Clickbait(from English clickbait — “bait for clicks”) — is a marketing strategy that involves creating content (headlines, links) designed to provoke a strong desire in you to click on the link to learn more.
Typically, clickbait uses sensational, emotional, or ambiguous phrasing that creates intrigue and promises something extraordinary.
History
The term “clickbait” gained widespread popularity in the internet age. The concept itself appeared much earlier, dating back to the so-called “yellow press” of the late 19th to early 20th century, where newspapers actively employed sensational, exaggerated, and often false headlines to boost sales.
The goal was the same as it is now — to attract the reader, even if the content was questionable. With the advent of the internet, social media, and the ability to monetize traffic, clickbait flourished, as the low cost of content creation and the wide opportunities for its distribution made it an extremely effective tool for quickly attracting an audience.
Psychology
At the core of clickbait is the use of fundamental aspects of human psychology. One of the most important mechanisms is the “curiosity gap” (Curiosity Gap). People feel discomfort when they know about the existence of certain information but do not have access to it. Clickbait creates this “gap” by providing enough information to spark interest but not enough to satisfy it, forcing a click.
For example, headlines like “You won’t believe what happened next!” create intrigue without revealing the essence. Additionally, clickbait actively exploits strong emotions — shock, surprise, fear, anxiety, anger, or even joy, using words like “UNBELIEVABLE!”, “SHOCKING truth!” or “You will be AMAZED!”.
Signs of Clickbait
These are excessive emotions and hyperbole, for example, “This video will CHANGE your life forever!”.
Mystery and ambiguity, as in the phrase “He just walked into the store, and what happened next made everyone gasp!”.
There are numerical lists with sensational subtext (“17 shocking facts about coffee”),
questions you are eager to get answers to (“Do you know what happens to your body when you eat bananas at night?”),
as well as the use of general pronouns and uncertainty (“They said this, and now the whole world is talking about it!”).
A special place is occupied by so-called “thumbnail bait” (Thumbnail Bait) — specifically created thumbnails that evoke strong emotion or questions that do not always directly relate to the actual content.
Negative Consequences
Mostly, clickbait leads to user disappointment with online content, as the content behind the link rarely matches the loud headline. It is often used to spread misinformation and fake news, as its main goal is to get a click, not to ensure credibility. This creates “information noise,” making it difficult to find quality and relevant content.
Is Clickbait Bad?
Clickbait is not always an absolute harm. If a headline that has clickbait traits leads to quality, credible, and valuable material, then its use can be justified.
It may draw attention to important social issues, enlighten about serious risks, or be used in entertaining or educational content where the goal is not deception but engagement.
The key distinction lies in whether the user's expectations are met after clicking the link. If the “bait” leads to genuine value, then it can be considered an acceptable tool for attracting attention.
