In this online era, it’s hard — if not impossible — to surf the web without coming across clickbait. I remember an era when all I could find were clickbait titles that lured me, such as “10 Tips to Help You Lose Weight in a Week.” What I’d find in these articles was little to no information about the topic; rather, the page would be filled with ads.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to get people to pay attention in the age of social media, especially with the amount of online content. Thus, content writers increasingly turn to clickbait to stand out and achieve those valuable clicks.
Although some titles might surprise you, it’s gotten easier to identify what clickbait is and isn’t. But have you ever wondered why/how the clickbait works? What’s the psychology behind it that makes it nearly impossible to resist the click?
Let’s look at the science behind clickbait and how you can understand the common tricks used.