Have you fallen victim to clickbait?
Today’s blog post is by Margaret Stewart, Executive Assistant to the CEO at SafeSourcing.
Most of us have discovered clickbait at some point browsing through social media and other internet sites, but perhaps never knew it had a name. Clickbait is a term used to describe articles or links online that are solely made to peak the curiosity of readers just enough to click the link. Once a visitor clicks, they are redirected to another site where they are asked to post to social media and/or are bombarded with advertisements. They may have the article promised, but it often is put onto several pages, all of which require more clicks. Often times, the original article is completely fabricated and doesn’t discuss what it claimed to in the first place.
“You are losing money browsing! Find out how to protect yourself!”
Advertisers want you to see their ads, so clickbait sites want you to visit. They will try new ways to lure visitors to their site and to keep them there as long as they can.
“Soldier surprises family! But watch what happens next!”
The titles to the articles sometimes never have anything to do with the site you are about to visit nor do they have anything to do with the content you are about to see.
So how do you protect yourself against clickbait? You have already made a step in the right direction. By learning what clickbait is and that there are sites that stop at nearly nothing to get your attention, you can be more cautious when browsing. Know what sites are genuine and what sites are simply trying to get clicks by any means. If a safe and secure site that you are familiar with says, “By focusing on 10% of your cost of goods, you can improve profitability by 100%,” you can safely click and know you aren’t being lured in for advertising revenue.
For more useful information on safety in technology and social media, or to find out how you can improve profitability by 100%, or on our “Risk Free” trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service representative. We have an entire team ready to assist you today.
We look forward to your comments.