Some people, when they write articles they simply need you to read – especially of a political nature – they often resort to these sorts of link bait headlines that require you to follow through to find out what they’re talking about.

But they have a choice. If they really want you to read the article, the headline should give them a legitimate reason.

A good headline shouldn’t ask you to take a chance that there might be something worth reading here. It should bring you in by giving you a glimpse of why you need to know the information in the story.

Link bait headlines are lazy and self-serving. Headlines that truly summarize and encapsulate the story are difficult to write. But they reward the reader and will give the them a better experience that will lead to a better reader-writer relationship long-term.