How to Write a Headline: 5 Tips for Writing a Good Hed

A headline (“hed” in shorthand) is the line of text at the top of a newspaper or magazine article that offers a synthesized outline of its contents. A headline should be a concise and compelling summary of the article, using only a handful of words to entice readers to read the rest of the story. Some headlines may also contain a subheader, a follow-up line of text that expands on the main points that the headline addresses, providing more context or information regarding the subject.

The goal of a good headline is to sell your article to potential readers or a specific target audience. There are many steps you can follow to craft a compelling headline:

1. 1. Summarize the subject matter. Whether you’re writing a headline for an online news site, blog post, or print publication, you only have one short line at the top of a page to get across the main point of your story. Boil your narrative down to its most basic point, and incorporate that into your headline, so potential readers want to read on for additional details.
2. 2. Find the hook without spoiling the ending. The purpose of a hook sentence (or header) is to grab attention and give your reader a reason to invest their time and energy into your writing. You want your headline to stand out, but you don’t want to give away the most exciting part of the story in the headline. A good header offers enough detail to intrigue the reader, keeping them reading until they reach the end.
3. 3. Be straightforward. When developing an eye-catching online header, it may be tempting to write a vague headline that prompts readers to click to find out more, but you should avoid doing this because it can mislead your readers. Avoid deliberately misleading readers with a clickbait header that doesn’t truly represent the story’s contents because it can adversely affect your publication’s integrity.
4. 4. Make an emotional appeal. If you are writing a feature article, you may have more control over your story’s tone and narrative than with a conventional news article. Feature stories rely on a writer’s ability to maintain a reader’s attention throughout an entire piece. Still, one of the more challenging parts is getting them interested enough to read the story in the first place. Your headline is the first thing readers will see, so it needs to pack a punch or set up a question readers will want your story to answer.
5. 5. Proofread and fact-check. Always proofread your headlines to catch any typos, missing words, punctuation marks in the wrong place, or incorrect word usage. If you’re using a thesaurus to find replacement words or synonyms, ensure you pick the correct usage. Fact-check the information in your headline, especially if it's statistics or counts, to ensure that you are providing the most accurate information.

A good headline can determine whether someone reads your article or not. Whether you’re writing headlines for blogging sites, the front page of the news, or an emotional feature story, it’s important to understand the most effective ways to craft a better headline:

1. 1. Be clear. Word arrangement and punctuation can affect the meaning of your headline. Be clear and direct with your word selection and avoid using obscure words or acronyms that can confuse everyday readers. Effective headlines are easy to read and digestible. The reader should see the headline and have a clear idea of the article’s contents.
2. 2. Be concise. When crafting a header, use as few words as possible to preview your article’s main point. Use active verbs that deliver an image and make your headline as direct as possible without being too wordy. If you’re writing for an online publication, a concise title is critical because it can help the article rank higher in online searches.
3. 3. Practice. Brainstorm different headline ideas for the same article, and make a list of your best attempts. Read each header aloud to determine which sounds the most straightforward, concise, and compelling. Visit your favorite blogs or mainstream publications and practice rewriting their headlines.
4. 4. Avoid puns or clichés. Crafting a header that doesn’t fit your publication’s tone can make your readers change their minds about reading your writing. If you’re going to use a play on words, keep it fresh and original, and avoid using puns or alliteration if they don’t suit your publication’s tone.
5. 5. Try a template. Some headlines work because they fit a tried and true format. Headline templates can help outline the proper structure for a headline so that you can write your own more effectively. You can find these templates online using the search engine of your choice.

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