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"Clickbaiting" (also referred to as "clickbait") is a practice in online journalism and advertising that uses misleading or sensational headlines, thumbnails or descriptions to arouse readers' curiosity and entice them to click on a particular link or visit a website. The main goal of clickbaiting is to generate more clicks, views or traffic for a website and thus increase revenue from advertising or affiliate marketing.
Here are some typical characteristics of clickbaiting:
Headlines with lurid language: Clickbait headlines often use exaggerated or sensational expressions to attract attention. They may make promises that are not actually kept in the content of the article or page.
Mysterious questions: Clickbait headlines often include questions designed to pique readers' curiosity, such as "Guess what happens next?"
Preview images: Clickbaiting often uses eye-catching or controversial images or graphics to grab attention and entice readers to click.
Incomplete information: Clickbait content sometimes deliberately includes incomplete information in the preview to get readers to click on the link to get "the whole story".
Clickbaiting is often criticised because it can disappoint readers' expectations. If they click on a clickbait link and find that the actual content is not what the headline promised, this can lead to frustration and disappointment.
Many online platforms and social media have developed policies to curb or combat clickbaiting. Some of these platforms use algorithms to detect clickbait content and downgrade it in users' search results or feeds. This is to improve the quality and reliability of information in online media and to ensure that readers find relevant and reliable content.