How do you decide what you want to read in a newspaper or a magazine? By reading the headline, right?
These days, when people have little patience for reading long passages, the only thing that will get their attention is a well-worded headline. A catchy headline is essential; it is critical to get the reader interested in what you write.
But be warned: In the name of catchy headlines, we cannot mislead the reader. Nor can we have a headline that is grammatically questionable.
Classic examples
Here are some headlines that have been around since 1987. They make us chuckle, and that’s a good indication that we will want to read further. No one can tell when or by whom they were published, but they get forwarded from time to time
‘Miners Refuse to Work After Death’
‘Something Went Wrong in Plane Crash Say Experts’
‘Red Tape Holds Up New Bridge’
Your headline has to be compelling, it should get the reader to move to the next line, says Brian Clark, an expert on writing attractive headlines.
Some tips
How do we make our headlines eye-catching? Memorable? Here are some tips.
[1] Be positive. Turn negative statements into positives. [2] Specific details or numbers can be valuable in a headline. For ex: “How I Upped My Score by 25% Last Year.”
[3] Headlines are vital for getting attention. Give them a lot of thought before writing them down.
[4] Finally, practise and test your headline by writing it. Ask for feedback!
Hint, tease & promise
Read on to find out how you can create, improve and enlighten with your headlines.
[1] Be brief, but be clear. Chop off unnecessary words. Watch out for grammatical errors. Read this one carefully: “Bill proposes hefty fines for traffic violations in Lok Sabha.”
Traffic violations in the Lok Sabha? Mmmmm.
[2] Don’t tell too much of the story. The heading just hints at what is to come in the story below. It makes reading irresistible. It should give the reader a reason to read further.
“A star is born” will want readers to know what the word “star stands for
[3] Remember the five-Ws and one H of writing – Who What Where. When. Why and How of these, which question is the most important in your story? Use the answer for that in your headline
“Film crew practises shooting in tiger reserve answers what
[4] See that the headline has a hint that the reader will benefit from reading the story.
“Japanese at your fingertips is a good example
[5] Use numbers if you can. Odd numbers like 7 and 19 help to catch attention. But an even one can help too.
Examples: “Five steps to improve memory.” Twenty funny headlines.” You are sure to scroll down to read the story!
[6] Use interesting adjectives. Try these fun, incredible, free, effortless, strange heart-warming.
Look at the headlines describing Roger Federer. You will get all the adjectives you want.
[7] Try making a promise. Will the reader learn something valuable from what you have written? Perhaps some new insight about world affairs? A new skill, maybe? A new place to visit? An ancient mystery A health tip? A positive story on nature?
[8] One writer uses this formula for headline-writing Number or Trigger word + Adjective + Keyword + Promise
Here’s an example: Take the subject “litter-free India. You could headline the essay “How to make India Litter free” or “Seven steps to make India Litter free” or use this formula: “Nine unbelievably simple ways to make India squeaky dean. Which one do you prefer?
Winning headlines
Headlines make all the difference in getting people to read what you write. They tell the reader what to expect in the essay and why they should read it. These essential steps will help you get the right headline.
Writing for the reader
Understand the target. Before writing, ask: who are my readers? What are they looking for when they read? Form headlines to target the emotions of the readers.
Write an outline of the content first. Then write the headline. Write several different headlines and read them out loud. Pick the most important benefit readers will get from reading your paragraph and include that benefit in the headlines.
Be clear
Use a fairly standard, straightforward headline based on the formula. If you can, write a headline that’s whacky, offbeat or different.
There is the danger that headlines based on a play of words (“Enraged Cow Injures Farmer with Axe.) will not be understood. But it is worth trying
Picture Credit : Google
