First of all, let me get this out of the way. I love Upworthy. Love it. I frequently find amazing stories there and go in-depth to tell it my way, with a h/t (hat-tip) to them, of course. So I’m not dissing Upworthy, or ViralNova, or FaithIt, or any of the other sites that use the style of headline that is supposed to grab and intrigue readers. Indeed, I really want you to read OUR stuff here at Liberal America, so we will occasionally do an intriguing headline, too. The fact is, these provocative headlines work. They draw readers in. It’s genius, really.
I do think, however, that many readers have grown numb to a certain type of headline. We no longer believe that “#7 is unbelievable” or “what this girl says about her mom will shock you.” Noting my own weariness of such headlines, I’ve been trying to phase this style out at Liberal America. I think readers?want a realistic description of what the article is about and a little less hyperbole.
If any of the aforementioned sites (including my own site) wrote up the 10 Commandments, this is what the headlines may look like. We found it at McSweeneys.net.
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Tiffany Willis is the founder and editor-in-chief of Liberal America. An unapologetic member of the Christian Left, she has spent most of her career actively working with ?the least of these? and disadvantaged and oppressed populations. She’s passionate about their struggles. To stay on top of topics she discusses,?like her?Facebook page,?follow her on Twitter, or?connect with her via LinkedIn. She also has?a?grossly neglected personal blog?and a?literary quotes blog that is a labor of love. Find her somewhere and join the discussion.
