Vince Golangco » amazon

Write the Best Headlines. EVER. (Digg teaches us how to get clicks)

Vince — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:01:36 +0000

If a tree falls in the forest but no one hears it, did the tree really fall? If you have the BEST blog post in the world, but no one clicks on it… well… you get my point.

Writing an eye catching / click suckling HEADLINE is often more important than the actual content itself. I mean, you can have the best story or blog post in the world, but if no one clicks on it to read it, then it’ll be nothing but another lost blog post in the vast spaces of the internet.

So here we “Digg” for help from Digg.com to see how to write the best blog titles or headlines. EVER. Let’s see which headlines got the most clicks from 2009 and what techniques we can use to get the same results!

(Thanks to my Advance Internet Marketing Mentor, Jomar Hilario, for inspiring these priceless lessons. To find out more about him or to join his Advance Internet Marketing Classes, check out http://jomarhilario.com)

Here are a few tips on how you should draft your next headlines or blog titles! Also, I attached pics of the actual headlines used on the popular news story voting website, Digg.com that got the most Diggs (or clicks) from that Digg community. Let’s learn from the masters.

How to write the best blog titles or headlines. EVER.

(according to Digg)

1. Big Corporations Doing Injustice to Small Things

It’s the classic David vs Goliath story. Everyone wants to hear about, and route for, the less powerful underdog who is somehow being mistreated by the giant tyrant. People will click on that headline of the little guy trying to overcome the injustice brought about by some power-tripping big guy. You click on this title beacause you relate to stories like this and quickly associate yourself with the underdog, hoping to one day overcome your own big corporate injustices. Stick it to the man, just like we want to but don’t have the guts to do!

Kidnappers vs John

2. Eavesdropping Stories with Personal Info

As much as you may hate to admit it, we’re all intrigued by personal stories of personal lives with even more personal dirt, drama and secrets. We’ll click on that very real story of something happening to someone else and mock them for how stupid, crazy or idiotic they may be. Laughing at someone else’s expense is always a leisure that we unfortunately enjoy a bit too much. We each have our own little skeletons in our closets and it’s just funny to see how others react when theirs come out. I swear my mouse has a mind of it’s own and clicks on these controversial headlines. Exclusive leaked top secret stories sell!

Pat Robertson’s Secret Pact with the Devil

3. This is Why I Love _____ !!!!!

Good stories that are passionate and well written usually stem from extreme feelings. Loving something so much that you write an article about it is usually a great idea that translates into great writing. Your viewers can relate to you liking or loving something just as they do themselves. So write about what you love and share it with the world. Chances are, they’ll click on this headline to find out more about what you love and why you love it.

This is why I love Steve Jobs

4. Best ____ I’ve Seen Today that Will Surely Make You Smile

99.999999% of people like smiling. So why would anyone not want to click on something that will make them smile?

Funny video that will surely make you smile today

5. Mention “Facebook” “Twitter” or other popular sites

It’s already popular, so ride that wave! You’ll click on these headlines because it possibly holds relevant information or stories to something you use or associate yourself with.

Secret Hottie on Facebook

6. “Did you know? It will BLOW YOUR MIND!”

Don’t ask and don’t change anything. This is as good as it comes!

“Did you know?” Well, you probably didn’t know since you don’t even know what this headline is talking about, and mind blowing things are really cool So you’ll click. You know you will.

Did you know? It will blow your mind!

7. Why ____ should rethink _____

You’ll click on this because it challenges something you like. You immediately relate to it and wonder: “Why the hell should I rethink _____!!??!?!” So you click on it.

Why you should rethink wearing Skirts

8. How _____ should have ended…

Insert popular movie title in the blank for this headline. Again, riding a wave of popularity already. You can plug in whatever advocacy or product your selling as long as you do it in a semi comedic way. Spoof it, and they will come…

How Lord of the Rings should have ended

9. The ____ of the future has arrived

You definitely want to know what happens in the future. No one really knows this, but we’re intrigued to hear, see and read about predictions. I predict that in the future, you will click on a headline that talks about how things will be in the future.

Olympics of the Future

10. Best. ___. EVER.

If it’s the best EVER, then it has to be clicked on! In fact, clicking on headlines that talk about best things EVER, is the best idea. EVER.

Coolest Restaurant. EVER.

11. Insert “Cat” anywhere

Cat Kitty Kitten Cute-Lil-Kitty-Witty…. doesn’t matter, but in this LOLCATS crazy world of ours, having cats online is nothing but a good thing. Not sure why but it’s been proven time and again, that the internet loves cats and / or little cute furry things. So referencing kitties, bunnies and puppies, as well as adding pictures of them, will just make people smile and want to share that smile with others (refer to: tip # 4 on headlines that will surely make you smile).

Cat in the sink explains what PageRank (PR) really means

Sunday Bloody Book Review 6 – “THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER” by Ken Blanchard, Ph.D & Spencer Johnson

Vince — Sun, 17 May 2009 06:01:41 +0000

Sunday Bloody Book Review 6 -

“The One Minute Manager” by Ken Blanchard, Ph.D & Spencer Johnson

This book is not about becoming a leader or a manager in one minute; instead, it is about how a manager can achieve big results in very little time.

The authors, Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson talk about the three basic secrets that a one minute manager should follow: One minute Goals, Praising and Reprimand. The authors also stresses on the fact that ‘people’ are the most important resource in any industry.

Written in the form of a story, the book meets its purpose of putting across the basic motives of a manager in very simple but powerful words. What Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson has written has already become a management masterpiece with the book being made a compulsory reading in many industries in the US and Japan.

This book is your magic mantra to what can be achieved in ONE MINUTE !

Excerpts from the book The One Minute Manager:

People who feel good about themselves produce good results. But let me frame it another way, Ignite your positives of today making them your everyday display, don’t allow negatives to decoy.
A winner is not one who never fails, but one who never quits! Winner never quit, quitters never win.
Help people attain their goal, get them accomplish the right thing.
Praise people immediately, help them reach their full potential. Catch them doing something right.

I only have three rating scales for my book reviews-

1. Must read
2. OK read but you’ll live without it
3. Don’t bother

This book, The One Minute Manager is a MUST READ! The power of the minute is evident and more important than ever! Time is gold and being able to be an efficient and effective leader is more important than ever!

Sunday Bloody Book Review 5 – “THE 4-HOUR WORKWEEK” by Timothy Ferriss

Vince — Sun, 10 May 2009 06:01:27 +0000

Sunday Bloody Book Review 5 -

“The 4-Hour Workweek (Escape 9 – 5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich)” by Timothy Ferriss

One of the most forward-thinking books I have read. It discusses, what author Timothy Ferriss calls, the “New Rich” and what is important to this new generation.

The New Rich values time instead of money, so we do what we can to automate our lives in order to spend our time doing things we actually enjoy. We can spend our valuable time with family instead of being at pointless meetings. We can be learning how to dance the tango instead of sitting in a cubicle from 9 – 5. We can be traveling for months or even years instead of only taking a few weeks of “vacation time” from your company.

This book will set you free and will help your entrepreneurial spirits flourish. With very practical sections after each chapter on exactly what resources are available, you are sure to find new ways of automating your life while earning residual income to live the lifestyle you’ve always wanted to. Imagine just working four hours a week… =)

Excerpts from the The Four-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss:

Parkinson’s Law dictates that a task will swell in (perceived) importance and complexity in relation to the time allotted for its completion. It is the magic of the imminent deadline. If I give you 24 hours to complete a project, the time pressure forces you to focus on execution, and you have no choice but to do only the bare essentials.
Pareto created a formula demonstrating that 80 percent of the income in society is produced and owned by 20 percent of the population. This highly debated principle, known as Pareto’s law, also applies in other situations. For instance, 80 percent of company profits typically come from 20 percent of the products and customers.

I only have three rating scales for my book review-

1. Must read
2. OK read but you’ll live without it
3. Don’t bother

The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss is a MUST READ MUST READ MUST READ!!! Sorry… but I love this book. It’s a very different approach to life and living. Make the most out of your life and escape that cubicle you’re stuck in! Read the 4-Hour Workweek now!

Sunday Bloody Book Review 4 – “SECRETS OF POWER NEGOTIATING” by Roger Dawson

Vince — Sun, 03 May 2009 06:01:07 +0000

Sunday Bloody Book Review 4 -

“Secrets of Power Negotiating (Inside Secrets from a Master Negotiator)” by Roger Dawson

You will never realize how important negotiation skills are until you read this book. The author, Roger Dawson, is one of the country’s top negotiating experts and a leading speaker on sales and management.

Everyday, you are constantly negotiating. You negotiate with your friends on where to go eat dinner, you negotiate with your professors for your class grades, you negotiate any time you need to reach an agreement with another person, and you negotiate every time you want something to be done your way.

This book bears with it essential tools needed to be a better at making all parties happy; whether choosing to watch the movie Iron Man over some chick flick your girlfriend wants to watch or choosing to go party Downtown at Stingaree instead of going to the Typhoon Saloon in PB. This book will make life easier for you.

Excerpts from the Secrets of Power Negotiating :

Devalue the importance of the bargaining chip–don’t let them know how important it is to you.
If you reach an impasse, set aside the key issue, and create momentum by reaching agreement on little points.
Never jump at the first offer, however good it looks.
At the end, nibble for something extra, or something they wouldn’t agree to earlier. However, look out for people nibbling on you. You’re most vulnerable when you think the negotiations are all over.
Flinch at the other side’s proposal. They may not think for a moment that you’ll agree to it, and flinching will get you a concession.
When asked for a small concession, ask for something in return–it stops the grinding-away process.
Position the other side for easy acceptance with a small concession made just at the last moment.

I only have three rating scales -

Must read
OK read but you’ll live without it
Don’t bother

“Secrets of Power Negotiating” by Roger Dawson is a MUST READ! It gives you so many insights that have proven vital for me personally. I’m a firm believer that everyone needs to have a sales job at least once in their lives. I’m also a firm believer that you need to know how to negotiate with that job…

Sunday Bloody Book Review 3 – “WHO MOVED MY CHEESE” by Dr. Spencer Johnson

Vince — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 06:01:44 +0000

Sunday Bloody Book Review 3 -

“Who Moved My Cheese” by Dr. Spencer Johnson

The only constant in life is that everything changes. Change is such a powerful force in one’s life and knowing how to deal with it is crucial in both the business world and in our personal lives.

“Who Moved My Cheese” is an amazing guide that teaches us how to embrace and adapt to change. The concepts in this very short book live with me and constantly replay in my head whenever I face new and different events in my life. It is a very short read and one could very easily read this book in 45 minutes.

This book has changed my life in such a positive way. Every time I go through a new and unfamiliar situation, I think back to this book and ask myself, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”

Summary of book Who Moved My Cheese:

“Who Moved My Cheese” is the story of mice and men. The compare men to mice in a maze where there is a constant supply of cheese for all. Suddenly, the “cheese” runs out and the mice and men are left to figure things out on their own. “Cheese” here is a metaphor for whatever you may hold dear in your life. It could be your dream job, your car, your house, your girlfriend or whatever. Now the question is, when your “cheese” gets moved, what do you do?

The story teaches us that we can sometimes dwell, pout, cry or be angry when our “cheese” gets moved. We have a tendency to think that we “deserve” that “cheese” and we worked hard for it so we shouldn’t do anything else. On the other hand, the simple minded mice simply move on and look for new cheese. They don’t whine, throw tantrums or get caught up in nasty emotions. They just continue with life.

Excerpts from the book Who Moved My Cheese:

Change happens; they keep moving the cheese.

Anticipate change; get ready for the cheese to move.

Monitor change; smell the cheese often so you know when it is getting old.

Adapt to change quickly; the quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you can enjoy new cheese.

Move with the cheese.

Enjoy change; savor the adventure and enjoy the taste of new cheese.

Be ready to change quickly and enjoy it again and again (and again).

They keep moving the cheese!

I only have three rating scales -

1. Must read
2. OK read but you’ll live without it
3. Don’t bother

This book, ”Who Moved My Cheese” by Dr. Spencer Johnson, is a MUST READ. It will change your life in a positive way! Change is a part of everyone’s life. Mastering it with this book will be an important part for our personal growth.

Sunday Bloody Book Review 2 – “SURREALITY” by Carissa Villacorta

Vince — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 06:01:59 +0000

Sunday Bloody Book Review 2 -

“Surreality” by Carissa Villacorta

Surreality is a wonderful book about a girl who humbly finds her place in the world.

It’s a story about opening your eyes and allowing yourself to see the wonders all around you.

Carissa Villacorta has an AMAZING way of taking her readers on a “roller coaster” ride with her while she slowly realizes that being a pea in the pond just means that you have a bigger pond to love and explore.

A must read for anyone searching for their own place in this crazy big world.

My favorite quote from the author is that “Time is gold, money is paper.”

I only have three rating scales for my book reviews-

1. Must read
2. OK read but you’ll live without it
3. Don’t bother

This book, Surreality by Carissa Villacorta, is a MUST READ! It’s a lot of fun to read and will give you some inspirational insights on the world we live in today.

Surreality Summary

Contemporary life — in all its shapes, sizes and imperfections –is the subject of Surreality, Carissa Villacorta’s acclaimed collection of essays. As a young Filipina surrounded by people, events and experiences in New York City, she ponders on life’s mysteries: its joys, conflicts, and compromises. A big theme to take on, but she writes with specificity and simplicity; her heart is for the taking as she turns glib notions into impassioned dissertations for us, the living wounded. It’s old-fashioned wisdom mingled with new-age wonder: a singular mix that Surreality brims with and basks in.

Carissa’s sense of empathy is charming, natural and bountiful – the extraordinary gift that she shares with her readers. If her fan base is huge, it is no accident (see the quotes below). The effusiveness of people’s responses is matched only by Carissa’s commitment to inspire her readers in rich, incandescent ways. As you will discover by embracing this book, her words are the kind that we need to read in today’s postmodern world. The only way to get a clearer, sharper view of life would be a visit to an eye doctor: no fun compared to the wit and vitality that Ms. Villacorta brings to each of her delightfully entertaining pieces.