Good Web headlines are very different to good print headlines. But why?
They are often seen out of context
Web headlines might appear on a story, on the site's front page, or on another site entirely (through syndication, perhaps, as shown below). That means they have to make sense in their own right, without being dependent on any image or accompanying copy.
Headline feed from Syndicated news
This isn't the case with print headlines. A classic headline was in The Sun, a British newspaper. It celebrated the torpedoing of an Argentine ship during the Falklands War:
This is a great print headline -- but only makes sense when seen in context, with the accompanying introduction and images. So it would make a lousy Web headline.
They are seen by a wider variety of people
Stories on a Web site are often read by people outside the area - many of whom come to them through search engines.
This means that some terms may be suitable for print headlines but best avoided for Web headlines. The editor of the Web publication should give guidance on the degree to which stories and headlines should be targeted at the core audience, and the degree to which they should be accessible to all possible readers.
They don't have the same space constraints
In a newspaper, the layout of a particular page may leave room for only a four, three or even two-word headline. On a Web site, conversely, every headline will often have a 50-character limit -- and that's only to stop headlines busting on to a second deck.
But all this doesn't necessarily make Web headlines easier to write than print headlines; the greater space constraints of print can be a spur to creativity.
They are written for search engines too
Web headlines aren't just written for people; they are tten for search engines too. This means they should include keywords that likely will be used to search for the story. Preferably these keywords will be near the beginning. In addition, place words that specify the geographical location of story should be included.
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