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Glossary – Clickbait

Clickbait

Nikiforov Alexander
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What is clickbait?

Clickbait is a method that uses provocative and manipulative techniques to attract users' attention in the digital space. This is usually expressed in headlines that create a false impression or mislead, prompting a person to click on a link. For example, a news story may seem to concern all residents of a country, but in reality, it pertains to a narrow group of people engaged in a specific activity, as is the case with licenses for mining minerals in Russia.

Types of clickbait

Science popularizer and video blogger Derek Muller identifies two main types of clickbait:

  • First type of clickbait: A headline that attracts attention, prompting visitors to click on the link, but does not deceive. This could be a rhetorical question, the answer to which is contained in the material.
  • Second type of clickbait: A headline that leads to content of questionable value. It may not correspond to the content or contain prohibited materials, which is most often associated with clickbait.

Techniques of clickbait

Clickbait often targets the emotional response of the user, evoking feelings such as fear, curiosity, or anger to motivate them to click on the headline. Here are some common techniques:

  • Exaggeration: For example, a headline like “A terrible tragedy in the president's family” may create an expectation of something horrific in the reader's mind, while in reality, it concerns a minor incident.
  • Withholding information: A headline like “A terrible tragedy in the family of a famous artist” does not convey specific information, which stirs interest and encourages a click.
  • Misleading terminology: The use of terms like “bill” and “law” can create a false impression that something has already been enacted, leading to unnecessary panic and clicks.
  • Playing on expectations: If a headline implies insider information about a new product but the content only presents well-known information, this is also considered clickbait.
  • Out-of-context quotes: The absence of context can completely change the meaning of what has been said, as in the case of scientists whose words may be presented in a distorted manner.
  • Use of metaphors: Metaphors can create a misleading impression about the content of the material, as in the headline “Meat is turning green,” which actually refers to the growing demand for plant-based alternatives.
  • Challenge to the reader: Headlines like “You won’t believe what...” grab attention, even if the information is not sensational.

Advantages and disadvantages of clickbait

Clickbait has its pros and cons. Its advantages include:

  • High click-through and view rates, which increase traffic.
  • The potential to use clickbait headlines to promote important content, such as scientific materials.

However, the disadvantages are also significant:

  • Undermining users' trust in content creators if expectations do not match reality.
  • Negative impact on reading duration metrics on platforms like YouTube.
  • The risk of facing sanctions from platforms for misleading headlines.
  • Decreasing domain reputation due to emails being marked as spam.

How to avoid clickbait

Despite the allure of clickbait, using such methods can undermine the reputation of a resource. Instead, one should employ strategies for creating engaging headlines that align with the content. Here are a few recommendations:

  • Create viral content that is interesting and useful for readers.
  • Use engaging elements in headlines to attract attention while ensuring content relevance.
  • Follow the 4U model, where the headline should contain uniqueness, usefulness, ultra-specificity, and urgency.

For example, the headline “How to build a gaming PC for 30,000 rubles” generates interest, especially if the content indeed provides useful tips for assembly.