News headlines are the first thing readers see when scanning a newspaper or website. They are meant to draw the eye, convey a sense of urgency, and offer a glimpse into the story that’s to follow.
It’s been said that the average attention span of a human is less than that of a goldfish, so it’s crucial to catch the reader’s eye with an engaging headline that entices them to keep reading. Writing compelling headlines is a delicate balancing act that requires a deep understanding of your audience, an intimate knowledge of the story and its cultural nuances, and a bit of creativity.
While newer technologies have arguably augmented the tensions between truth and politics – as Hannah Arendt identified – they also have exacerbated the challenge of framing stories in ways that engage a disaffected public. This challenge, largely faced by journalists, has become even more acute as the chasm between politicians and the media has widened over the years.
When creating a News headline, it’s important to use unique rationales to pique interest, and to use concise language to make the headline more scannable. For example, “School slashes lunch options sparking student outrage” is a more compelling headline than “School reduces lunch choices.” Additionally, try to avoid adding extra words that can be removed; for instance, articles (a, an, the) and connecting terms such as because, or, or, are generally unnecessary in News headlines. You should also avoid using tense in the headlines when reporting on an event that has already happened.