Whether it’s a gruesome crime story or an inspiring triumph, a top headline captures readers’ attention. It’s one of the most important parts of an article, even more so than the lede. It should arrest the reader, make them want to click and read your entire piece.
Headlines have become more important than ever, especially in the age of the internet and search engines. The words in a headline are often part of a post’s URL (Uniform Resource Locator) and help the search engine decide how to rank your article. Moreover, in the age of social media, the headline is more than just an invitation to read: it’s also a call to action.
Headlines should be short and snappy, preferably using active voice. They should also be clear and specific, not vague or confusing. They should be in present tense if the story is about something that happened in the past or future tense if it’s about something that will happen in the future. They should exclude articles (a, an, the) and verbs like to (to meet, to choose, to go, to speak). They should be consistent within a publication section as well. If a subhead is necessary, it should be short and use no more than one line of bold type.
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