Once your book is published, you’re going to be doing a lot of promoting. But with some luck, you’ll also have fans who help promote it for you via word of mouth. These days, one of the most powerful forces that acts as word of mouth is the algorithm. Even when people hear about a great book, what is the first thing they do? They Google it. So, you want to make sure your title is something that they’ll be able to find. Here are my tips:

Google Your Ideas

Once you’ve found a title you’re considering seriously, taking a moment to see what kind of competition you’ll be up against algorithmically gives you a benchmark for how to market your novel and whether it will be successful. Here are a few things to take note of:

• How many titles pop up when you search?

• How much interaction do those titles have with users? Are there a lot of reviews?

• How long ago was this title published and by whom?

• What genres do these titles occupy, and how similar are they to your own?

• Does their book cover design match your own vision?

• Is there room to differentiate your page from theirs beyond your name?

You can see, the goal isn’t simply to come to a completely unique title but to ensure you won’t butt too many heads. The more similarities you have and the more entrenched their story is in the algorithm, the more difficulty you’ll have when others’ search for your story.

Take Preference in Long Key Phrases

When you’re searching on Google, you generally receive more well-targeted results if you give the engine an extra couple details for you. Like, if you recognized a minor character in one episode of a show, you’re more likely to be able to track them down if you search for the episode by name than looking up the entire cast of the show.

This works in reverse as well. By choosing a title with more keywords as a whole, longer phrase, the easier it will be for Google to find you when someone is searching for it. This is why we’ve seen a rise in names that follow conventions like “The X and the Y” and full phrases like “The X that Y’d the Z.” They’re keyword builders that harness natural language patterns humans can remember with ease.

Keep Spelling Simple

I think this one is pretty clear. If you have an awesome, fantastical, strange name for your character or land, keep it out of your title. Ain’t nobody gonna be able to spell that shit when a friend recommends it. We stan mystical names, but know its strengths.

Choose Uncommon Vocabulary

One of the easiest ways to ensure your title is unique and remains so is by taking the extra time to choose vocabulary that people know but aren’t as simple or genre-specific as your competition. One of my favorite ways to do this is by carefully selecting ultra-specific verbs that relate to my prose like devour, plummet, grasp, bluster and then use it to create adjectives, nouns, or whatever my title needs to build a center around. A Devouring Focus. The Plummet. Within Their Grasp. A Politian’s Bluster.

Have Some Fun

In the end, one of the most important parts of writing a book title is that you like it. As you promote your story, you need to feel kinship with the title. It’s going to come out of your mouth a lot, and it’s going to be prominently featured on the cover and every piece of media covering it. And your feelings toward it are going to make a huge difference in your ability to promote your book successfully.

Whether your title stands up to the algorithmic test can be an enormous factor when it comes to the likelihood of your book being found by more readers. Take the time, and it can help pay off in a huge way!