2. HEADLINE DEFINED
A headline is the text above an article that
summarizes its overall content. Its purpose is to
quickly capture the attention of readers. Because
headlines are titles that appear before an article,
they are often the deciding factor regarding
whether a reader clicks on an article and,
therefore, are most enticing when they're
persuasive. Writers use headlines for news articles,
blog posts, advertisements, social media posts
and press releases.
3. 19 TYPES OF HEADLINES
Direct headline
It clearly states the purpose of an article. It
usually involves facts in the article to summarize
the overall idea. Readers know exactly what they
are going to read or see when you use a direct
headline.
Example: "15 Puppy Pictures To Cheer You Up"
4. An indirect headline takes a subtle approach
by hinting at the main point of an article.
Since it doesn't directly state the key idea, it
targets a reader's curiosity to discover what
the article is about.
Example: "Shoe company floats on in 2021"
Indirect Headline
5. It makes important announcements about
a company or its products. Journalists
often use these types of headlines in news
articles to efficiently share recent
information with the public.
Example: "Beach Cove Taffy Announces
New Location Near Myrtle Beach"
News Headlines
6. This type of headline teaches readers ways to learn a
new skill or solve a problem through an outline of
steps. To write a how-to headline, writers start with
the phrase "how to," followed by the action they
want their readers to learn. It also helps highlight
why that particular article might benefit them.
Example: "How To Drive in a Foreign Country Like a
Local"
How-to Headline
7. Question Headline
It poses a question to readers with the
intention of providing the answer within the
article. These tend to be topics consumers may
be interested in regarding a company's
products or brand.
Example: "Do You Know Which of Our
Vegetables Has the Most Vitamins?"
8. Command Headline
Command headlines tell readers what to do or
what they can learn by reading an article.
Companies typically use this type of headline
when creating an advertisement. Most command
headlines start with a strong action verb.
Example: "Simplify Your Wardrobe With This New
Technique"
9. “Reason why" Headline
This headline tells an audience why certain
situations occur. This type of headline
typically results in a list article format, which
readers often prefer over other types of
articles since it's easier to skim.
Example: "8 Reasons Why Your Outfit Is
Affecting Your Interview"
10. Emotional Headline
Emotional headlines typically target either
a positive or negative feeling to
encourage an audience to read an article.
To do this, writers use powerful words
such as affordable or stressed.
Example: "Ways You Can Prevent Work
Burnout in the New Year"
11. Wordplay Headline
A wordplay headline uses a creative
formation of words and phrasing,
typically in the form of a pun or irony.
Companies often use these headlines
when trying to make a less important
topic amusing. Example: "Local Auto
Race Hits Bump in the Road"
12. Brand Name Headline
Brand name headlines use recognizable
organizations to compare a company's
business or products to its competitors. This
can be helpful for new businesses trying to
participate in a similar market as a more
established company.
Example: "Skeeter Expected to Gain More
Popularity Than Peach Scooter"
13. Best Headline
Best headlines rank certain items above
others. These can attract readers who
look for top-rated content, such as the
best restaurants to try or the best
computer to buy, for example.
Example: "Best Cities To Live in After
College"
14. Two-part Headline
A two-part headline uses a punctuation mark,
such as a colon, em dash or parentheses to
combine two ideas. Usually, both parts of
these headlines can stand alone, but together,
they increase the chances of capturing a
reader's attention.
Example: "Why Word-of-Mouth Advertising
Can Increase Sales: The Five Key Steps"
15. Relational Headlines
It connects the reader to the subject of an
article by using second-person language.
Relating the topic to the reader helps them
become interested in reading and discovering
how this article can help them.
Example: "Here's How You Could Make $1,000
From Your Couch"
16. Location-specific Headline
Location-specific headlines attract readers by
making them feel included in knowledge only
a select group of people would know. These
headlines focus on something that people in a
particular area share in common.
Example: "12 Things Anyone Who Lives in
Seattle Knows To Be True"
17. Challenging Belief Headline
It convinces individuals to read by using a
reverse psychology technique. Usually, these
headlines begin with, "You won't believe..."
which often makes viewers want to read an
article to see whether it actually surprised
them. Example: "You Won't Believe How
Celebrities Are Losing Belly Fat"
18. Confrontational Headline
Confrontational headlines are persuasive, as
they attract people who either agree with the
headline or have opposing opinions. Posing a
controversial stance can entice individuals to
read and see whether the article changed or
enforced their existing opinions.
Example: "12 Reasons Why Recycling Is
Hurting the Planet"
19. Testimonial Headline
A testimonial headline begins with a
quote from a company's consumer. This
gives viewers an objective, opinionated
statement from someone who has used
a company's products. Example: "This
Cooking Plan Helps Me Make Meals for
My Picky Children"
20. “Backed by Science" Headline
This headline supports a statement by
confirming its thesis with scientific
evidence and proof. Writers use these
headlines for articles that include research
on a particular idea.
Example: "Scientists Believe Cicadas Are
About To Emerge From Underground"
21. Background Headline
Background headlines start with contextual
information. This is usually a two-part headline,
with the first part providing background and the
second half explaining the significance or reason
for the first statement. Example: "Millionaire
Donates $5 Million To Local Grocery Store; Thanks
Cashiers With Bonus"
