Steve Buttry to copy editors: ‘Say goodbye to obscure pun headlines’
“Let’s be honest: Newspapers have been way too tolerant of puns in headlines. A great pun can make a great headline, but too many pun headlines are silly and difficult to understand. You might get away with that in a newspaper, when story placement or an accompanying photo also attract readers. But a pun headline that doesn’t have the right keywords is deadly for digital traffic. … Don’t value humor or cleverness above SEO.”
Related: Punny headlines win copy editing awards |Â Denver Post, Bay Area News Group revamp story editing with fewer copy editors |Â John McIntyre:Â Expect first drafts, quickly edited, after Denver Post eliminates copy desk
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