Catchy titles and a slew of untruths. The headline promised a solution, but after reading the article, it turns out to be something completely different. Such content is readily available online these days, not just on gossip sites.
So-called clickbait used in low-value content marketing is disliked by many readers, yet people still click on it thousands of times. How should you handle it when creating your own blogs or website content ? Should you avoid it? Or do clickbait actually have a positive impact and provide good value? Learn more.
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How does good clickbait work and why does it attract attention?
Clickbaiting is the practice of effectively grabbing readers' attention. It generally involves the use of shocking, clickbait-like headlines online, especially on social media . Their goal is to persuade users to click and read an article that delivers content that doesn't quite live up to expectations.
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Clickbait (from the English words "click" and "bait"), commonly known to readers of gossip portals, employs various stylistic devices in its negative tone. The headline is usually formulated in extreme, highly shocking terms, often promoted as something that brings impossible and unexpected news.
Clickbait examples – titles that will intrigue the recipient
Surprising headlines for content referencing trivial facts are a quick way to grab the reader's attention and generate profits for websites that adopt this strategy. Popular headlines are a lure, served at the expense of reliable information.
A good clickbait like "Shocking! She lost 8 kilograms in a week. Find out how!" grabs more attention than titles like "A new diet that will help you lose weight" or "Lose weight in spring."
Such a headline has only one purpose: to entice the reader to click and proceed to the article page. Typically, the content itself is trivial and offers no valuable information for the user. The content often does the exact opposite of what the headline promises.
Clickbait and its meaning
Clickbait creators aim to keep readers on their toes, shock them, or intrigue them. This practice is primarily used in online journalism (blogs, news sites, and online portals) to increase clicks on individual articles and ultimately improve website traffic.
Clickbaiting is also used to promote one's social media channel on Facebook , YouTube , or other media outlets . Influencers primarily use this strategy. Readers who are lured to a website and click on a post will find it appealing and are likely to like or follow the influencer's blog. Such features greatly facilitate user interaction.
Other websites use clickbaiting to indirectly advertise products. There's no influencer who needs to attract attention to earn money. Instead, the site is backed by a commercial company that specializes in generating advertising revenue. Articles appear with comprehensive, enticing headlines. Readers, lured by the clickbait, visit the site and encounter other articles and advertising offers from partner companies. This increases traffic and interest in the offer.
Clickbait – an effective tool or manipulation?
As the headline suggests, clickbait aims to create a curiosity gap that can only be satisfied by clicking a link. However, not every such title should be demonized. Its value and the nature of the "bait" are important.
This bad, quantitative clickbait is associated with rather questionable topics. Popular and frequently clicked-on threads include news about celebrities, relationship dramas, accidents, and crime . Shocking and dramatic articles play on people's senses and emotions. Intrusive headlines combined with overloaded text and graphics indicate low-quality content and quantitative clickbait. Titles promise great, exclusive content, but they offer no interesting information and fail to meet expectations. What's really at stake is a simple click.
In contrast, there's also good, quality clickbait, which offers high-quality content and provides the user with useful value. Good websites with engaging content also use clickbait. However, it has a completely different effect and is much more positive. An example of such a clickbait headline might be: "10 Factors That Determine Successful Mediation."
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How important is a headline in attracting an audience?
The fine line between these two types of headlines isn't always easy to discern. Good headlines that encourage clicking on an article should grab attention and inspire visitors to visit the site. However, clickbaiting ends there, and a good headline should deliver more value to the reader. It should be honest and concisely communicate what to expect in the content. Sure, it can be a bit provocative, but always within a framework that doesn't leave the reader feeling deceived.
If you offer an engaging headline and good content , your readers will be more likely to share it, thus increasing your site's reach. Shocking headlines can generate a surge in clicks, but if the content doesn't live up to expectations, they won't drive traffic . To avoid accusations of typical, negatively charged clickbait, it's recommended to avoid overly extreme headlines. If you have good content, you don't need shocking headlines to increase readership. Therefore, before publishing, always check that the content of your article matches the headline's promise.
How to write a catchy headline?
The fact is, with a poor-quality headline, most website visitors will skip the links and not proceed further . The goal of a good headline is to entice the reader to click, read at least the first sentence of the article, and then smoothly move on to the rest of the content, consistent with the topic of the page title.
A good, catchy website headline – examples
An appropriate title will be one that, above all:
⦁ It is short and concise.
Experts say it should be in the form of a question and should consist of no more than seven words. For example, "How can I improve my memory?" sounds better than "What can I do to improve my memory?"
⦁ Addresses the reader directly.
This is a kind of familiarity that creates a feeling in the recipient that the text found on the website is directed specifically at them. This can make our message more effective. For example, "The best exercises for your physique" or "Discover the best types of car engines."
Additionally, catchy headlines are those that:
⦁ Expressive words were used.
Strong (even negative) words and phrases like "What Customers Hate" or "Brilliant Valentine's Day Ideas" set a completely different tone. Therefore, it's worth adding catchy phrases from time to time to spark interest and excitement in your audience. Just remember to use moderation!
⦁ A provocation was used.
A catchy, stylish headline can also spark controversy among your audience. For example, "5 złoty for bread – that's still cheap!"
⦁ Stylistic devices are used that make reading more enjoyable and, at the same time, can have an unnoticeable but powerful impact on readers.
Many titles that arouse curiosity contain alliteration (repetition of one or more sounds at the beginning of several words), e.g. "Artistic arrangements of the mezzanine".
⦁ Numbers included.
A headline with a number grabs your audience's attention and allows you to estimate the time it will take to read the entire piece. For example, "10 Smoothies for Vegans" or "5 Facts About Growing Tomatoes."
⦁ Comparison was used.
Whether it's about a product, service, or solution, a title like this encourages people to click and read the content, suggesting it will be easier for the reader to make the right decision. For example, "Steam iron or steam cleaner – which to choose?"
⦁ Solution shown.
Online readers often want to learn the best solutions or find answers to a burning question. That's why headlines like "The Best Way to Deal with Wilting Plants," "The Fastest Way to Clean Windows," or "What to Do to Improve Digestion?" work well.
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⦁ Reference was made to scientific research.
What's scientifically proven is certainly true, even if it's found online. This is what most readers believe, and such headlines help to engage the reader. For example, "Scientists Confirm That Drinking Alcohol Shortens Life."
As these examples show, clickbait doesn't have to be demonized, and there's no need to avoid it entirely, but quality over quantity is key. When using headlines to entice clicks, it's important to consider your target audience and avoid false promises. It's worth being creative and choosing a headline that's engaging and catchy, yet also relevant to the overall content of the online content.
Clickbait FAQs
The name is a portmanteau of the English words "click" and "bait." It's the practice of creating extremely catchy, often shocking or extreme, headlines whose sole purpose is to effectively grab the reader's attention and persuade them to click on a link.
They're associated with manipulation because the promise contained in a shocking headline (e.g., "Shocking! She lost 8 kilos in a week!") often drastically differs from the content itself. Such "bad" clickbait relies on cheap sensationalism, and the target article turns out to be trivial and devoid of any value to the reader.
The main goal is to maximize website traffic. Lured by a curiosity gap, readers click on the post and enter the portal, where they are exposed to other articles and advertising banners from partner companies. This, in turn, directly translates into profits for the website owner. Influencers also readily utilize this mechanism to artificially increase their reach and gain interactions.
No, and we shouldn't demonize all catchy titles. Clickbait, by definition, aims to create a curiosity gap that the reader wants to satisfy. If an intriguing, powerful headline leads to reliable, comprehensive, and substantive text that delivers on its promise, we're dealing with good, effective online copywriting.
For a title to effectively grab attention without deceiving the reader, it should be based on a few proven principles. Typically, a headline like this:
- It is short and concise: It often comes in the form of a direct question and should not exceed 7 words.
- Addresses the reader: Builds rapport through direct address.
- Uses numbers: (e.g., "10 ideas for...", "5 facts about..."), which is eye-catching and allows you to estimate reading time.
- Uses expressive words: Even those that evoke strong, extreme emotions (e.g., "What customers hate").
- Promises a specific solution or comparison: Makes it easier to make a decision (e.g. "Steam iron or steam cleaner – what to choose?").
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- Clickbait is the practice of attracting attention through shocking headlines that convince people to click, but deliver content that is inadequate to meet expectations, using extremes and impossible promises.
- Clickbaiting is used in online journalism, blogs and social media by influencers and commercial companies to increase traffic, likes and advertising revenue.
- There are two types of clickbait: bad, quantitative clickbait that relies on drama and deception, and good, qualitative clickbait that offers valuable content that lives up to the headline's promise.
- A good headline should be honest, concisely informative of the content, and may be provocative, but it should not leave the reader with a sense of deception.
- A catchy headline should be short, address the reader directly, use striking words, numbers, provocations, stylistic devices, comparisons, show a solution, and refer to scientific research.
