Your headline determines whether your press release gets read or deleted. In a journalist's overflowing inbox, you have approximately two seconds to capture attention. Weak headlines guarantee deletion. Compelling headlines create curiosity that drives deeper reading.
The Two-Second Test
When reviewing press releases, journalists often decide within seconds whether to continue. They scan subject lines and headlines, looking for reasons to invest more time. Your headline either earns that investment or loses it.
The two-second test is simple: can someone understand the core news from your headline alone? If they can, you've succeeded. If they need to read more to understand why they should care, your headline isn't working hard enough.
Specificity Beats Cleverness
Many PR professionals try to be clever with headlines. Puns, wordplay, and creative turns of phrase rarely work. They require explanation, create confusion, and often seem try-hard. Journalists are too busy for cleverness—they want clarity.
Specific headlines perform better because they communicate concrete news. "Startup Raises $10 Million" is clear and interesting. "Startup Secures Series A to Disrupt Industry" is vague. The more specific you can be while remaining accurate, the better.
Include Numbers and Data
Numbers grab attention and convey concrete information quickly. "Company Grows 200%" is more compelling than "Company Sees Significant Growth." Specific percentages, dollar amounts, and quantities help journalists understand news value at a glance.
Use real numbers, not inflated claims. If your growth is actually 15%, don't claim "explosive growth." Journalist fact-checking will catch the discrepancy, and your credibility suffers. Authentic specificity outperforms manufactured excitement.
Answer "So What?" Before It's Asked
Every headline should implicitly answer why the news matters. A product launch isn't inherently interesting. "New Product" tells journalists nothing. What does the product do? How is it different? Who benefits? What problem does it solve?
The best headlines create a mini-narrative: what's happening and why it matters. They make journalists curious enough to read the subhead or lead paragraph for more detail.
Use Present Tense for Immediate News
Present tense headlines convey immediacy: something is happening now. "Company Launches" feels current. "Company Will Launch" feels future and uncertain. Use present tense for announcements that are happening immediately.
Reserve future tense for announcements that should be held until a specific date, when the news becomes current. This is one reason embargo dates exist—they let you write in present tense for future news that will be relevant when it publishes.
Keep It Under 100 Characters
Long headlines get truncated in email clients and news feeds. Aim for 8-12 words—enough to communicate clearly without excess. This constraint forces you to focus on the most newsworthy element.
If you're struggling to fit your headline under 100 characters, you may be trying to include too much information. Focus on one key message. You can always include additional details in your subheadline or lead paragraph.
Avoid ALL CAPS and Excessive Punctuation
ALL CAPS HEADLINES scream amateur and spam. They also reduce readability—people read words, not letters. Same with excessive punctuation!!! Question marks and exclamation points don't make your news more exciting; they make you look desperate.
Let your content speak for itself. Strong news doesn't need artificial emphasis. If your headline seems weak with normal formatting, strengthen your headline, don't yell louder.
Match Subject Line and Headline
When you send a press release via email, your subject line and headline work together. Often, the email subject line becomes the headline when the story publishes. Make sure both communicate the same core message.
Some organizations use the exact same text for both; others craft slightly different angles. Either approach works as long as both convey the essential news clearly.
Test Before Sending
Before finalizing your headline, test it. Read it aloud. Ask yourself: would I want to read more based on this headline? Ask colleagues to review it. A fresh perspective often catches problems you've become blind to.
Study headlines in publications you admire. Note what makes them effective. Over time, you'll develop intuition for what works in your industry. For more on writing skills, see Writing Headlines That Convert.
