Find out how Buzzfeed has turned headline writing upside down

There was a time when headlines were staid, sober and short, some may even say cramped. This was the golden era of newspaper headlines.

You were told that the best headlines are those that say more in few words. The BBC headlines were touted as the model subject-verb-object headlines. Sample some:

Facebook to buy WhatsApp for $19bn
Thai PM denies corruption charge
Nigeria’s central bank head ousted

Really! You expect readers to click on these model headlines. Maybe because it is BBC. But other sites? Nah! Forget it.

There’s no place for Plain Jane headlines on the web. You have to turn to Buzzfeed.com. It has bombed the old world style of headline writing into extinction. On its ruins, it has raised a new edifice: Headline Buzzfeed.

Old Rule: Say more in less
New Rule: Say more in more words
On the net the slogan is: the more the merrier. That’s the logic. The headline now seems to be running away with the story. But everyone’s following it.

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Old Rule : Say no to adjectives
New Rule: Use adjectives merrily
A new sub-editor was warned not to use adjectives. He was told that adjectives weaken headlines, and should be used sparingly. The Net rule is to use adjectives liberally.

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Old Rule: Repetition is a sin
New Rule: Repetition is a style
You are told not to repeat ideas, and words. And rightly so. The editors have to come up with original ideas to earn their living. But then Buzzfeed successfully turns this logic on its head. Every second day you are told to see what you need to see before you die.

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Old Rule: Abhor question marks
New Rule: Use question marks freely

All good editors frown on question marks. Question marks are the work of lazy headline writers.The newspapers need to provide complete information, not half baked stories. But curiosity is what kills the cat on Buzzfeed. Question marks populate the site.

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The Buzzfeed style headlines are becoming the rage on the net. There are plenty of bloggers who want to Buzzfeed their headlines. After all, nothing succeeds like success.