Tom Whitwell Assistant Editor, Online
The Times + MusicThing.co.uk for your music gear geek needs How to write awesome headlines. (So people read your stuff)

The first ever headline in
The Times (January 1 st , 1785)

They were rubbish at selling
stories

Headlines smaller than body copy.
Sure about that?

Really big stories got proper
headlines

Rubbish at SEO: No mention
of Jack the Ripper

1929: Real headlines

1945: Front page is only
small ads…

… even when there’s a
really big story

1966: Far out! Headlines on
the front

1967: Headlines get ‘clever’. The
decline into decadence begins.

1983: Weak puns ahoy!

Magazine headlines: What? What does
that even mean? Oh. OK.

2000: Yes, yes, very clever.

Then, suddenly, the internet.

1. Headlines were separated from
stories

2. We found out what
was really working

Headlines is serious business.

<ul><li>Newspapers don’t know who’s reading
which articles. </li></ul><ul><li>On the web, we know. </li></ul><ul><li>The difference between a good headline and a weak headline isn’t 5% or 10%, it’s 10x, 20x or more. </li></ul>Yeah, but, it’s only the headline.

Yeah, but, it’s only the
headline.

Yeah, but, it’s only the
headline.

<ul><li>It’s not easy. Britney Spears
nude having sex on Viagra while playing Runescape will not ‘get loads of clicks’ </li></ul><ul><li>It’s subtle </li></ul><ul><li>It’s working out what the story is, what your reader will respond to, and how to squeeze all the goodness into 68 characters </li></ul>What makes people click?

<ul><li>Be specific. Why exactly should
I read your story, not that other one? </li></ul><ul><li>Tell the whole story in the headline </li></ul><ul><li>Don’t try to be clever </li></ul><ul><li>Don’t try to be funny </li></ul><ul><li>Play to your niche. Don’t over simplify or patronise in the headline. </li></ul>What makes people click?

<ul><li>Quick wins: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Lists = force
you to do research and explain your points properly </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Quotes = Often the most interesting bit in the story </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Numbers = Often the most interesting bit in the story </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Names = Most likely who the story is about </li></ul></ul>What makes people click?

<ul><li>Don’t worry about ‘being boring’.
</li></ul><ul><ul><li>If your story is boring, no amount of headline jazz will help. </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>If your story is interesting, tell it in the headline. </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Write the headline first. Really. Always. </li></ul><ul><li>Great story which you can’t explain in the headline = crap story </li></ul>What makes people click?

<ul><li>Work at it. Spend 20
minutes on the headline. Do research to get the words right. Don’t publish until you’ve got a killer headline. Remember: 20x more traffic! </li></ul><ul><li>If you get stuck, tell someone the story. The way they react will tell you what should be in the headline. </li></ul>What makes people click?

<ul><li>You’re not actually writing the
headline. </li></ul><ul><li>You’re finding out what your story is really about. </li></ul>What makes people click?

I’m done. Sorry for ranting.