Headline writing has always been part of the craft of journalism. Online, it’s even more important as it catches reader attention and affects Google page rank.
Those who follow me on Twitter will sometimes see an update that begins, “The hed made me read it.”
In doing so, I’m trying to point out just how important it is to write a headline that makes a reader want to click. And in turn, I want to acknowledge the work of sharp journalists — and copy editors in particular.
In the last few days, it’s been fun to see “the hed made me read it” and its variations show signs of becoming a mini-meme on Twitter. Kevin Koehler picked it up. Dan Berko gave it a twist.
What headlines have made you want to click on content? Want to follow my tweets? You’ll find me @MacDivaONA.
Addendum: If you’re looking some background on hedwriting for the Web, I suggest:
- “This Boring Headline Is Written for Google” from The New York Times
- “Headline writing: How to write web headlines that catch search engine spiders” from New Media Bytes
- “Writing Headlines for Regular Readers, Search Engines, and Social Media” from Copyblogger
