Human-centered language, no questions, curiosity gaps: 7 tips for writing headlines
Never underestimate the power of a headline. It may be the only thing a reader will see. Nearly 60 percent of news articles shared on social media were never clicked on, which makes the role of a headline more consequential than ever.
To help journalists write strong headlines, the Institute and Resolve Philly’s Modifier produced a webinar featuring advice from Aubrey Nagle, Resolve Philly’s director of practice change.
Here are her top tips for crafting compelling headlines:
- Front-load important information. Journalists have no control over how their audience consumes news, whether it’s on a desktop, mobile device, or social media platform. That means that some words or phrases might get cut off with a longer headline if a social media network updates its feed or if someone uses a monitor of a different size. Therefore, it’s crucial to be concise and emphasize the most critical information from the first word of your headline.
- Create a “curiosity gap.” A curiosity gap is the space between what we know and what we don’t yet but want to learn. Try using the natural curiosity of your readers by leaving room in your headline that invites them to click for more information.
- Use human-centered language, which includes person-first vs. identity-first phrasing. For example, “a person who has a disability” versus “disabled person.” Person-first language will help you avoid stereotyping or stigmatizing your audience (or sources).
- Don’t ask questions in your headlines. Any headline ending in a question mark invites the possibility of the answer being yes. “When we know the answer to a question, we should not be telling our audiences that it is up for debate — that is confusing,” Nagle said. “That opens the door to misinformation.”
- Steer clear of “ghost attribution.” Attributing a reportable fact to a vague third party in a headline can also invite confusion or misinformation. Beware of using phrases like “critics say,” “some say,” or “widely criticized as.”
- Think about how people use search engines. What words would they type into a search engine to find your story?
- Write different headlines for print, SEO, and social media. Print: Write in complete, short sentences (5-10 words) using active verbs and present tense. SEO: Your CMS will typically have a place to include an SEO headline, which should be at most 50 to 60 characters and pack in keywords from Google trends. Social media: Use high emotions to encourage users to click on your story.
About the speaker
Aubrey Nagle is obsessed with helping people understand the news and helping the news understand people. In her work with Resolve Philly, she connects newsrooms with their constituents in ways that inspire more equitable and accurate representation and creates tools and resources that help them use more inclusive, human-centered language in their reporting. Before joining Resolve, Nagle was the newsletter editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer and also wrote educational videos and newsletters about media literacy, including three series for John and Hank Green’s Crash Course brand.
About Modifier Modifier is Resolve Philly’s home for practice change and professional development. We aim to transform the journalism industry by sharing our team’s knowledge through consulting relationships, workshops, and online resources.
About the National Press Club Journalism Institute The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. As the non-profit affiliate of the National Press Club, the Institute powers journalism in the public interest. The Institute depends on grants, foundation funds, and contributions from individuals like you. Your donation today allows the Institute to offer the majority of its programming at no cost.