What Does Clickbait Mean? Everything You Need To Know
What happens when you come across a headline, video, or any other content that sparks your curiosity into a click? You hit the click and get hooked on content, right? This strategy is called Clickbait. Read on to learn all about clickbait meaning.
What is a Clickbait?
Clickbait is a term coined for content such as articles, videos, photographs on social media and overall on the web that entice people to click the links. Usually, it is used as a dismissive term. At its worst, using clickbait headlines is a bad strategy that shows the content creator is using weak tactics to sell audiences on his content.
Clickbaiting is considered an internationally employed technique that content creators, brands, and marketers use to draw attention to their products. Mostly clickbaiting involves overpromising, misinterpreting, unverifiable assertions that entice the reader or viewer to stick to the content. Clickbait headlines are typically misleading yet sensational that are formulated to gain more clicks on a piece of content.
History of Clickbait Term
Clickbait is not a new term. It was discussed in a Network Magazine article in 1999 when describing the early internet phenomenon. Back in the winter of 2016, this word was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in the winter of 2016. Clickbait is a combination of two words ‘’Click’’ meaning pressing a click of the mouse, and ‘’bait’’ refers to luring something. Originally, clickbait was written as two separate words ‘’Click bait.’’ But now, it is common practice to combine these words and write them as a single word.
It was raised as a prominent slang term throughout the 20th century. Many affiliate marketers and web developers started defining this term on their blogs in the late 2000s. Jason Geiger, a famous affiliate marketer, defined this term in 2009 as psychologically-manipulative headlines that drive more traffic to their websites.
How to Use the Term Clickbait
Clickbait is used by people of all fields for criticism. Marketers, legacy journalism, psychologists, and media are constantly using this word in speech, print, and digital communication. This term usually carries a negative connotation and is used for fake news or a piece of content that has a lame story. When referring to internet scams, a person can use this word.
How To Recognize Clickbait Content
Usually, it is not pretty easy to spot a clickbaity thing. But there are a few factors that help you recognize clickbait.
- It contains an outrageous title or image that can spark your curiosity.
- It mostly uses numbered lists and vague headlines to grab your attention. For instance, 18 Unbelievable Facts That Are True!
- You can find them in web links, ads, content that often misleads in the wrong direction.
Interesting Facts About Clickbait
Not to entice you to read the content, but we have some interesting facts that you will surely know about this term.
- Officially many top dictionaries included this word between 2014–16.
- In 2016, during the U.S. election, the term Clickbait was discouraged by the Snapchat and Facebook implemented policies.
- It is similar to false advertising and is considered illegal in this context.
- Some offshoots that are similar to Clickbait are sharebait, likebait, and tweetbait.
To sum up, clickbait is a negative word used for something that lacks originality. It is mostly used for online content to get more clicks. Hopefully, you will find this article useful. And it will not let you be lured by the faulty claims of content creators.