06 May
How many times have you read an article because of an intriguing headline? Probably a lot, right? This shows the impact of a headline. For writers, this serves as their ticket for getting more readers. It doesn’t matter if you have the best content out there. If your headline is bad, then your article will unlikely be read. This is the reason why a lot of writers use humor in their headlines. Read on as we show you 20 of the most hilarious headline examples.
Viral and Funny Headline Examples
In this post, we looked for the funniest headlines that made us stop and read the entire content. We are not saying that these are the best headline examples out there. Some of these were actually honest mistakes. But are they effective? Certainly!
We warn you though, these awesome headlines will make you laugh.
“Cows lose their jobs as milk prices drop”
No matter how many times we read this headline, we can’t help but think – poor cows! Kidding aside, this headline was effective enough to make you pause and read. But the article itself wasn’t a piece of light news. In fact, a lot of farm owners shut down their operations due to various economic factors.
This funny headline was seen in The Baltimore Sun Newspaper.
“New Study Shows That Breathing Air Is Linked to Staying Alive”
Who wouldn’t find this headline hilarious? Even a first-grader will lift an eye-brow seeing this. But again, you will be drawn to read the entire article just because of an interesting headline.
“Horse herpes outbreak forces rodeo queens to ride stick ponies”
You probably think that this headline is a joke. Well, it isn’t. The rodeo queens had to literally use stick ponies for health reasons. Nevertheless, we still think this headline is one of the funniest out there. And just look at the image right beside it.
“Lohan’s second trip to morgue is a success”
So, wait, the first one wasn’t enough?
Anyway, Lohan has been making news for years already. She’s one of the most controversial young actresses we know. And the writer obviously used that popularity and humor to create a funny headline. For Lohan’s fans, this probably didn’t sit well.
“An ‘angel’ locals believed from the sky turns out to be a sex toy”
The news itself is already shocking, so why not have an equally shocking headline, right? However, you will begin to wonder, how can one dispose of such a toy recklessly?
“Florida Rapper Gets Pulled Over, Hands Officer His Mixtape Instead of ID”
Apparently, the rapper’s driver’s license was already suspended and thought his mixtape CD can save the day. It didn’t. He is probably looking for fame. Thanks to this headline, he started getting attention.
“Missing woman unwittingly joins search party looking for herself”
This headline from Toronto Sun is nothing short of funny. We can definitely say that it was an awkward situation. Nevertheless, it was a relief knowing that no one was actually missing.
The writer capitalized on the already funny event to the headline. And it was effective as well.
“Diana was still alive hours before she died”
We all know that Princess Diana’s death was tragic but this headline was just absurd. Some people might think it’s funny considering that it was allegedly from a satirical British newspaper, but others were offended by it.
“Is this the rail price? Is this just fantasy? Caught up in land buys, No Escape from bureaucracy”
If you are a fan of Queen then you will find this headline from Armagh Gazette absolutely smart. In fact, it would be hard not to sing as you read it. Mamma Mia, indeed!
“For sale: cemetery plot, $200, so I don’t have to spend all eternity beside my ex!”
We felt the pain and anger in this headline or classified ad. When you end your relationship, you definitely have to cut ties forever. This was from Anthony Cialella, New Castle, Pennsylvania.
“Self-proclaimed invisible man no show at court hearing”
The headline from The Daily Herald also made it to our list. While it isn’t unusual for people to ditch court hearing, an ‘invisible man’ made it even more interesting.
“Pair banned from all-you-can-eat restaurant for eating too much”
The news from the Telegraph became viral because of its funny headline. You begin to wonder how much food this pair eats. The restaurant’s manager feared the future of their business.
“Lady Gaga fan dies, brought back to life at Nashville concert”
This really happened and at first, you might think it’s just clickbait. But according to the news, the fan literally died and had no heartbeat. The paramedics used a portable automated external defibrillator for five minutes to revive her. The headline helped in spreading awareness about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
“Typhoon rips through cemetery; hundreds dead”
This is a piece of serious news but the headline made it otherwise. You can guess why, right?
“‘We hate math’, say 4 in 10 – a majority of Americans”
This headline just proved how people in America hate math. Comments about this funny headline were also hilarious. One of them said that it’s a good thing the writer wasn’t an engineer. We couldn’t agree more.
“China may be using sea to hide its submarines”
Where else would they hide it? Here’s a better version from The Seattle Times, “China may be trying to hide submarines in South China Sea”.
But even with such a cringe-worthy headline, it was effective because people became more interested in the issue.
“Man kills himself and runs away”
You begin to wonder, “How did he do it?” And then naturally you will read the article even with a silly headline. Again, it worked and the Daily Sun made headlines for publishing it. Quite ironic.
“Tiger Woods plays with own balls, Nike says “
We’re pretty sure you are laughing right now. But this news was not sexual in any manner. The headline is crazy hilarious and you would be hooked up to read the rest of the story.
“Colleagues Finger Billionaire”
And here’s another one from The Wall Street Journal. It will be a challenge not to smile reading this.
“Woman missing since she got lost”
Until now, we are trying to figure out what this headline is trying to say. But it was enough for us to research more. It was said that the headline was from Sun-Times Media Wire. Was it effective? Yes, it was. But we are more interested to find out who wrote it. That person will definitely make it to the front page.
Without a doubt, the headline examples above became viral. After all, who doesn’t want a good laugh? But if you will use the same technique for your headlines, make sure you do it right. Otherwise, you might write something offensive, silly, and corny – all of which can damage your reputation and the company you are writing for.
How to Write Funny Headlines
To be honest, there is no strict rule if you want to go funny. After all, we have different senses of humor. What might work in a specific culture might draw a backlash in other parts of the world. After learning a thing or two from these headline examples, here are some general tips on how to write hilarious headlines:
Know Your Audience
With that said, you have to know your audience. Who are you writing for? Do you think they will get your supposedly funny article title? Do you think they’ll deem it as hilarious?
Use Humor But Don’t Mislead
We all want to gain traffic, but that doesn’t mean you should exaggerate your headline just to go viral. As always, it should clearly talk about your content. Don’t push it too hard because readers are smart enough to know what you are doing. And if they notice a similar pattern, you will lose their interest in the long run.
Do It Wisely
And lastly, humorous headlines are not for all subjects. If a topic is light, then go ahead and play with words. But if it is a serious issue that needs urgent attention, then being funny might not be the best gameplay.
Conclusion
It is risky to write funny headlines. But if done correctly and with the utmost sensitivity, it will work. It will go viral. Just make it entertaining enough to spark interest but don’t forget that it has to be informative, just like these 20 headline examples.
Truth be told, writing funny and hilarious headlines isn’t for amateurs. The ideas are not easy to form. It will take a lot of practice, experience, and exposure to create one. In that case, you might want to work with Content Fuel, as they have a team of experienced writers that can help you come up with effective titles for your articles.
