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MuseumsAndTheWeb: Developing Good Content

Writing Headlines

Headlines are usually the first thing a potential reade, linker or search engine will see when looking at your content. It is the first opportunity to capture them. A headline needs to be descriptive, memorable, to the point and unique. These are not always things that work together well.

A factor to consider is that many search engines are not as smart as readers for parsing headlines. The New York Times reports:

A common practice is to write articles specifically designed to encourage linking. This is known as linkbait. Headlines for these articles matter a lot. Here are 10 Sure-Fire Headline Formulas That Work

1. Who Else Wants [blank]?
2. The Secret of [blank]
3. Here is a Method That is Helping [blank] to [blank]
4. Little Known Ways to [blank]
5. Get Rid of [problem] Once and For All
6. Here’s a Quick Way to [solve a problem]
7. Now You Can Have [something desirable] [great circumstance]
8. [Do something] like [world-class example]
9. Have a [or] Build a [blank] You Can Be Proud Of
10. What Everybody Ought to Know About [blank]

Use media

People respond to visuals. Text is good, but pictures and moving images can explain so much more. Make an effort to put an image in every post that you write. Here are some great resources for pictures or media that are generally free:

• YouTube (lets you embed any video)
• Flickr Creative Commons
• stock.xchng Large user base, tons of amazing images
• Creative Commons search aggregator, also searches Flickr

It is generally also considered OK to use a photograph from another site, even if copyrighted, so long as that photo is dealing with the same story and is attributed.

Use headings and lists

• Readers don't read, they browse
• Headings facilitate easily understanding major points and sections
• Lists show chunks of information in non-narrative form
• Search engines love lists

See also:
Andy Hagans’ Ultimate Guide to Linkbaiting and Social Media Marketing