Headline Writing: What Actually Works
Writing headlines and titles that tell readers accurately what a piece of content offers and make them want to read it.
Dana Whitfield
The key figures
- Scanning
- readers often read only the first words of headlines
- Search
- page titles often become the clickable headline in results
- Accuracy
- Google may rewrite titles it considers misleading
- Accessibility
- headings must describe the content that follows
Why this is worth getting right
Headlines decide whether content is read, shared or clicked in search, and misleading headlines damage trust.
Do this, not that
Do
- Put the most informative words first
- Promise only what the content delivers
- Use plain words the audience would search for
- Test variations on important pages
- Match the page title to the main heading
Don’t
- Clickbait that disappoints readers
- Puns that hide the topic
- Headlines that differ wildly from content
- Keyword-stuffed titles
When to bring in help
Our advice Bring in help when content has low click-through or high bounce rates.
Where this comes from
- Nielsen Norman Group — Headlines: first two words
- Google Search Central — Influencing your title links in search results
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
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Where to go next
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