No matter what I make the topic of this article, I'm going to have a problem with it. I'm going to feel like I've sold a tiny piece of my soul, because it's almost not about the article at all. It's about the title. I have to convince you to click on a link to get to this point. Now that I've done that, I really could just stop typing. But I won't. That would be a little too easy.
The name of the game is clickbait, and I'm sure you know it well. It's the stories in the middle of your newsfeed that claim you "won't believe what happens next," daring you to see what the fuss is all about. Or it rears its head as an "Open Letter" or "15 Signs You're..." that's just too relevant and tempting to ignore. I fall for them, too. I love reading opinion pieces, watching inspiring videos, and laughing at cute animals. They make me nod, and even smile at my screen for a second.
But it's all a scam.
You see, clickbait is just that: bait. Its only purpose is get as many users (or fish, if you like the literal bait metaphor) to a particular site as possible, in order to generate money through advertisements. It makes no difference to advertisers how or why those users actually get there, as long as their advertisement is flashing on the screen. The actual article you're eager to see is often just an afterthought. So we click on these "articles" for their luring titles, only to be let down by the content: predictable punchlines, inaccurate lists, and the most annoying of all, slideshows.
Sometimes, there's no article at all; it's a complete bait-and-switch (the bait-related puns continue). I've clicked on links only to be redirected to the depths of pop-up internet hell. I've even watched my computer crash from struggling to keep up with the onslaught. And you know what? We don't deserve that.
Websites should be earning your time and attention based on the quality of their content, not a gimmick. Media trends live and die by how well they are received by the public, and so you, a card-carrying member of The Public, can choose not to fall for anything arrogant enough to assume you can't guess how something will end. You can choose to reject listicles (when did that even become an accepted word?) that never truly speak to you. And you can choose to avoid slideshows at all costs. Believe me when I say you don't deserve that. You deserve quality virtual entertainment. We accept the content we think we deserve.
So, how good was the title that brought you here? Was it worth the click?
