Why Headlines Are So Important

Content will always be the reason why readers will read an article from start to finish but getting their attention beforehand is a totally different matter. This is where headlines come in. Though article formatting and page layout play a factor when it comes to catching reader attention, headlines make an even bigger impact. A bad article with a catchy headline will be read whereas an article whether good or not with a bad headline will most likely be ignored.

Writing articles for print or online publications may differ, but writing headlines for either is similar and serves the same purpose. That is to grab readers' attention. A well-thought-of headline will easily attract readers and writers at times are at fault for misusing this method.

Using a catchy headline for a totally unrelated article is an example of this situation and is done for the sole purpose of generating hits. Though it is an effective method for increasing traffic, it is a very misleading tactic and getting hits do not always translate to getting more business.

Remember that the headline is the very substance of a story in only a few words. While thinking of the right headline, get creative and do not just use a few words that summarize and condense the story. Unlike any single newspaper, stories in the internet are not so small in number and even with search engines available, competing articles still have to depend on quality headlines to attract readers. A headline will either make or break a story.

While writing the actual headline itself, think about what you want to say. Figure out a middle ground between a creative and catchy headline and an accurate headline that gives an idea as to what the story really is. Maintaining a balance between the two is paramount.

Lean too much on catchy and creative and your headline loses focus on the actual content of the story. On the other hand, lean too much on accuracy and lose potential readers' attention with boring headlines. After coming up with a headline that strikes a balance between the two, make sure that the actual content of the story is worth the read. Headlines only serve to catch attention and get people to start reading but it will be the content that makes them finish reading the story.

Similar to writing in print publications, writing headlines for online copies have to follow certain themes. It is well and good to be thoughtful and creative with writing headlines but make sure that the headlines fit in with the tone of the story itself. A funny headline should not be used with research papers. Comical headlines should be left to comical stories, academic headlines for formal writing, and so on and so forth.