How to write headlines...
..that don't alienate your readers
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The way I see things, the job of a headline is simple: to make people want to read your story. That’s it. And yet they are so hard to get right, and so very easy to get wrong.
Since digital media came on the scene headlines have undergone something of a transformation. Which is to say, they have become more inflammatory, more shocking, and more, well everything really. Why so? Why do you sometimes look at your news feed and feel nothing but an alternation of rage, upset and sometimes (as demonstrated by the above Vanity Fair article) alienation? Blame advertising.
To cut a very long story short, ads work with numbers. The more people that read your article, the more you can charge for advertising. Or the more ads you get.
But here’s another way to get big numbers: outrage. Incendiary statements designed to arouse the reader’s attention just enough that they feel compelled to click on the article. This worked for a very long time- though whether it was successful to the wider culture is a broader discussion. You see outrage is rewarded on social media. And over the years journalists have had to rely on social media to get their articles into their reader’s line of vision. Which means creating headlines that are actively rewarded through likes and shares and engagement.
The truth is, this has not been good for journalism. It makes, us, the reader, cynical. Think about it; how many times have you clicked on an article knowing it will never live up to the promise of its headline? (I am forever clicking on those terrible articles that surface at the bottom of my computer screen that say things like: ‘You’ll never guess what these teen stars now look like.’ No, I won’t. Because this article sure as hell won’t tell me. ) You don’t want a reader to arrive at your story feeling confident you will deliver on your promise.
There are lots of ways of writing compelling headlines. I’ve put a number of examples below. Not all of these will be relevant to the type of stories you are perhaps interested in writing. But knowing what headline levers to pull when and where is helpful to any writer.
Once you’ve read through these examples I’m going to set you another little task for the month. The deal is the same as last time- the best one gets a signed copy of my book The Discomfort Zone. (Congratulations to last month’s winner- Ami Guest).
As ever good luck and happy writing!
The Pun As Headline
Some people use puns as a headline, but I’ve always believed this is more about demonstrating the smarts of the editor (and putting a smile on the reader’s face- which is valid, of course) than it is about encouraging anyone to read your story. See this stroke of genius by The Sun. Puns rarely work across cultures either, so you risk alienating half your global audience. That’s probably not an issue for The Sun, but it might be for you.
The ‘Treatment’ Headline
Sometimes, particularly in magazines, you incorporate design into your headline. I have always found this to be terribly effective because the reader becomes both visually and intellectually engaged in your story. I saw this example just yesterday. Yes, it’s technically a cover, but it could have been used as a headline. Very clever. Utterly compelling. And really rather brilliant.
The Question Headline
I will never forget a very well respected editor explaining to me the issue with creating a question as a headline. ‘If a question is phrased in such a way that the reader will instantly say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ , then the question has failed in its ability to make them want to read on.’ In other words, questions that work are only those that destabilise the reader enough that they need to read your article in order to find out the answer to the question. They must be questions that challenge the reader’s knowledge. Here’s an example from The Saturday Times magazine.
The Controversial Headline
Occasionally you do want to prod your reader. Not all the time, because that’s exhausting, but when the right story calls for it. Making a controversial statement can be enough to force readers to stop and read your article. Why? Because they want to make up their own mind. And the only way they can do this, is by reading your entire story. Below is a wonderful example by New York magazine. I mean, who wouldn’t want to read this to figure out what the hell is going on with Brooke Shields and her mother?
TASK
Okay, so imagine you have written a story about a new European island where mid-life men and women go to take drugs, have sex and basically behave naughtily. (No, not Ibiza). How would you headline this? I’ll start you off with a few ideas of my own.
And remember, the best headline gets a signed book. As ever please encourage one another, comment kindly and basically use this as a place to test and stretch yourself. I’ll give pointers where I can. This part is for paid subscribers only I’m afraid, but if you want to take part and practice with us you can upgrade here:
Ready? Then let’s begin: