The year of 2017 seemed to go by at lightning speed and it can be hard to remember all that was going on. From Trump’s nuclear threats to the #MeToo movement to hurricanes and wildfires, 2017 was a year like no other. But, even as the news cycle resets every day and a new crisis arises, there are some headlines that stand out more than others.
Headlines are critical in the age of online journalism. They capture a reader’s attention, making them want to click and read more. Headlines are also an important piece of SEO, influencing the keywords that search engines look for. They also appear in the first few words of a post’s url, which is called “Google Juice.” The wording in a headline can make or break a story.
The best headlines are clear, concise and engaging. They present the main points of a story without giving away too much. They’re often written in present tense and drop articles (a, an, the) and verbs in favor of words that convey action or urgency, such as “deadly,” “catastrophic” or “insidious.” Headlines should always be clear and relevant to the article they’re promoting. They should also be readable on social media. If a headline looks cluttered or overdone, it can quickly turn readers off.
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