What is the secret to a great conference presentation title?

1 Use the 4 Cs formula

One way to create a great title is to use the 4 Cs formula: clarity, curiosity, controversy, and connection. Clarity means that your title should be easy to understand and specific to your topic. Curiosity means that your title should spark interest and intrigue in your audience. Controversy means that your title should challenge a common assumption or opinion, or present a provocative argument. Connection means that your title should relate to your audience's needs, goals, or problems, or appeal to their emotions. Try to incorporate at least two of these elements in your title, and avoid jargon, acronyms, or vague terms.

2 Use a question or a statement

Another way to create a great title is to use a question or a statement as the main format. A question can engage your audience's curiosity and invite them to participate in your presentation. A statement can assert your main point or claim and set the tone for your presentation. However, be careful not to use a question that is too obvious, generic, or rhetorical, or a statement that is too boring, vague, or arrogant. For example, instead of "How to improve your conference speaking skills?", you could ask "What are the three biggest mistakes conference speakers make and how to avoid them?". Instead of "The importance of conference speaking", you could say "How conference speaking can boost your career and credibility".

3 Use keywords and modifiers

A third way to create a great title is to use keywords and modifiers that are relevant to your topic and your audience. Keywords are the main words or phrases that describe your topic and that your audience might use to search for it. Modifiers are words or phrases that add more detail, specificity, or emotion to your keywords. For example, if your topic is about conference speaking, some keywords might be "presentation", "audience", "feedback", or "confidence". Some modifiers might be "effective", "engaging", "honest", or "fearless". You can combine keywords and modifiers to create titles that are descriptive and catchy, such as "How to deliver an effective and engaging presentation to any audience" or "How to overcome your fear of conference speaking and gain confidence".

4 Test and refine your title

The final way to create a great title is to test and refine it before you submit it to the conference organizers or publish it online. You can test your title by asking yourself or others some questions, such as: Does it capture the main idea of your presentation? Does it appeal to your target audience? Does it stand out from other titles on the same topic? Does it fit the tone and style of the conference? Does it match the length and format requirements? You can refine your title by making changes based on the feedback you receive, such as adding, removing, or replacing words, adjusting the punctuation, or rearranging the order. You can also use tools such as headline analyzers or generators to get suggestions and scores for your title.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?