The headline on any article needs to sum up the contents with real impact. However, keep headlines factual and don't go over-board with puns and wordplay.
Use Headlines for Impact
It's easier to write your headline after you’ve written the main article.
For a staff newsletter stick to a basic factual title which summarizes what the article is about.
Write your headline in upper and lowercase as you would a normal sentence.
Headlines don’t have to be grammatical but they should make sense. They use a kind of short-hand that dispenses with superfluous words and phrases.
For example: "Technical support network is up and running" can become "Tech support network up and running," or even better, "Tech network raring to go," without losing any meaning and actually gaining impact.
Common Headline Styles
- The statement – for example, "New pay scheme launches next year".
- The label – for example, "How to use new-look intranet".
- The question (or provocative statement) – for example, "Have you backed up your laptop?"
- The quote (summarize it if necessary) – for example, "Performance reviews – we’re years ahead."
Rules for Headlines
- Make an impact.
- Keep it relevant.
- Keep it short (no more than five or six words for headlines).
- Keep your audience in mind – do they expect something formal, something chatty or something witty?