A press release headline is the first line of the release, a single sentence that states the news plainly and in active voice. It should tell a journalist what happened and who did it, and it doubles as the page title that search engines and readers see.
The headline decides whether the rest of a release gets read. Its job is to state the news, not to advertise. Muck Rack's guidance for releases is to start with a direct headline that is short, active and easy to lift into coverage. Wikipedia also lists a sub-headline, often called a dek, as an optional element that adds one more detail beneath it.
Good headlines are specific. They name the actor, the action and the thing that changed, and they avoid hype words that a journalist would have to remove before quoting. Vague headlines such as 'Company announces exciting news' say nothing. Precise ones let an editor judge relevance instantly.
On a website, the headline also becomes the page title and the text people see in search results. Google advises writing descriptive, concise title text that is unique to each page, avoiding repeated or keyword-stuffed titles, and warns that it may rewrite titles it finds misleading. That means the same discipline serves readers, journalists and search engines.
How to: 1) Write the news as a plain sentence with a subject and a verb. 2) Cut adjectives and superlatives. 3) Put the most important word early. 4) Keep it to one line where you can; use a dek for a second detail. 5) Make sure the headline is true of every paragraph below it. 6) Give every release a unique headline so archive pages stay distinguishable.
QUESTIONS
How long should a press release headline be?
Short enough to read at a glance, generally one line. Wikipedia describes headlines of one to six words in the older convention, but modern practice favors a single specific sentence. Clarity matters more than a fixed count.
Should a headline include keywords?
Use the natural words people would search for, such as the product or event name, but do not stuff them. Google specifically warns against repeated keywords in titles. Write for a human first, and clarity will usually cover search too.
What is a dek or sub-headline?
A dek is a one-line sub-headline placed under the main headline. It adds a detail that would make the headline too long, such as a place, a number that you can prove, or the name of a partner.
Can the headline differ from the page title?
Yes. The visible headline can be longer, while the HTML title element is written for search results and browser tabs. Keep them consistent in meaning so nobody feels misled when they click through.
SOURCES
Last reviewed