Headlines: do and don't
This page is for sub-editors, social media editors and creators who write the line most people will read. A headline is a claim; it needs the same source as the story.
Contents
Patterns that work
| Story | Headline pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A release | "Exponential <version> adds <feature>" | "Exponential 6.0.14 adds MongoDB 8 as a database" |
| Work in development | "Exponential's next release will bring <feature>, changelog shows" | "Exponential's next release will bring a PHP web server, changelog shows" |
| A feature | "<What it does> in Exponential" | "A page builder for editors in Exponential" |
| The organizations | "<Organization> <does what>" | "Nonprofit Exponential Foundation formed to fund open source CMS" |
| History | "<Old fact>, <new fact>" | "Code base from 1999 gets a new name: Exponential" |
| Security | "Exponential <version> fixes <type of issue>" | Only after the fixed release is out (Covering security fixes) |
The common errors
| Don't | Why | Do |
|---|---|---|
| "eZ Publish 6.0.14 released" | Current product under its former name | "Exponential 6.0.14 released" |
| "Ibexa's open source CMS gets ..." | Not associated with Ibexa | "Open source CMS Exponential gets ..." |
| "7x Foundation launches ..." | Mixes two organizations | "Exponential Foundation launches ..." |
| "Exponential 6.0.15 is here" | Not released until tagged | "What is coming in Exponential 6.0.15" |
| "AI now writes and publishes your website" | Exponential Intelligence writes drafts only | "An AI assistant that writes drafts, not pages" |
| "The fastest CMS in the world" | No comparison is published | "A PHP web server that keeps the CMS in memory" |
| "Thousands switch to Exponential" | No usage numbers exist | (leave numbers out) |
| "Dead CMS rises from the grave" | Unfair to all sides, and the code was maintained | "Twenty-year-old code base gets new steward and new features" |
Words to check
| Word | Ask |
|---|---|
| "new", "first" | First compared to what, and is there a source? |
| "fastest", "most secure", "best" | Is there a published comparison? Usually no (Comparisons done fairly). |
| "released", "launches" | Is there a tag or a dated announcement? |
| "official" | Official for whom? Only 7x and the Foundation can make something official. |
| "AI" | Which product, and what exactly does it do? |
| "free" | Free of charge, free software, or both? (Licenses explained for reporters) |
Video and social titles
- The title and the thumbnail make one claim together; both must hold (Titles, thumbnails and descriptions).
- If the video is sponsored, say so in the title or at the start of the description, not only at the end (Disclosure and sponsorship ethics).
- Version numbers in titles date quickly; add the version so viewers know what they will see.
Before it goes live
- To do: The product name is Exponential; the old name, if present, is in the past tense.
- To do: Every number in the headline is in the story with its source.
- To do: "Released" only for a tagged version.
- To do: No superlative without a published comparison.
- To do: 7x and the Foundation are not confused.
Related pages
- Brand and naming for media
- Common errors in coverage
- Version numbers in print
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
Become an Exponential Partner
Partners share their information, provide funding, contribute back and develop the products with us, and that is how Exponential grows. A partner website and dashboard are planned for mid-2027: please become a partner today to speed up our growth rate and land new features faster.