Headlines are not an afterthought ...

"The Editor's Weblog" touches on territory that will be familiar to any frequent reader of this blog: Writing for online is not the same as writing for print.

Here's the link, but the part that really jumps out for me is right here:

Feed writing: this relates to headline writing and search engine optimization, but is even more specific. Journalists must learn how to write headlines that will make readers click through an RSS feed or email, or even better, a headline that will make readers forward the link to others. (Emphasis added -- MT.)

The sad fact is that for many of us, the headlines of our blog entries are either A.) Utter afterthoughts or B.) Puns/turns of phrase that entertain us, but don't do much to convey what a post is about.

The entry delves into Search Engine Optimization issues — which, while important, are probably a bit wonky for us here.

But let's just leave it at this: Put real thought into your headlines. Odds are that's the only chance you're going to get to pull someone in. It's a shame to waste it.

• Learn to write for online: headlines, blogs, forums, speed