A headline in journalism is like the title of a book or movie, a shop sign, or a brand name. It’s the first thing a reader sees, and based on it, they decide whether to continue reading.

While the main goal of a headline is to capture attention and encourage further reading, in journalism, headlines shouldn’t be just “clickbait”—designed merely to get clicks. Headlines must reflect the essence of the article and avoid misleading the reader. A balance is required: to grab attention while accurately conveying the information journalistically.

Here are some examples. As we often remind, headlines for print media (newspapers and magazines) differ from those for online publications. For a newspaper/magazine: “Brave Heart” (about a rescuer who saved children from a fire and got burned), “Double Strike” (about military exercises where the attack on the simulated enemy took place in two stages). These are catchy, interesting headlines that fit the theme of the article. In online media, the headlines are different: “The Longest Tunnel Built in Minsk,” “Russia Plans to Increase Pensions Starting Next Year.” Such headlines attract attention but don’t mislead people—they introduce exactly what the text will discuss.

Unethical websites that are not real news outlets often use shocking, misleading, and deceptive headlines. “Actor X Dies” (completely false, fake information), “Singer Y Retires” (misleading headline, while the text is only about the end of a tour).

If you occasionally write and publish your articles in a local newspaper or on a news portal, you can already consider yourself a journalist. Though, in the more traditional sense, a journalist or correspondent is a media employee who regularly writes articles, appears “on screen” on television, or works on the radio.

Our common goal (ours as mentors, yours as a student of our online course) is to provide you with as much useful knowledge and skills in journalism as possible in a relatively short time. At the same time, the learning process should be engaging and shouldn’t distract you from your main activities. You will also practice writing texts and taking photographs. We will easily accomplish all these tasks. Our years of experience show that people handle this well and benefit from the course.

Now, let’s walk through some concrete tips:

The headline should be as short as possible. Nothing extra, just the essence. In print media, headlines are usually 2-3 words. For online publications, there shouldn’t be unnecessary details either—stick to a few words. Where and what happened—“A Sports Arena Built in Krasnodar,” “A Serial Killer Caught in St. Petersburg.”

Clarity, no vague phrasing. Not just “Reforms Discussed in the Duma” (or “Reforms in Education”), but “MP Proposes Shortening the School Year.”

Headlines with numbers. It’s believed that such headlines grab attention. Just like ordinary websites use “7 Ways to Impress a Guy,” so do media outlets with numbers in headlines: “Muscovites Are Turning to Psychologists Twice as Often,” “One in Three Teenagers in Europe Suffers from Depression.”

Avoid clichés and overused phrases. Headlines with worn-out expressions are very dull. “No Pain, No Gain,” “I’ll Become a Journalist, Let Them Teach Me”—these are entirely unsuitable for media. Even for print media, originality is key. “Thief in a Trap” (a play on words with “thief-in-law,” an article about a burglar caught after years of searching).

Use verbs, show action. Not just “A New Tourism Development Program,” but “Tourism Development Bill Passed.” Instead of “Government’s First Quarter Report,” go with “Government Reports on First Quarter Performance.”

Consider your audience. If it’s a student newspaper, the headline could be “Not Just for the Hype!” (about a student social media project), while for a city online edition, the headline for the same story would be “University Students Launch Media Literacy Education Project.”