how your favorite sites spin stories into headlines

17 Cats Sent by Obama to Learn from Steve Jobs and Revolutionize How Your Favorite Media Sites Spin Stories into HeadlinesA look at the headline-happy web and how

one story gets used and abused to drive more site traffic

Jay Acunzo | @jay_zo | jayacunzo.com

Good News, Everyone!

Okay, okay...

a real headline.

that’s not________

Okay, okay...

a real headline.

that’s not

(Sorry, folks.)________

But imagine this story actually breaks.

We’d all be talking

And somethingreaallllyyyinterestingwould happen online

__Aw yeah.

And somethingreaallllyyyinterestingwould happen online

Sites everywhere would newsjack & spin their own

Totally “Unique” Headline

Sites everywhere would newsjack & spin their own

Totally “Unique” Headline

by ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE Published: At the Exact Same Time

Just look what happened this summer when

acebookannounced

verified pages

Disclosure: This one was ours at HubSpot

THE RUSH FOR YOUR ATTENTION WAS ON

THE RUSH FOR YOUR ATTENTION WAS ON

Read it here!

THE RUSH FOR YOUR ATTENTION WAS ON

No, here!

Read it here!

GUT CHECK!

GUT CHECK!Which would you

really click?

THIS?

How Companies Learn Your Secrets

OR THIS?

How Companies Learn Your Secrets

How TargetFigured Out aTeen Girl Was

Pregnant BeforeHer Father Did

(LOTS OF US PICKED THIS)

How TargetFigured Out aTeen Girl Was

Pregnant BeforeHer Father Did

How TargetFigured Out aTeen Girl Was

Pregnant BeforeHer Father Did

BUT GUESS WHAT?

(LOTS OF US PICKED THIS)

IT’S THE SAME STORY!

The headlines were the main

difference.

For real! Forbes just block quoted a ton of the Times piece.

The headlines were the main

difference.

For real! Forbes just block quoted a ton of the Times piece.

The headlines were the main

difference.And got more traffic.

For real! Forbes just block quoted a ton of the Times piece.

The headlines were the main

difference.And got more traffic. And sparked some debate.

(JimRomenesko.com)

For real! Forbes just block quoted a ton of the Times piece.

The headlines were the main

difference.And got more traffic. And sparked some debate.

(JimRomenesko.com)

(It was rad.)

But...

Are headlines worth all this stress?

YES!

YES!Si

Absolutely

HaiJa

Heck yeahNo diggity, no doubt

Oui

Def.

Mmmhmmm

HEADLINES

DRIVE SITE TRAFFIC

HEADLINES

HELP SEARCH RANK

HEADLINES

ARE EASY TO SHARE

HEADLINES

CONVEY MEANING

HEADLINES

SET EXPECTATIONS

HEADLINES

MAKE YOU UNIQUE

HEADLINES

MAKE YOU UNIQUE

(And lots more.)

HEADLINES

JUST CHECK OUTTHE GREAT LENGTHSMAJOR MEDIA SITES GO TO FOR THEIR

• A/B tests headlines

• A/B tests headlines• Built its own testing

tech

• A/B tests headlines• Built its own testing

tech• Solicits headlines

from Twitter followers

• A/B tests headlines• Built its own testing

tech• Solicits headlines

from Twitter followers• Uses provocative,

bold, succinct language

• A/B tests headlines• Built its own testing

tech• Solicits headlines

from Twitter followers• Uses provocative,

bold, succinct language

• 79M Unique Visitors*

*Source: Quantcast

• Staffs SEO and analytics experts for each section

• Staffs SEO and analytics experts for each section

• Posts based on trending keywords for headlines

• Staffs SEO and analytics experts for each section

• Posts based on trending keywords for headlines

• Uses hyperbolic, overstated language*

*e.g. Tom Brady Is the Most Overrated QB in NFL History

• Staffs SEO and analytics experts for each section

• Posts based on trending keywords for headlines

• Uses hyperbolic, overstated language*

• 23M Uniques** (& sold to Turner for $175M)*e.g. Tom Brady Is the Most Overrated QB in NFL History **Source: Quantcast

• 25 headlines per post

• 25 headlines per post• A/B tests top 4 ideas

• 25 headlines per post• A/B tests top 4 ideas• Uses sensationalized,

emotional language (backs it up with quality content, not just cats)

• 25 headlines per post• A/B tests top 4 ideas• Uses sensationalized,

emotional language (backs it up with quality content, not just cats)

• 12M Uniques*

*Source: Quantcast

These guys clearly know the value of headlines:

These guys clearly know the value of headlines:

d i s t r i b u t e content.

These guys clearly know the value of headlines:

d i s t r i b u t e content.

GROW audience.

Headlines are...

“naked little creatures that have to go out into the world to stand and fight on their own.”Gabriel SnyderEditor, The Atlantic Wire

Back to Our Story

Can you guess which of these famous publishers would spit out each headline?

Let’s start with an easy one.Who’s headline is next?

Remember, we started with this:

Glass Crown for the King?LeBron Tries Google’s New Gadget

(I’ll give you our made-up

headline. Can you guess what site

would write it?)

Glass Crown for the King?LeBron Tries Google’s New Gadget

(Then I’ll show you options. Any

idea now?)

Glass Crown for the King?LeBron Tries Google’s New Gadget

(Winner, winner, chicken dinner!)

Okay – you’re ready to fly!

Okay – you’re ready to fly!

(They grow up so fast...)

17 Cats Who Couldn’t Be More Excited about Google Glass

(Who would twist the Google Glass

story into this?)

17 Cats Who Couldn’t Be More Excited about Google Glass

17 Cats Who Couldn’t Be More Excited about Google Glass

Was there any doubt? BuzzFeed has so mastered headline writing and viral content that their valuation hit $200M in 2013, with some saying a billion is in their future. (“BuzzFeed Valued at a Billion” would be founder Jonah Peretti’s favorite headline ever, no?)

These 5 Stats Will Make You Think Twice about Buying Google

Glass (and about Your Privacy)

These 5 Stats Will Make You Think Twice about Buying Google

Glass (and about Your Privacy)

These 5 Stats Will Make You Think Twice about Buying Google

Glass (and about Your Privacy)

BI has a flair for writing dramatic, maybe even sensationalized headlines. Editor and CEO Henry Blodget can now boast 23M monthly uniques six years after launching with a simple but bold mission: “Different medium, different journalism.”

Kim Kardashian Backs that Glass Up (and Probably Divorces

Someone in the Process)

Kim Kardashian Backs that Glass Up (and Probably Divorces

Someone in the Process)

Kim Kardashian Backs that Glass Up (and Probably Divorces

Someone in the Process)

Perez Hilton receives plenty of negative attention for its attitude but probably deserves equal credit for its SEO. In a highly competitive market, the site claims first page real estate on Google for hugely trafficked keywords like “Kim Kardashian,” “Jennifer Lawrence,” and “Justin Bieber.”

7 Ways Google Glass Makes Marketing More Inbound

7 Ways Google Glass Makes Marketing More Inbound

7 Ways Google Glass Makes Marketing More Inbound

Yep – even we’re guilty and have our own, fairly common headline style. Most of our audience looks for tangible, tactical ways to execute on their jobs and make sense of the digital world. And hey, we’re not doing too bad (1.4M readers).

7 Ways Google Glass Makes Marketing More Inbound

Yep – even we’re guilty and have our own, fairly common headline style. Most of our audience looks for tangible, tactical ways to execute on their jobs and make sense of the digital world. And hey, we’re not doing too bad (1.4M readers).

Still, it’s important to remember...

Headlines are just one piece of thepuzzle that is creating content.

Making something

QUALITY matters

most.

Headlines help you reach people

(and that’s important!)

But the actual content...

But the actual content...

is what resonates.____________________

SO REMEMBER:

Great headlines win their

SO REMEMBER:

Great headlines win their

Great content wins their

Thank You.

Twitter.com/Jay_ZoJayAcunzo.com

Jay Acunzo