Clickbait can be found on many social media platforms now days and clickbait does not just include clickbait just for paranormal content, it can be found regarding anything.
Obviously, we are paranormal based so my blog is more focused on the clickbait titles that surround the paranormal field. Clickbait has been used for paranormal content for many years on various different platforms where before Facebook videos and lives, YouTube content creators got the most criticism for doing it.
However before we delve into that let’s conclude what clickbait actually is defined as :
What is click bait?
The Oxford dictionary defines click bait as a name given to content posted online by a content creator. The main purpose is to attract attention and encourage visitors to click on a link to a particular web page.
Quite a basic definition really isn’t it and something we can all be guilty of to some degree. We all title our videos, our lives, our blogs or even pictures because we want it to be seen and for people to gain a interest in it.
However, is there different levels of click bait and is this helping the paranormal field or is it making it a laughing stock?
I personally would say there is and there is what I think is 3 categories of click baiting.
1. The title matches the video – So if a team titles their video ‘ Alone in the woods’ the likelihood is that person is alone in the woods in their content and is in no way misleading the public.
2. There is some truth to the title – So this could mean the content creator may have slightly over exaggerated their title of their content but there is some truth in it.
3. The title completely misleds the viewer and nothing happens as stated in the title.
Normally if the title suggests it’s too good to be true it normally means it isn’t true.
I think we have all watched videos titled WTF..OMG…100% Real Paranormal Activity caught on camera, but by watching these did these meet your expectations of the video? Based on my experience I’d say probably not.
If I see something titled this now I tend to give it a eyeroll and quickly scroll pass.
Wouldn’t it be good if most people on social media platforms did this, it may actually make the more interesting content get watched for a change.
I think that most people feel the most frustrating clickbait to be used by content creators is the titles that seem extremely exaggerated and can be classed as extremely misleading because the content just does not match the title that is claimed.
I have even seen lives titled OMG WE CAUGHT A GHOST HERE and they haven’t even started the content at that point to have caught or captured anything so how can they know what is going to happen….
So once you have watched a few videos titled the same night after night or week after week you would think people would become bored of falling for it wouldn’t you but sadly it would seem not or they click it knowing exactly that it’s going to be misleading and basically watch it for the laugh….
I have seen teams comment back to these people, the people who have watched it and think its some kind of joke be called trolls.
They are not trolls they are just giving their opinion that they haven’t fallen for your make a quick quid title…awww diddums…
Anyone can do misleading clickbait and for a while it could draw in more people. However, if you are thinking of going down this route just consider what it is you want from putting your content out – To be a serious investigator or to be a paranormal entertainer.
If you want to be a serious investigator my advice is title your content as close to the truth as possible and don’t over react on the content. It may take a little longer to achieve the audience you desire but at least its going to draw in people on the same wave length as you investigate.
What does Facebook say about clickbait?
This is where it gets interesting because clearly people are still click baiting and Facebook has advisorys on what you should do and shouldn’t do
Its clearly stated you shouldn’t mislead a audience to viewing your content however why is it still happening? Are these creators being clever in the way in which they do it. The simple answer is, yes they are.
You think you are going to see something interesting based on what it’s titled by and in reality it’s more likely just a claim that they want to personally make and you end up seeing nothing at all!
Many sites state that social media platforms are not bothered how much clickbait you use because if your a creator who earns these platforms money then they are probably just going to allow you to crack on. Social media platforms are businesses and just like those who use extreme misleading clickbait, they are just trying to extend and exceed their audience and their bank balance.
While, social media as been great to help fund people in what they do and help to achieve successful businesses it also has its downsides and that is content is not managed well and its creating people who really may have once started off really well turn into the monster they swore they would never become.
So my advice is that if you are sick of the clickbait within the paranormal. Just don’t give them the view by sitting there watching it and encouraging their addiction to watching the view count go up.
Once they have misled you once by their content its very likely they will continue to do so don’t comment, don’t share share share because at the end of the day your actually giving them the response they actually set out to achieve and thats interaction on their content whether that’s good or bad….