how it was overcome.
It’s memorable. It is short, and carries a tonne of emotional freight and this makes it memorable. It’s not the most visual of titles, but it succeeds in being memorable nonetheless.
It communicates. You know the story is about survival just by reading it. And – part of the real genius of the title – it has a tagline that situates the story in its genre. We know it is about zombies from the outset. The audience is identified in the title (and its tagline). The story is for those who like survival stories (specifically survival horror within the zombie apocalypse genre).
Lastly, the title is easy to say and talk about with others.
Episode and Chapter Titles
And what about the episode titles? In my view, the episode titles in “We’re Alive” are some of the best in the biz. They remind me of the evocative titles that J.M. Straczynski gave to his Babylon 5 episodes. A quick glance at We’re Alive’s episode titles reveals titles like “Blood, Sweat and Fears”, “Where do you go when you go to Sleep?”, “The Road to Living Death”, “Separate Dying Embers”, “Mark of the Beast”, “The Harder they Fall”, “Last Dying Breath”, “Red Winter”, “Scorched Earth”, “Eye of the Storm”, “Chasing Ghosts”, “The Darkness Ahead”, and “Distorted Truths”. The titles in the episode-listing draw me in and make me want to listen.
All in all, show and episode titles should be created to draw an audience in. A well-designed title is a key feature of audience building – the delivery mechanism of our first invitation to our prospective audience members to give us their valuable time. As such we shouldn’t underestimate their importance or cut corners on the thought that should be given to them.
This article is © copyright 2018 by Philip Craig Robotham – all rights reserved.
So, do you have any tips regarding titles? I’d be very interested to hear from you.
