← DictionaryHeadline
also called title, H1
The lead line of a piece, responsible for whether the rest gets read.
The line that decides if anyone keeps reading.
What It Is
You will find Headline in the Content layer, alongside the rest of Craft. What it actually refers to is the lead line of a piece, responsible for whether the rest gets read.
It is a label with a settled working definition, so the value is in using it the same way every time. Once it is defined that clearly, arguments about it usually stop.
How It's Used
Most of the time Headline is used in editorial planning, briefs and the day-to-day work of publishing. It is usually discussed together with Subheadline and Hook. The practical test is whether everyone in the room means the same thing by it.
Why It Matters
Ignoring Headline rarely fails loudly — it fails slowly. When it is unclear, output goes up and effect goes sideways. It is worth pinning down before anyone builds on top of it.
Think of it as a name on a box. Open the box and this is what is inside: The line that decides if anyone keeps reading.
Termshift™
How the meaning shifts depending on who is using it, and where.
Practitioners use Headline as shorthand and expect no explanation — the lead line of a piece, responsible for whether the rest gets read.
Outside the industry, most people would just say: the line that decides if anyone keeps reading.
The Bottom Line
If you only keep one thing about Headline: the line that decides if anyone keeps reading. Everything after that is detail.