CLICKBAIT | What is? Common techniques and examples

When you browse the internet, it is very common to find some kind of amazing headline or advertisement that catches your attention, such as making a purchase of a product or accessing a web page for a specific purpose. This type of advertising It is known as Clickbaityou will find it interesting know what it is.

Being clear about this concept can be very useful if you are in the business of social networks, since you need to start using it. Now as a reader it will be very useful to you because you will know the true purpose of Clickbait and you will avoid its consequences.

What is Clickbait?

To better understand the concept of Clickbait you should know the expression that is "Click on the Bait". It is a digital marketing technique which aims to generate an action of curiosity, provocation or expectation, so that the person clicks on the link to enter a web page. Clickbait is sensational or wonderful interpretations of a particular topic or recent news.

They are usually actions that are accompanied by expressions such as "you will not believe it", or "it will surprise you", "here you will find out", that is, exaggerated claims that warrant action. In general, this action is related to misleading purposes or too exaggerated for what it promises, since the content is of low quality, as it does not belong to anything that the title indicates. Some users reject this practice because they realize how they take advantage of them to end up being victims of clickbait.

Clickbait Features

The Clickbait app has the purpose of generating traffic to sites that provide advertising dollars. They are usually content posts optimized for the purpose of being enjoyed by the user and shared through social networks, with a greater interest on Facebook, where all the news becomes much more viral.

Some of the ways in which clickbait is applied is on web pages where some conditions are incorporated to click, such as the view of photos or galleries, as well as slideshows or automatic page updates, all with the purpose of maximizing all advertising spaces provided. Without a doubt, there are many advertising campaigns based on clickbait that work perfectly for their objective, however, they do not provide or guarantee the promoted content.

clickbait example

With a single article you will know what is clickbait, In addition, you can generate a large number of ads, the most common case with this technique is to use a promising link or link. Like the traps of wonderful tourist plans that are totally overpriced and disproportionate to the real costs, so they should be completely avoided. This type of content is usually shared many times, which results in many users believing in the advertising proposal and doing Clickbait.

Just by entering the web page, the accounting system is activated, generating a large amount of advertising through slides. And not only this, an incredible number of people come to share this information, all with advertising space that generates profit through PPC (pay per click). The clickbait technique used in SEM campaigns and SEO.

Clickbait Techniques

Clickbait is applied through various techniques, adapted according to their forms and purposes. These are based on common characteristics of the user, considering their behaviour and psychological aspects to define what clickbait really is.

1. Mystery and suspense

It is usually the most frequent and is used through headlines referring to the theme of suspense and mystery. to direct the reader to a specific content. With the purpose that when seeing it, it is not possible for him to resist clicking and finally he can discover what it is about or what is behind it, it is even a very effective way, since many times the user knows that the result will not be what he indicates, but his curiosity goes further and he must check it out.

It can be a headline that generates curiosity in the reader by doubting something or an idea that is known or accepted by all, an example could be that you should not eat a certain product, say apples, because it is harmful to health. This causes intrigue and suspense and if the user out of curiosity reads the content, which is expected to show the proof of reasoning, but no, the article is quite the opposite, it indicates the excellent properties of the apple and how healthy it is to eat it.

2. Numbered list

It is very common to find pages that are designed with a number of certain elements, since the reader is attracted by offering you a number of things through content. You could say that it is a combination of the previous technique with this one, by promoting content like the following:

• 2 ways to meet your perfect match.
• 10 properties of a particular product that you should take advantage of.
• 5 negative tendencies of….

3. Imperative verbs

Imperative verbs are used to draw the user's attention, since direct and precise actions, when combined or related to a need or priority, generate impact and are incorporated into the content to ensure this before any decision is made. It is a very simple but highly effective technique. by getting the user to perform a direct action on the page.

For example:

• Read the best tips before buying a house.
• Watch the following video and learn how to make a face mask.
• Find out about the best places on your trip to Europe.

4. Emotional

It is about appealing to the sensitive side of the reader even touching their sensitive side through headlines that they cannot ignore. Clickbait in this aspect is related to content that provides a favorable outcome to the reader and that is of interest to them. Although they are still sensational headlines, pleasant content is shown to the user. When applied to a business, it must be adapted according to the objective and functionality, with the purpose of creating a very attractive headline to attract the attention of a particular audience.

An example could be:

• A boy saves his pet trapped in a tunnel.
• Family reunites with their lost daughter after 40 years.
• Look at these childhood toys that you will surely remember fondly.

Advantages of using clickbait

• Is achieved capture the reader's interest or attract your attention so that you click on a certain link that will be counted by the SERP search engines.
• It will increase the number of clicks or CTR which will generate more traffic to the page.
• It manages to create viral content on social networks.
• Promotes positioning of the web page since it will be among the first search places.

Disadvantages of using clickbait

• In the end, the user will feel dissatisfied with the result offered and may express a bad experience of the site.
• In some cases, it creates a high expectation of the content that is offered and when reading it, it disappoints the user.
• in the end they are some negative branding results that by linking them with a brand or image they are considered of poor quality or with little credibility.
• This type of technique can work once per user, which does not guarantee its stability or permanence in the network.
• The user can access the web page, but may not finish reading the information or explore a little more within the page, seeing that the content is an advertising trap.
• In some cases this type of technique when not done correctly can cause penalties so carries great risk.