Three tips to write effective SEO headlines for news

In issue 06, we look at three things to consider when writing effective headlines for search.

Hello and welcome back to WTF is SEO!, a newsletter about search for news publishers. This week, it’s me, Jessie, looking at how to write great, SEO-friendly news headlines.

Have an SEO question? DM us on Twitter (Jessie or Shelby) or send an email to: seoforjournalism@gmail.com.

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THE 101

Writing SEO-friendly headlines  

WFH life. Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

This week, we’re talking about writing SEO-friendly headlines. 

What’s in a headline? 

Headlines are the most important part of your story. Ninety per cent of readers will only ever read your headline. Knowing how to optimize the headline for both a search engine and a human can be a fine line, but done well, can be extremely effective.

Why are news headlines important for search? 

• According to David Ogilvy, “five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy.” If the only thing a person is only ever going to read is your headline, you want to make it count. For both SEO and reader reasons, it’s important to spend as much time considering your headlines for search as you would for A1 placement. 

Headlines are captured in the H1 heading tag in your site’s HTML. As Shelby covered, a web page should only ever have one H1 heading tag, containing the most important piece of information. 

A Title tag is the most important thing Google looks at to rank your page. If your Title tag is Your Headline + Your Brand (most content management systems will do this for you), then your headline, by default, is the most important thing you can control. 

So even if the H1 tags don’t have a direct impact on your ranking, headlines do influence click-through rates (which does impact ranking). 

Headlines tell Google the purpose of the page, and conveys to readers the context and meaning of the page. A well-written headline convinces readers to click and tell Google what your story is about. 

Three tips for crafting effective SEO headlines

Here are three important tips to remember when crafting a headline for your story.

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1. Headline length 

Headlines should be under about 70 characters. However, on the search results page, Google will cut off a headline based on the pixel width (at 600 pixels in Google).

Headline examples

• YES: 81% of Canadians say Canada-U.S. border should remain closed: poll 👍 

• NO: A new poll shows a majority of Canadians think the US-Canada should remain closed 👎

This headline from the Daily Mail is doing a LOT of work. We appreciate the hustle, but editors: consider a trim.

Try this: Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview: 5 bombshells from the primetime event 

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2. Front-load your main-focus keywords

Based on the character and pixel limits, try to front-load headlines with the main-focus key word or phrase — but don’t overload or overwhelm your headlines with target keywords. This is keyword stuffing and it’s a no-no for Google. Identify your main key search phrase and maybe one secondary key word/phrase, and get them in at the beginning of the headline. 

(“To the left, to the left” - Beyoncé, secret SEO telling you where the keywords go)

When readers scan your homepage or results in search, they will often only read part of a headline. Make the most of the first few words. Focus on getting the key takeaway at the front. 

Headline examples

• YES: Data shows 54 Florida hospitals out of available ICU beds as COVID-19 cases surge 👍

• NO: Some intensive care units are running out of beds 👎

This Healthline headline is straightforward and to the point – but still checks three boxes for a great headline (line length, using a number, uses keywords).

3. Hacks to help your headline 

Here are six helpful hacks to consider when writing a headline: 

1. Numbers: Numbers are a concrete way to set expectations for readers (what they can expect in a story), especially if your article has clear action items or takeaways. Odd numbers seem to do better (the human brain is a mystery!), and common figures (5, 7, 9, 15, etc), are great – though something unusual (79? Why not!) can catch someone’s eye, too. 

2. Dates: Useful for search and conveying a particular, specific moment when something will happen. People will add the date (March 11, 2021), days (Monday to Sunday), or a recency (today, now, etc) when looking for recent or current news. Use those same phrases in your headline.  

3. Questions/W5 words: Who, what, where, when, why. These trigger words are the bedrock questions your story needs to answer, so tease that information by asking a question in the headline itself. This can help set a reader’s expectations, so be sure your story delivers whatever question you set up in the headline (otherwise this is clickbait). 

4. Synonyms: Consider variations of a name or place, especially if you need to trim for length. 

5. Top keywords and related keywords: Look at the phrases that send traffic to your site or story. Be sure to use those terms in related reporting.  

6. Places: Where a story is happening. If the story is about a specific place/physical location – those words should be in the headline. Specificity is your friend here. 

Bonus tip: This is less about ranking factors for the search engines and more about enticing readers (but it sure helps those click-through rates). Adding a quote or a fragment of an interview can convey emotion and further entice a reader. 

Headline examples

• YES: I want to lose weight. Should I focus on diet or exercise? 👍

• NO: To get rid of excess weight, you also need to pay attention to your diet 👎

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4. The most important headline hack

The most important headline hack: Write for a person. As important as headlines are for search, readers are the most important audience. Ensure headlines are descriptive of the article while considering SEO. Clarity over tricks. People first, search second. 

✔️ Action item: Look at the top headline(s) on your website. Run it through headline preview tools from Moz or SEOMofo. Ask yourself:

• Is the character count under 90?

• Are key search terms cut off? 

• Would you click this headline?

If the answer to the above is yes, you’re G2G.

🔗  Read more: 7 <title tag> hacks for increased rankings and traffic 

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FUN + GAMES

SEO quiz

Google rules. But who is next in line? What is the second-largest search engine? 

1. DuckDuckGo

2. YouTube

3. Yahoo!

4. Bing

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EVEN MORE SEO:

1. Breaking news SEO: Using search to inform your coverage and technical SEO tips

2. What is E.A.T.?: Understanding the content Google wants more of and how structured data supports those efforts

3. New to SEO? Start with these 11 core concepts publishers need to know

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RESOURCE OF THE WEEK: 

Shelby recently stumbled upon Kristina Azarenko’s Chrome extension that gives you all of your on-page SEO information (aka, your headline, title tag, description, canonical URL, etc.) in an easily digestible on-site tab. Easily one of the best methods to quickly know what’s on your page. Give it a try, and be sure to give Kristina a follow. 

RECOMMENDED READING 

1. 19 Headline Writing Tips for More Clickable Blog Posts

2. 7 Things Journalists Need to Know About SEO

3. Women in SEO: Know Your Worth

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Don’t forget to bookmark our glossary. Have something you want us to explore? Email seoforjournalism@gmail.com.

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FUN + GAMES

The answer: YouTube

NEXT WEEK: 

Have something you want us to explore? Email seoforjournalism@gmail.com.

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FUN + GAMES

The answer: YouTube 

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Written by Jessie Willms and Shelby Blackley.