Why Headlines Enhance an Article: Identification, Imagery, Imagination and Invitation in Headlines

Why headlines enhance an article is something that all writers need to comprehend in order to succeed. Articles with effective headlines tend to motivate the potential reader, immediately. Articles that are void of headlines may lose a reader’s interest, unless they contain powerful statements in their first lines.  

Words have tremendous power and can create vivid imagery. Successful writers know how to use that power and imagery to their advantage by employing effective headlines. Newspapers have always used headlines.

Why is the use of headlines gradually becoming so important with respect with Internet articles, in this era?

Newspaper headlines draw people to read newspapers as a method of communication and encourage active readership. The use of headlines in newspaper articles is not something new or different, as a literary phenomenon. The Internet is in a state of transition, while newspapers are going online or are being phased out in terms of publication and distribution. One might suggest that articles on the Internet are much like those in newspapers.

What are headlines?  

With reference to articles, dictionary.com suggests that a headline is “a phrase at the top of a newspaper or magazine article indicating the subject of the article, usually in larger and heavier type.”

Consider these four important aspects of headlines, as they pertain to articles published on the Internet. 

With respect to Internet articles, words in the headlines help to identify articles immediately. They portray creative imagery, which in turn triggers the reader’s imagination and offers an invitation to enter into the literary worlds introduced by writers.

Why are headlines so vital with respect to articles published on the Internet?

Writers are in a competitive business and the quality of their work is important. Using headlines enhances the quality of a writer’s work and increases the likelihood of sales and publication.

On an Internet platform, like helium.com, the quantity of writing submitted for publication enters into the picture. Identification of articles can be difficult, cataloguing is essential and categorization of articles becomes easier through the use headlines.

Articles with effective headlines attract readers because of their powerful imagery. The writer gains the reader’s attention by offering bait in the headline. The imagery portrayed in the headline enters into the imagination of the reader, who enhances that imagery further, knowingly or unknowingly, depending upon how he or she comprehends or understands it. Thus, the reader receives an open invitation to read on further.

Why headlines enhance articles remains somewhat of a mystery. The bold print is often part of it because of its immediate impact. It is comparable to the town criers of yesteryear. They would proclaim a headline verbally, in order to gain the interest of the public. Internet writers do somewhat the same thing, but now in terms of a potential global readership. How they do it with the use of powerful titles that enhance articles is important for effective communication in this era.

“As town criers enjoyed royal protection, the command “don’t shoot the messenger” had very real significance.”

The same is true for today with Internet writers.