… except you will. It’s just a blog, after all. It’s no ground-breaking, extra-ordinary story. But clicking on it anyway taps into our very real, very human urge to satisfy something. Whether this be curiosity, a need for closure, or some sort of FOMO, clickbait is so good at appealing to our emotions, and getting us to read on. But does that mean you should use it? And if so, how do you use it well? 

Where does clickbait come from?  

Of course, newspapers have been spilling scandals from the very beginning. Sensational sells, and with so much competition across the digital landscape, it’s no surprise that headlines are fighting to be seen. And the rise of social media has only made this more difficult – headlines are now fighting for virality, instead of authenticity. Something that provides audience engagement has often been prioritised over audience satisfaction.  

So of course, there’s often a mismatch between the content promised by the headline, and what the content actually delivers. Whilst this sneaky tactic once proved popular, audiences are starting to stop responding to clickbait, with many publications declaring it does more harm than good.  

Has clickbait gone too far?  

When used excessively, clickbait becomes synonymous with the spread of misinformation. This has a negative impact across all publications; suddenly public trust in journalism is weakened, and all articles are looked at suspiciously.  

So, what exactly makes it so bad? It could be a broken promise of a headline, where the main content under delivers in comparison. It may be the exaggeration of a serious or nuanced topic, where the main content undermines its credibility. In any case, clickbait is now being looked at so negatively that Google has adjusted its algorithm to prioritise more trustworthy content. Even though you may not notice the direct impact of clickbait, publications do, and they’re now pushing for more quality content for readers.  

Engagement or ethics? 

Obviously, the main argument for keeping clickbait around comes from high engagement levels. Many online publications rely on the revenue that comes from page views, especially with adverts on the page. It also helps you stand out in an already crowded digital landscape, provided not everyone is writing the same kind of headlines.  Exaggeration is therefore a powerful tool, good for raising awareness and mobilising action. 

But it should not be a staple in every article. In fact, exaggeration often undermines core principles of publications, particularly accuracy and impartiality. Ethics are often compromised, meaning people become skeptical of all reporting, which widely damages the content that is actually truthful.  

Can you have both?

Even in real life conversation, we ‘clickbait’ all the time. Telling a story exactly how it is often becomes boring, and we’re all guilty of ramping up certain aspects to get a laugh out of our friends. But despite this exaggeration, we don’t lie – we don’t throw in something wildly ridiculous, and we don’t promise something amazing is about to happen.  

And we should take this approach to our content. Consider diluting the theatrics, and finding the balance needed between good storytelling and authenticity. An honest headline can be just as engaging as a clickbait one – find the most intriguing aspect of the story, and make sure this can be emphasised in a way that accurately reflects the article.  

So be sparing, and don’t think a scandal is all there is to a story. Be upfront with your content, and the click-throughs will follow.  

And for more on authenticity, have a look at our blog: the importance of human-driven content.