Everyone has seen them. They lurk on every website, on every browser, and have the most ridiculous titles. What am I talking about? Clickbait, of course.
Clickbait is a cheap trick, with titles that pique interest, evoke fury, or cause sadness without logic or reason behind it. Web banners may be annoyingly animated, with bright, flashing colors that should come with epilepsy warnings. They say things like “Avoid This Food and Never Exercise Again” or “how to create a billion-dollar business in five minutes.”
Of course most of us can easily recognize these bogus “articles,” but sometimes they’re tricky and promising. So why use Clickbait? Isn’t it unethical, and flat out lame? Yes and yes. Here is a short an aesthetically pleasing list of why you shouldn’t use Clickbait titles.
- Clickbait titles are unprofessional.
- Your readers or clients will question your credibility.
- Eventually, people ignore Clickbait titles altogether... aka, they don’t work with most of us anymore. We ignore them just like any other obnoxious looking ad.
Let’s face it. Nobody likes Clickbait titles. Professionals of any kind should avoid them at all costs. At best, posting a Clickbait article/ad will make potential clients roll their eyes. At worst, they could cost you your professional credibility and new clients.
