headline

headline · Recommended by Google

Appears in

Article

What is it?

headline is the title of the article. It tells search engines and AI systems what the page is about in a single line. This field maps directly to the visible H1 or title tag of the page.

Why this matters for AEO

When a user asks "What is [topic]?" an AI engine scans Article markup for the headline to determine if the content answers the query. A clear, descriptive headline increases the chance the article gets cited as a source. AI systems also use headline text to generate summary cards and attribution links.

What the specs say

Schema.org: Text. Headline of the article. schema.org/headline

Google: Recommended. "The title of the article. Consider using a concise title, as long titles may be truncated on some devices." Google Article docs

Google previously enforced a 110-character limit on headline but removed that restriction in January 2023. The current guidance recommends conciseness without a hard cap.

How to find your value

• Blog post — The H1 tag or <title> element
• News article — The visible headline above the byline
• CMS — The "Post Title" or "Name" field
• Webflow — The page name or a dedicated "Title" CMS field

The headline value should match the visible title on the page. Do not use a different title in structured data than what the reader sees.

Format and code

Type: Text (string)

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "Trump Russia claims: FBI's Comey confirms investigation of election 'interference'"
}

Valid examples:

• "headline": "How to Implement Schema Markup on Webflow"
• "headline": "Q3 2026 Earnings Report: Revenue Up 12%"

Invalid examples:

• "headline": 42 (must be a string, not a number)
• "headline": ["Title One", "Title Two"] (single string, not an array)

Webflow implementation

Static pages

In Page Settings > Custom Code > Before </head>, hardcode the headline in your JSON-LD script:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "Your Page Title Here"
}
</script>

CMS template pages

Use the Webflow CMS field reference for the collection item name:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "{{wf {&quot;path&quot;:&quot;name&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;PlainText&quot;} }}"
}
</script>

In Schema HQ

The headline field reads from page title from Webflow and populates headline automatically. For CMS pages, it maps to the collection item name field. No manual JSON-LD editing required.

Real examples

BBC News (bbc.com):

{
  "@type": "NewsArticle",
  "headline": "Trump Russia claims: FBI's Comey confirms investigation of election 'interference'"
}

Sygnal (sygnal.com):

{
  "@type": "NewsArticle",
  "headline": "Title of a News Article",
  "datePublished": "2024-01-05T08:00:00+08:00",
  "dateModified": "2024-02-05T09:20:00+08:00"
}

Related fields

• author
• datePublished
• dateModified
• articleBody
• publisher
• dateline — publication origin location and date
• reportNumber — official report identification number

FAQ

Does headline have a character limit?

Not anymore. Google removed the 110-character limit in January 2023. The current recommendation is to keep titles concise because long headlines may be truncated on some devices. There is no hard maximum.

Should headline match the page title tag?

Yes. The headline value should match the visible H1 or title of the page. Mismatches between structured data and on-page content can confuse search engines and reduce trust signals.

Can I use headline on non-article pages?

Yes. headline is defined on CreativeWork, so it applies to BlogPosting, NewsArticle, WebPage, and any other CreativeWork subtype. Article is the most common use case.