Studies show online news users prefer straight headlines to funny or cute ones, reports Jonathan Dube, publisher of Cyberjournalist. He also urges online journalists to use plenty of links. "Many sites have a paranoid fear that if they include links to other sites, readers will surf away and never return," Dube says. "Not true! People prefer to go to sites that do a good job of compiling click-worthy links — witness Yahoo!’s success. If people know they can trust your site, they will come back for more." However, it's essential to apply news judgment and editorial standards to the links you choose. And do link to related stories on your own site, to provide context and background to today's news without bogging stories down with old information.
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