Why is Clickbait So Powerful?

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It is now fully proven that clickbait is effective: the reasons why these headlines powerfully arouse the curiosity of viewers are related to the human brain and the reward system.

In line with what we said before about the need to obtain information, when a person performs a positive action, the brain releases dopamine as a reward. It is on this logic that clickbait works: by awakening a user's curiosity through a headline, the need to answer their questions will grow and they will have to click on the link to receive that reward.

It is common to find sites that use this technique with ambiguous links that do not lead to relevant content, but to websites with too many images, videos or other elements that do not respond to the user's needs.

Below, we present some examples of some of the most commonly namibia business email list used persuasion techniques when it comes to creating an impact with clickbaits:

Suspenseful language. “Maria tried a new beauty product for her skin; you won’t believe what happened next.” Narrations of this type are effective because they generate curiosity about how the story continues.
Unresolved pronouns. It is very common to use words like “this” in clickbait headlines such as “This is the best thing you will see today.” Again, the information gap leaves readers intrigued and eager to know more.
Numbers. Numbers are great for engaging users. Headlines like “15 Celebrities Who Use the 80/20 Method to Lose Weight” offer a significant amount of information, but they also leave questions that need to be answered by accessing the content.
Reverse narratives. Headlines like the following are very effective because they challenge the reader to their opinion: “Experts claim this supplement is effective for weight loss. Is it true?”
Action words. Action-based headlines are highly effective and often use words like “discover,” “learn,” “find out,” etc.
Clickbait also influences the so-called FOMO effect, which could be translated as 'fear of being left out'. This concept refers to the anxiety that people feel when faced with the possibility of not finding out about important information, events or facts.

This fear of social exclusion has always existed, but it is currently manifested explicitly and recurrently through the use of social networks. In this area, it is common for intrigue to be generated around certain content that is promoted as something that others are talking about, but that you are not yet aware of.

According to a study by New York-based research, communications and marketing agency JWT, 3 in 10 people between the ages of 13 and 34 have experienced FOMO. (La Nación)