JRHS Writing BLOG

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Man Explodes Randomly in the Streets

The above title, Man Explodes Randomly in the Streets, probably instantly caught your attention and is likely the leading reason you are reading this article right now. This article, however, is not about a man spontaneously exploding in public, but rather about the importance and power of headlines. Just how much does the first impression matter?

Journalists own quite an extensive toy box when it comes to tricks that help sell their articles. Pictures, links to other articles, key words, dramatic wording, paraphrasing, and commenting on the work of others are only some of the tactics that lay at their fingertips - tactics that help journalists greatly when it comes to making their article the one that stands out. But perhaps the most powerful among all of their tools is the overlooked, but deadly, secret weapon: the headline.

What exactly does the headline do? Well, it instantly captures the reader’s attention and summarizes the article in a few words. If it is interesting enough, just a glimpse may be enough to inspire the customer to read the entire article. It creates a first impression - and if you don’t create a positive one, then it is unlikely you will ever succeed, no matter how excellent your article may be. The power of the headline is immense - even if your reader has begun to read your article, they may lose interest if they weren’t brought in with a big enough hook.

The headline of this article, a shocking and completely untrue statement, while ridiculous, caught your attention. Would you be reading this if it was titled “Headlines”? Perhaps, but it’s less likely than you’d like to think. The headline is truly of the most vital importance.