Headings & Headlines
Headings
- Maximum heading length is 8 words, 6 words is ideal
- H1 & H2 capitalize all important words, no end punctuation (Sociology Sub-Plans)
- Do not capitalize:
- Articles (a, an, the)
- Coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor)
- Short prepositions (at, by, in, near, to, from)
- Do not capitalize:
- H3 & H4 capitalize only the first word in heading, no end punctuation
Headlines
- When writing headlines, less is more
- Headlines should be no longer than 8 words, 6 words or fewer is ideal
- Do not include punctuation in headlines (No exclamation points!)
- Try cutting out unnecessary words such as “a” and “the,” as complete sentences aren’t always necessary
- If possible, use abbreviations for Universities, Institutions, conferences, and events to shorten headline length
- Keep in mind: having 1 long headline in a news feed is not the end of the world, but having multiple long headlines is significantly less readable and usable for users
Best Practices
- Gets to the point
- Gives a broad overview of information, not too specific
Good Examples
- “Jeffry Simpson Receives Teaching Award”
- “Showcasing Our Global Impact: CLA International”
- "Canoes: Indigeneity, Relocation, and Maintaining Tradition"
Rewrite
- The headline “Psychology Professor John Doe Says Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Is Problematic” could be rewritten as “U Psychologist: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Problematic”