Clickbait
Clickbait is content whose headline or image exaggerates, withholds information or teases curiosity in a misleading way to attract clicks
What it means, how it is used and where it comes up, with its related concepts.
What it is and how it works
Formulas such as “You won’t believe what happened next” or “The trick nobody tells you” aim for an instant reaction rather than to inform. Some publishers and creators use it to boost traffic and ad revenue, at the cost of reader trust when the content fails to deliver.
Platforms such as Google and Meta have adjusted their systems to reduce the reach of this type of content. An appealing headline is not clickbait in itself: the difference is whether the content honestly delivers what the headline promises.
Also known as
click bait, link bait headline
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