| 1 | [[quoteright:325:[[WebVideo/RedLetterMedia https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/roguetoponethingsyoudidntknow.jpg]]]] |
| 2 | [[caption-width-right:325:Obnoxious yellow text and red arrows? [[Film/RogueOne Better click it.]]]] |
| 3 | |
| 4 | ->'''WebVideo/ComedyShortsGamer:''' Alright, what should we name this video, guys? We gotta come up with a title.\ |
| 5 | '''LetsPlay/PewDiePie:''' How about "''Surgeon Simulator'' with Dad"?\ |
| 6 | '''[=ComedyShortsGamer=]:''' Fuck you, we're naming it "What Would YOU Do--" ''[beat]'' "Extreme". |
| 7 | -->-- '''LetsPlay/PewDiePie''', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHNbitDDW3A "YOU WONT BELIEVE THIS CLICKBAIT"]] |
| 8 | |
| 9 | Clickbait is a term used to describe attention-grabbing and over-the-top headlines, thumbnails, and content, typically of a misleading nature, intended to induce clicks from internet users. For the purposes of this page, however, we'll only be listing and discussing [[ParodiedTrope parodies]] and InUniverse gags about clickbait. |
| 10 | |
| 11 | Why? Well, clickbait's definition is a source of complaining on par with any FlameBait. Read literally, "clickbait" is something of a non-sensical term. ''Every'' title is, by definition, clickbait. Every writer wants you to read their work, and titles are designed to grab the reader's attention and entice them to read the story. Even the most hard-boiled reporter writing on the driest subject matters wants readers--financial journalists aren't reporting on international monetary policy for their health. |
| 12 | |
| 13 | As such, the question of whether a work qualifies as clickbait is often the subject of intense debate, and we don't want anything to do with that argument. For example, even Buzzfeed, a website often considered synonymous with clickbait, has published [[http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/why-buzzfeed-doesnt-do-clickbait#.lt5gNoLdl9 an article]] arguing that they don't use it at all. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | Even if defining and listing actual clickbait can largely depend on subjective AudienceReactions, finding an attempt to play with the trend [[InvokedTrope intentionally]] is feasible. And any ShallowNewsSiteSatire worth its salt will have clickbait parodies by the bucketloads. If someone gives an example of clickbait, it will often fall into one of these types: |
| 16 | * Obnoxiously contrarian "takes" -- for example, "<insert name of acclaimed classic> Is Actually Utter Garbage, Here's Why." |
| 17 | * Hysterical listicles -- for example, "The Five Most Crazily Overrated Movies YOU Love!" |
| 18 | * An abundance of all-caps text, often with particularly scandalous scenarios in brackets (a particular favourite tactic of Platform/YouTube clickbaiters) — for example, “HUGGING RANDOM STRANGERS IN PUBLIC PRANK! (GONE WRONG) (GONE SEXUAL) (IN THE HOOD) ([[VomitIndiscretionShot VOMIT WARNING]]) ([[BloodyHilarious BLOOD WARNING]]) (I ALMOST DIED!!)” |
| 19 | * Over-the-top teases that promise life-changing information at the end of a story -- for example, "What This Mother Did for Her Child Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity" or "Doctors Hate This Man Who Cured X With One Weird Trick!" May invoke CouldThisHappenToYou or peddle some kind of {{snake oil|Salesman}}. |
| 20 | * [[NeverTrustATitle Blatantly inaccurate headlines]], especially those that promise sexual or scandalous content -- for example, "Watch this celebrity video before it's banned". |
| 21 | * A headline missing a key fact, thereby [[LyingByOmission giving a misleading impression]] or setting up a mystery -- for example, "A mother went to pick her child up from daycare. Then she was arrested." |
| 22 | * Truncated long titles with no tooltip, so even the ''ability to read the entire title'' requires clicking the link. |
| 23 | * The thumbnail of the article or video having either some innocuous area of an image circled, having an arrow pointing to said area, or both. Alternatively, have a circle cover up an entire thumbnail or a very obvious subject in the thumbnail. |
| 24 | * A picture of a former celebrity, accompanied by a caption along the lines of: "Remember Alice Smith? Try not to gasp when you see what she looks like now." |
| 25 | * [[CoversAlwaysLie Blatantly inaccurate thumbnails]], such as editing in an angry ReactionShot from the person being covered to give the false impression that they are giving an official interview, especially if the subject is much more high-profile than the person doing the response video. |
| 26 | |
| 27 | Why did these cheap templates become popular in real life? Well, many [[WebOriginal online]] creators make their money by selling space on their web site to advertisers. The more visitors a site gets (the more people who click on their content), the more advertisers are willing to pay to place their ads on the site. This means that finding ways to bait people into clicking becomes the crucial business consideration for a content provider. |
| 28 | |
| 29 | Since making exceptional content is hard and expensive, creators look for shortcuts. They use sensationalistic, attention-grabbing titles and opinions to grab clicks, often from readers who are intrigued or outright appalled by the title or whatever visual they have to click on. |
| 30 | |
| 31 | With time, the public has become aware of these tactics, and they've been labelled "clickbait" since at least [[http://www.jaygeiger.com/index.php/2006/12/01/definition-of-click-bait/ 2006]]. This ubiquity has led many creators to discuss clickbait more openly and use the obnoxiousness of clickbait as a source of humor. Since clickbait thrives in WebOriginal content, those creators tend to discuss these tactics the most. |
| 32 | |
| 33 | This is related to other tropes dealing with advertising and attracting viewers: NeverTrustATrailer (which is about misleading marketing in general), {{Superdickery}} (a misleading marketing tactic where heroes look like villains), LadyNotAppearingInThisGame (where a sexualized woman is used to advertise a game she isn't in), WolverinePublicity (where a popular character is used to market a product they aren't central to), and AdvertisingDisguisedAsNews. In an offline context, similarly sensationalistic announcements often come from TheBarnum ("this next great wonder of the world will astound and amaze you!") or from a LuridTalesOfDoom newspaper. |
| 34 | |
| 35 | Because of its proliferation in real-life, especially on the internet, as well as the controversy involved in serious examples of clickbait, list '''Administrivia/InUniverseExamplesOnly'''. |
| 36 | ---- |
| 37 | !!You won't believe the shocking list a group of tropers made of these examples! |
| 38 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 39 | !!Web Examples |
| 40 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 41 | * In ''Fanfic/LastingFame'', Jerrica is asked the question of whether she thinks it's fair that The Misfits were snubbed out of being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Her exact words are "You look at their sales and their loyal fanbase, and you can only conclude that no, that's not fair. But not everything is about sales. If the Misfits were snubbed, I can only conclude it's because their history of thoughtless, selfish behavior created a negative impression that still lingers among many of us in the music industry". However, her interviewer, musical journalist Lin-Z, ends up naming the article the much less accurate "HOLOGRAMS MANAGER SAYS MISFITS DESERVED SNUB!". |
| 42 | * PlayedForLaughs in the ''Scooby Doo'' parody ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usNHSwC9g2w SHAGGY-DOO.]]'' The thumbnail is of [[GirlOnGirlIsHot Velma and Daphne looking close to kissing]]. In the actual short, Fred tells the two to "pose for the thumbnail". |
| 43 | * In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/289833/borrowed-time Borrowed Time]]'', when River Glade learns a lot of ponies know about her princess mission, she has a brief ImagineSpot of the newspaper headline “Monumental Princess Mission: 9 Ways it Will Change Equestria - [[ShapedLikeItself Number Four is the Fourth Entry!]]” |
| 44 | [[/folder]] |
| 45 | [[folder:Podcasts]] |
| 46 | * The ''Podcast/PlumbingTheDeathStar'' episode "What Kind of Job is Journalism for a Superman?" concludes that Clark Kent would best be employed at Buzzfeed, because then he could write low-effort articles with obnoxious headlines like "16 Things You Think X-Ray Vision Doesn't Work On That It Totally Does" or "If You Were a Kansas Kid You Would Remember THESE." |
| 47 | -->''"It's sad because you know Superman would never realize that that's not journalism."'' |
| 48 | [[/folder]] |
| 49 | [[folder:Web Animation]] |
| 50 | * ''WebAnimation/BHappy'' is built on this trope with its Click-O-Rama feature, in which viewers determine the outcome of the story (as well as other tidbits throughout) by being presented with multiple choices to click on. Sometimes this trope is played straight such as Episode 1, which features a Click-O-Rama option to win millions of dollars, only to be taken to a screen saying, "Server is busy." [[spoiler: The outcome of Episode 1 and Episode 3 also play this straight]]. |
| 51 | * ''WebAnimation/BrainDump'' parodies the concept of clickbait a few times, with one episode claiming that ''Film/RogueOne'' was discreetly pushing some sort of pro-choice agenda, [[spoiler:only for Max and Goofball to end up spending half of the episode arguing back and forth over Grandma Brownie's Chocolate Chunker Wunker Bunkers (Now with even bigger chunks of chocolate chunks!). The other half is Max complaining about some Fridge Logic surrounding the practicality of Astromech droids before realizing he should have thought about the title better.]] This only gets more frequent as the series goes on, to the point where the supposed subject of the video ''never actually gets addressed'', such as in "What is Fash Ism?" where [[spoiler:the topic is almost immediately derailed by Goofball drinking a glass of cum in a video sponsored by ''VideoGame/RaidShadowLegends'' and the rest of the episode deals with Max's subsequent freakout about losing the sponsorship because of it]]. |
| 52 | * ''WebAnimation/FreedomToons'': Parodied. Most political content on [=YouTube=], especially if it's ripped from the original source, tends to be advertised with hyperbolic titles such as "X Destroys/Humiliates/Schools Y". FT's cartoon "Ben Shapiro DESTROYS Liberal" actually makes true on its claim by depicting the host of the Daily Wire [[NotHyperbole incinerating a left-wing college student who annoys him]] with EyeBeams. |
| 53 | * Parodied by WebAnimation/TheOdd1sOut. One of his videos is titled "[[https://youtu.be/Rua2_nWrFjE DO CLICKBAIT TITLES AND THUMBNAILS ACTUALLY WORK?!?!?!]]", and its thumbnail is nothing but the words "CLICK ME" over a rainbow background. The video itself is simply a 1-second clip of James saying "Yeah, apparently." in response to the video's title. |
| 54 | [[/folder]] |
| 55 | [[folder:Web Comics]] |
| 56 | * Parodied by ''Webcomic/{{Baalbuddy}}'' in "[[https://youtu.be/EvakVaOU4UM We JUST FOUND the One Piece!? (Shocking)]]": [[Manga/OnePiece Usopp]] frames the thumbnail of his video with an attention grabbing headline and the attention grabbing boobs of Nico Robin. Rorona Zoro calls him out by asking if people will catch on to the clickbait and stop watching. Usopp reassures him: |
| 57 | -->"Doesn't matter. They'll still click it. They're slaves to the algorithm." |
| 58 | * ''Webcomic/DarthsAndDroids'' parodied this, by titling their spoof the famous "LukeIAmYourFather" scene from ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' in a common clickbait format: [[http://www.darthsanddroids.net/episodes/1151.html Page 1151]]: "All They Did Was Have a Chat Over a Bottomless Pit. You Won't Believe What Happens Next". |
| 59 | ** Later on, a scene from ''Rogue One'' has a Rebel technician deliver a status report to Mon Mothma clickbait-style. |
| 60 | * ''Webcomic/DinosaurComics'' has a [[http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=2774 strip]] about a man named Jim, who reacts to headlines as clickbait writers expect everyone to. So he ''literally'' cannot forget those five facts about cats, he reacts to this video "you can't believe" with Platonically perfect skepticism, and number 6 blew his mind, making him a wholly new man. The dinosaurs agree he sounds awful, even if he would be a great assassin. |
| 61 | * ''WebComic/{{xkcd}}'' |
| 62 | ** [[https://xkcd.com/1307/ Buzzfeed Christmas]] reimagines "12 Days of Christmas" as "12 Weird Things I ''Actually Got'' for Christmas": |
| 63 | --->''"12 best drummers of ''all time''.''\ |
| 64 | ''11 pipers whose jaw-droppingly good piping will make you cry.''\ |
| 65 | ''You won't ''believe'' what these 10 lords leap over."'' |
| 66 | ** [[https://xkcd.com/1283/ This strip]] reimagines twentieth-century headlines if they were written to get the most clicks in the internet era, resulting in such classics as "[[BlackComedy Most Embarrassing Reactions To The Stock Market Crash [gifs]]]." |
| 67 | ** [[https://xkcd.com/1948/ Campaign Fundraising Emails]], among various sensationalistic and only vaguely-relevant ledes, has one particularly clickbait-y introduction that happens to be completely irrelevant: |
| 68 | --->"Have you seen this video of the squirrel obstacle course? Incredible! Anyway, I'm running because I..." |
| 69 | * ''Webcomic/{{Paranatural}}'' parodies this with several article titles [[FunnyBackgroundEvent visible on the side]] of [[http://www.paranatural.net/comic/chapter-5-page-170 this internet browser]]. |
| 70 | -->This Fool Puppy Fell Into A Sewer. What Happens Next Will Warm Your Heart\ |
| 71 | This Incredible New Medicine Will Lower Your Credit Score--And Warm Your Heart\ |
| 72 | Top 10 Weird Tricks You Won't Believe Will Happen Next [[RunningGag Will Warm Your Heart]] |
| 73 | [[/folder]] |
| 74 | [[folder:Web Games]] |
| 75 | * On AprilFoolsDay 2018, ''VideoGame/FlightRising'' replaced all of its banner ads with [[https://flightrising.fandom.com/wiki/April_Fool%27s_Day_2018 fake ads related to the game]]; many of them were clickbait parodies, such as "6 Things Talona has in common with the Gladekeeper" and "Stormcatcher doesn't want you to know these 5 simple power-saving tricks!" |
| 76 | [[/folder]] |
| 77 | [[folder:Websites]] |
| 78 | * Exaggerated by the Website/BabylonBee in their article "[[http://babylonbee.com/news/wont-believe-clickbait-article-says/ You Won't BELIEVE What This Clickbait Article Says.]]" The article just describes what the reader's emotional reaction to the article will be without having any actual content. |
| 79 | * Website/ClickHole [[InvokedTrope invokes]] this with every headline. They even titled a long rambling post [[http://www.clickhole.com/blogpost/time-i-spent-commercial-whaling-ship-totally-chang-768 "The Time I Spent On A Commercial Whaling Ship Totally Changed My Perspective On The World"]] which is actually the entire text of ''Literature/MobyDick''. |
| 80 | * [[Creator/{{Dropout}} CollegeHumor]] was one of the first to parody "clickbait" while using that term in their article "[[https://web.archive.org/web/20180731061255/http://www.collegehumor.com/post/6923989/if-popular-books-had-clickbait-titles If Popular Books Had Clickbait Titles]]". The disturbing tale of pedophilia described in ''Literature/{{Lolita}}'' is rendered "He's Dating WHO?!?" and Literature/TheBible is rendered "This Book Will Change Your Mind About Everything In Just One Thousand Pages." |
| 81 | * Website/TheOnion article "[[https://www.theonion.com/how-internet-clickbait-works-1819594005 How Internet Clickbait Works]]" describes the process of creating sensationalist content in nine steps, starting with nine days where the brain prepares to have an immediate reaction to "Check this out!" and ending with money mysteriously being earned. |
| 82 | * Rational Wiki's article on clickbait is a SelfDemonstratingArticle entitled "This page on clickbait written by a local mom will change your life!!!" The article continues to demonstrate exaggerated titles like that in its headers, which are all in the style of "Mindblowing COMMON EXAMPLES of Clickbait that can't be unseen." |
| 83 | * For AprilFoolsDay 2015, ''Franchise/TheMuppets'' fansite Tough Pigs reinvented itself as [[http://www.toughpigs.com/buzzpigs/ BuzzPigs]], with articles such as "Your Jaw Will Drop When You See What Happens When We Show ''WesternAnimation/DogCity'' to a Real Dog", "This Fan Theory Will Change the Way You Look at ''Film/TheMuppetMovie''" and "21 Amazing Muppet Facts You Definitely Didn't Know Because I Made Them All Up". |
| 84 | * [[http://elvisandslick.filetwo.com/ The official site]] for the NTTV series ''Series/ElvisAndSlickMonty'' had one site update from co-creator Hyle Russell (profiles of the {{Last Episode New Character}}s) be titled, "click here to see Music/{{jessica|Simpson}} and [[Music/AshleeSimpson ashley simpson]] full penetration (18+ ONLY!!!)" Hyle begins the article proper by saying, "Just trying to make the plethora of spambots on our forums feel more at home on the main page for a change." |
| 85 | * ''Website/SCPFoundation'': [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-3299 SCP-3299]] is a series of BrownNote internet advertisements that result in various physical or mental changes when viewed. These effects are somewhat related to the headline. For example, reading the affected article titled "This woman's one weird trick will make you younger! Doctors hate her!" will make the viewer 20 to 30 percent younger, unless they have a [[ExactWords PhD]], in which case they will develop an angry and "crippling obsession" towards the woman described in the article. |
| 86 | * Film critic Creator/NathanRabin has a whole category on his website devoted to parodying clickbait, with titles such as [[https://www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/2019/3/28/it-turns-out-theres-a-small-young-kind-of-dog-called-a-puppy-and-i-am-officially-obsessed "It Turns Out There's a Small, Young Kind of Dog Called a Puppy and I Am Officially Obsessed!"]] or [[https://www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/2019/2/19/7-random-images-of-no-special-interest-to-millennials-whatsoever "6 Random Images of No Special Interest to Millennials Whatsoever"]]. |
| 87 | * ''Website/TheHardTimes'': |
| 88 | ** [[https://thehardtimes.net/harddrive/terrifying-this-writer-is-willing-to-hate-any-movie-for-just-a-few-thousand-clicks/ Terrifying: This Writer Is Willing to Hate Any Movie for Just a Few Thousand Clicks]]. A clickbait-style hyperbolic title that discusses the topic of clickbait itself, specifically the phenomenon of articles with controversial hot takes on media designed to get clicks by pissing people off. |
| 89 | ** [[https://thehardtimes.net/blog/7-pictures-of-ian-mackaye-in-silly-hats-youll-never-believe-number-4/ 7 Pictures of Ian MacKaye in Silly Hats (You'll Never Believe Number 4!)]] The whole article is what the title claims, but is full of hyperbole about how amazing number 4 is. Turns out it's just [[Music/MinorThreat Ian MacKaye]] in the Queen's hat, which isn't especially silly. 5 is also just a normal hat. |
| 90 | * The 2024 AprilFoolsDay edition of TropeReport was styled like a stereotypical energetic [=YouTube=] video, with the folder categories replaced with titles like "53 AMAZING TROPES THAT YOU NEVER NOTICED ON YOUR FAVORITE WORKS" (Trope Spotlight), "Has WOKE CULTURE Gone Too Far? — [[Tropers/WarJay77 WarJay]] BANNED for OFFENSIVE Comment" (Forumwatch), and "DON'T CALL THESE PEOPLE AT 3 AM (SCARY) (GONE WRONG)" (the contributor credits). |
| 91 | [[/folder]] |
| 92 | [[folder:Web Videos]] |
| 93 | * Parodied in "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mbp0DugfCA How To Lose Weight In 4 Easy Steps!]]", which starts out looking like it's about broad tricks to lose weight until the third step begins to detail the life of an insecure man recovering from a harsh break-up. |
| 94 | * In ''WebVideo/{{Barshens}}'', there is a recurring feature called Sharticles. In that feature, Stuart and another presenter, usually Barry, look at 'slow news' publications. When the articles aren't reporting on completely trivial matters (IE - a church stacking their chairs in a different manner), they branch into this. Specifically, one article suggested that Music/JustinBieber visited the small town the article was from, but the text of the article made it clear that Bieber's private jet had only flown over the town. |
| 95 | * WebVideo/{{Critikal}} compares Platform/YouTube clickbait to the programming of the Discovery Channel in a video-long TakeThat called "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tviR5_ooNAg Phelps vs Shark]]," which is about the misleading marketing leading up to Michael Phelps' race against a computer-generated shark. |
| 96 | * Creator/FoilArmsAndHog have [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVn7sLDhZBw The Clickbait Song]], whose lyrics consist mostly of clickbaity titles. |
| 97 | * WebVideo/{{h3h3productions}} video "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n42JN-TMSkk Why Is this Video on the TRENDING Tab???]]" accuses [=YouTube=] of encouraging the use of sensational titles over actual content, specifically by taking apart a fake prank video that trended. It even includes a black-and-white, slow-motion sequence where Ethan tries to resist clicking on the video, but since it says "MUST WATCH," he physically has to click the link. |
| 98 | * One of the videos from ''WebVideo/IHateEverything'' is titled "5 Epic Ways to Be a Platform/YouTube Celebrity!" It even has a check-mark in the title. The thumbnail has LetsPlay/PewDiePie, WebVideo/{{Markiplier}}, a hot chick's face, and another hot chick's [[MaleGaze booty surrounded by a red circle with an arrow pointed at it.]] In the video, Alex discusses clickbait and various tactics that some [=YouTube=] channels use to garner clicks, such as everything in the title of his video as well as what he put in his own thumbnail. |
| 99 | * ''WebVideo/{{Jacksfilms}}'' |
| 100 | ** The video "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TduUs_DVIB0 I Have Something To Tell You]]" has a thumbnail with the creator on the verge of tears and opens with him struggling to speak as he tries to admit something... before he says he created the video title and faked crying to emotionally manipulate the viewer into clicking the video. And then he raps about it. |
| 101 | ** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcwGLjl2W_s The CLICKBAIT Game]]" has Jack list all of his fans' attempts to make clickbait titles out of everyday situations like "I ate Chinese food." From that simple challenge, we get divine listicles like "DOES CHINESE FOOD MAKE YOU GAY?", "MY BEARD GOT DRUNK (THREESOME!?)", and "why im shutting down my channel (not clickbait)." |
| 102 | ** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-wIguaX97I YIAY 354]]" features fan-made thumbnails for Jack's videos, most of which exaggerate Clickbait staples like light nudity, giant red arrows, promises of face reveals, guilt-tripping, and the obligatory (not clickbait) text. The thumbnail that he loves the most is one that says "Youtube DELETING THUMBNAILS?", which he states he really wanted to use but didn't because it was too manipulative. |
| 103 | * One of the WebVideo/JoueurDuGrenier's videos ended with asking people to subscribe to their new channel by clicking the link. Several fake ads then appeared ranging from "Subscribe and become a hero" (a bunch of kittens in a field), "What the Cut episode 36", "Free Money", "Meet girls in your area" (JDG in a bad Hatsune Miku cosplay), and "Increase your Penis" (Dr. Robotnik). |
| 104 | * The announcement video for the end of ''WebVideo/PBSIdeaChannel'' has the description "(NOT CLICKBAIT), as the kids say." This is a parody of the trend to use all-caps and claims not to be clickbait as a tactic in clickbait, with the irony being that the video is not clickbait and Idea Channel really was ending. |
| 105 | * ''LetsPlay/PewDiePie'' parodies, discusses, and criticizes the practice in "YOU WONT BELIEVE THIS CLICKBAIT (LetsPlay/PewDiePie React)", by looking through a variety of videos with clickbait, spoiling the fact that their titles don't reflect the content, and then ending with a brief AuthorFilibuster on how clickbait is necessary to succeed on [=YouTube=], even if it isn't ideal. |
| 106 | -->''"I can spend days on a video, and it can get less views than a video we shit out in ten minutes... that has a better title."'' |
| 107 | * ''WebVideo/RedLetterMedia'' has mocked the use of flashy titles and thumbnails to compensate for shallow content in videos about the ''Franchise/StarWars'' franchise. So far, they've parodied this in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens Clickbait Video!", "The top ten things YOU didn't know about Darth Vader's suit!", and "Star Wars Film/RogueOne Trailer Breakdown No. 6,387." |
| 108 | * ''WebVideo/{{Saberspark}}'' discusses the nature of clickbait in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYGdf2Nmp-E this video]] (And for bonus points, the thumbnail was of [[WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse Lapis Lazuli]] dressed as a PlayboyBunny). |
| 109 | * After WebVideo/GameXplain was accused of clickbait while covering a rumor about VideoGame/ShovelKnight in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', their followup discussion featured a tacky title and [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/0_38.jpg the word "click" on the thumbnail]]. |
| 110 | --> ''"[[{{Pun}} Digging]] into the Smash Bros. Shovel Knight Rumors (Insert Clickbait here)"'' |
| 111 | * ''Most Valuable Gaming'' has a video titled "[=Mew2King=] says Water (Clickbait)". |
| 112 | * The [=YouTuber=] WebVideo/{{Alpharad}} has released videos (first one [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhwXumY03ak here]]) in which he uses images sourced from Google to photoshop fictional clickbait thumbnail images based on suggestions submitted to him via Twitter. Images of [[AuthorAppeal Kate Upton]] are frequently included as part of these. |
| 113 | * The Halbek Device was made in Rhodesia to control muzzle climb on FAL rifles. The (generally sober) [=YouTube=] channel WebVideo/ForgottenWeapons made [[https://youtu.be/oznjv7KbmsQ a video about it]] called "Rhodesia made their [=FALs=] great with this one weird Halbek device!" This parodies the common "X did Y with this one weird Z" clickbait. One of the top-rated comments provides the standard follow up "Doctors hate him." |
| 114 | * ''WebVideo/ProZD'': |
| 115 | ** One video entitled "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4FuOi9rvKw clickbait]]" is about a journalist pressured by his boss into turning "Creator/PedroPascal Joins Wonder Woman 2" headline into a more "tickling" title, progressively becoming "Series/GameOfThrones Actor Joins Superhero Film" then eventually "YOU WON'T BELIEVE". |
| 116 | --->'''Journalist:''' That doesn't mean anything! Why would-- and 800,000 people are sharing it on Facebook...\ |
| 117 | '''[[ThisLoserIsYou Thomas Dipshit, Facebook User]]:''' I mean, it said I wouldn't believe it. |
| 118 | ** Inverted with "You WILL Believe How Many Chips I Eat in This Video": |
| 119 | --->'''[=SungWon:=]''' Six. |
| 120 | * ''WebVideo/DoorMonster'' mocks this in "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4tuDZ4m0lc Clickbait is Literally Hitler]]", where the man decrying this tactic is eventually forced to give into it in order to [[ViewersAreGoldfish hold the attention of passersby]]. [[spoiler: He's given a job with Buzzfeed at the end of the skit]]. |
| 121 | -->'''Kyle:''' Hey! Top 10 Reasons Clickbait Is Destroying America! Number ten: dumb people only remember the headlines! Number nine: [[CryingWolf hyperbole is now meaningless]]! Number eight: [[HypocrisyNod you have to use it whether you like it]] or [[ExplainExplainOhCrap nooott]]... [Extended beat] [[BigNo Noooooooooo]]! |
| 122 | * ''VideoGame/{{PUBG}}'' streamer [=chocoTaco=] has a video titled "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rdEkOgXAC0 You Won't BELIEVE How CLICKBAIT of a THUMBNAIL That Is]]", with the thumbnail saying "double DBS". In the game he actually does get two DBS's, a powerful shotgun only found in airdrop crates. |
| 123 | * [[WebVideo/AuralnautsStarWars The Auralnauts]] parody the trend of clickbaity ''Star Wars'' trailer breakdown videos with their video [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjuLcceCm-U "Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker Final Trailer - Every Easter Egg, All secrets, Best breakdown"]]. The thumbnail features Han Solo (with an eyepatch) piloting the ''Millennium Falcon''--which would be a crazy spoiler if true, considering Han died two movies ago. In the video itself, the host Kylo Ren shows off the thumbnail for several seconds, just so he can say it's technically an accurate representation of the video, even as he gloats that the image itself is a complete lie. |
| 124 | -->'''Kylo Ren:''' Number eight: Oh, this is the clickbait thumbnail I used. Han Solo is definitely not on the ''Millennium Falcon'', and you know how I know that? ''Because I KILLED HIM, duh?!'' It's clickbait. I'm evil, bro. Did you think I wouldn't use the most nefarious tactics to get you to watch my video? I'll do anything. And you'll still click it. You can't complain that the thumbnail wasn't in the video, though--here it is. Tell me it wasn't in the video. I'm having that cake and eating it, too. |
| 125 | [[/folder]] |
| 126 | |
| 127 | !!Non-web examples |
| 128 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 129 | * In episode 8 of ''Manga/MagicOfStella'', Yumine clicks an article whose title was about the retirement of one of her favourite voice actors but turns out to be a restaurant advertisement. |
| 130 | [[/folder]] |
| 131 | |
| 132 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 133 | * The ''[[ComicBook/TheUnbelievableGwenpool Gwenpool]] Strikes Back'' miniseries revolves around this. All of the covers depict wild things (like her making out with [[ComicBook/MisterFantastic Reed Richards]] in front of [[ComicBook/InvisibleWoman his angry wife]]) and the solicits [[CoversAlwaysLie exaggerate or outright lie]] about the contents inside. It makes sense in-universe: [[MediumAwareness Gwen]] is trying to draw as much attention to her series as possible in order to sell comics and get out of ComicBookLimbo. |
| 134 | * Parodied by the Belgian comic strip ''ComicBook/LeChat'', where the titular cat lifts his newspaper so we can see the entire headline, going from "Jacques Chirac Beats His Wife" to "Jacques Chirac Beats His Wife at TabletopGame/{{Scrabble}}". |
| 135 | * ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': In ''Comicbook/TheAmazingSpiderMan2018'', Norah Winters's ''Threats and Menaces'' is a clickbait farm, producing headlines like "You Won't Believe This Shocking Proof That Comicbook/CaptainAmerica is [[Comicbook/SecretEmpire Still HYDRA]]". As she explains it, it doesn't matter that she has precisely zero proof, or even circumstantial evidence, that Captain America is still HYDRA; the important thing is that some people will believe it and share it. And other people will be outraged by it and rebuff it, which ''also'' shares it. J. Jonah Jameson is disquieted by this, especially when she points out it's how he used to run the Bugle. Other headlines seen in [=TnM=]'s first appearance include "People Are Earning Millions [[Comicbook/OneMoreDay Selling Their Soul to Mephisto]], Here's How", "Going to [[Comicbook/XMenTheKrakoanAge Krakoa]] is Easy With This One Simple Trick", and "Is Your Boyfriend a Skrull? He is if He Does These Six Things". |
| 136 | [[/folder]] |
| 137 | |
| 138 | [[folder:Comic Strips]] |
| 139 | * In one ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'' strip, Peter's teachers give clickbait titles to online assignments such as "Twelve Math Problems That Will Blow Your Mind! (You Won't Believe #3!)" and "Nineteen Rare Historical Photos of the Teapot Dome Scandal That Will Leave You Speechless!" |
| 140 | [[/folder]] |
| 141 | |
| 142 | [[folder:Films -- Animation]] |
| 143 | * ''WesternAnimation/RalphBreaksTheInternet'': |
| 144 | ** On arriving at [=eBay=], Ralph quickly finds himself pestered by [[AnnoyingPopUpAd banner ads and pop-up ads]], represented by little people holding signs and bugging passers-by with clickbait-sounding phrases like "These Ten Child Stars Went to Prison (Number 6 Will Amaze You!)" and "Sassy Housewives Want To Meet You!" |
| 145 | ** TheStinger [[spoiler:supposedly involves a sneak preview of ''WesternAnimation/FrozenII'' that turns out to be a JustForFun/{{Rickroll}} on Ralph's part.]] |
| 146 | [[/folder]] |
| 147 | |
| 148 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 149 | * Parodied in the title of the ''Series/Class2016'' spin-off novel ''What She Does Next Will Astound You''. |
| 150 | * Creator/SandyMitchell strongly implies that in the [[TabletopGame/Warhammer40000 grim darkness of the far future]], there is still clickbait. Some of Amberley Vail's additions to ''[[Literature/CiaphasCain Duty Calls]]'' are excerpts from planetary news services. One article on the announcement that genestealers are active on Periremunda wraps up with: |
| 151 | --> [=IS YOUR NEIGHBOUR A GENESTEALER? 20 WAYS TO TELL! (See page 7)=] |
| 152 | [[/folder]] |
| 153 | |
| 154 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 155 | * In ''Series/AngryBirdsOnTheRun'' S1 E7, the birds use a computer to figure out where the school is, and are instantly bombarded with clickbait. |
| 156 | -->'''Chuck:''' [reading headline] Did you know that if you had a mortgage between 1996 and 2002 and were born between the years 1879 and 1922, you could make $2000 a day working from home?[[note]]This episode aired in 2018, so you would have to be at least 96 years old to accept the offer.[[/note]] |
| 157 | * In the ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' episode "[[Recap/HowIMetYourMotherS3E08SpoilerAlert Spoiler Alert]]", Barney gives Marshall a disc link to what he says is software to find his password to be able to see if he passed the bar exam, instead it's a dog video that Barney has been trying to get him to watch. |
| 158 | * The ''Series/LastWeekTonightWithJohnOliver'' segment on Journalism ends with a spoof of ''Film/{{Spotlight}}'' where the cunning investigator finds opposition in his click-bait minded management, which wants him to focus on click-attractive topics like cats who look like raccoons. |
| 159 | * ''Series/PeopleOfEarth'' kicks off with a shady journalist interviewing a group of "alien abductees" in order to get out a story with a wacky headline and no real substance. His co-workers even compliment on finding such great clickbait, although the comedy of the show comes from the fact this vacuous clickbait turns out to be true. |
| 160 | * ''{{Series/Succession}}'' features a clickbait-oriented website called Vaulter, which is kind of a combination of Gawker and Buzzfeed. It has headlines like "5 reasons drinking milk on the toilet is kind of a game changer" and "Wait, is every Taylor Swift lyric secretly Marxist?" |
| 161 | [[/folder]] |
| 162 | |
| 163 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 164 | * Music/LemonDemon's song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh2NZWBvfWI "One Weird Tip"]] parodies both this and spam email ads. |
| 165 | -->AND YOU CAN OWN YOUR NAME . NET\ |
| 166 | WITH ALL THE ACTION YOU ARE GONNA GET\ |
| 167 | WITH SELF-HELP TALKS ON CD-ROM\ |
| 168 | AND ONE WEIRD TIP DISCOVERED A MOM |
| 169 | [[/folder]] |
| 170 | |
| 171 | [[folder:Radio]] |
| 172 | * ''Radio/JohnFinnemoresSouvenirProgramme:'' One sketch has John (or John playing a fictional version of himself) admitting that while he doesn't usually fall for clickbait, one time he did fall for an advert saying "Top Botanists Cannot Figure This Plant Out. Can You?" because for one brief moment he thought he might just know more about plants than an actual botanist. |
| 173 | -->'''John:''' I don't think What Alysson Hannigan Looks Like Now will surprise me. I think she'll look like Alysson Hannigan, just a little older. |
| 174 | |
| 175 | [[/folder]] |
| 176 | |
| 177 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 178 | * The "[[SillinessSwitch Crazy Cataclysm]]" official GameMod for ''VideoGame/{{Cataclysm}}: Dark Days Ahead'' includes a [[ShockAndAwe Shocker Zombie]] that yells "''SHOCKING!"'' headlined [[DevelopmentGag based on controversies from the game's GitHub]][[note]]"KEVIN SACRIFICING GAMEPLAY FOR REALISM? THE SHOCKING TRUTH REVEALED"[[/note]] and in-game stuff.[[note]]"20 EASY WAYS TO ESCAPE A LAB - #4 WILL BLOW YOUR MIND"[[/note]] |
| 179 | * ''VideoGame/{{Deltarune}}'' [[Recap/DeltaruneChapter2ACybersWorld Chapter 2]]: |
| 180 | ** Buildings in the Cyber World are almost all labelled with giant neon "AD" and "BUY" signs, managed by creatures who only exist to advertise to you. Even their dialogue boxes are advertisements! |
| 181 | --->"We are Addisons! All we do is advertise!! This is an advertisement too!"[[note]]Advertisements now only $9.99![[/note]] |
| 182 | ** The [[AnnoyingPopUpAd Poppup]] enemies like to lure party members into clicking on them by using [[YourHeartsDesire their desires]] as eye-catching content, such as a "how to make friends" guide for [[NiceGuy Ralsei]] and a link for "Hot Female Santas In Your Area" for [[LipstickLesbian Noelle.]] |
| 183 | ** The boss character Spamton is a living parody of spam and clickbait, promising you hot singles in your area, rapid financial gains, and links to explicit websites in exchange for your money, your personal information, [[BreadEggsMilkSquick and your SOUL]]. Like real clickbait, he's not to be trusted, and checking him outright says you should never give him money. |
| 184 | * In ''[[VideoGame/LegoStarWars LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga]]'', the holocrons you recover in Jocasta Nu's sidequest contain information like "How to build your own lightsaber," "Yoda's top 10 Force powers (number 5 will shock you)," and "Obi-Wan's guide to snappy one-liners." |
| 185 | * This is played with in Pewdiepie's ''Tuber Simulator'', where if you activate "Clickbait", the number of views on a published video will double for 24 hours or longer. |
| 186 | [[/folder]] |
| 187 | |
| 188 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 189 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'' episode "[[Recap/TheAmazingWorldOfGumballS2E37TheInternet The Internet]]" sees an AnthropomorphicPersonification of the World Wide Web defend itself by directing time-wasting content like "100 Funny Animals in Hats" and "Top 100 Fails of All Time" at its enemies, who proceed to waste tens of hours trying to resist the urge to keep clicking. |
| 190 | * ''WesternAnimation/BoJackHorseman'' : |
| 191 | ** One of the characters has an ex who works at Buzzfeed and exclusively writes articles with countdown articles with presumptive titles like "Five Shocking Facts From New [=BoJack=] Book." One episode, he spends a week writing an article called "Nine Jokes From the '90s We Haven't Stopped Laughing at," only for it to turn out he's been writing gibberish for a week and only intends to put actual words in the article right before submitting it. |
| 192 | ** In season 4 Diane works at Girl Croosh, which seems to be a combination of Buzzfeed and Cosmo with a StrawFeminist twist. The headlines shown in the background of one scene include "Swipe Left On Patriarchy!" and "Chris Hemsworth's Penis Outline". |
| 193 | * In the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "[[Recap/SouthParkS19E8SponsoredContent Sponsored Content]]," a man reading an elementary school newspaper is shocked to find news and not be sucked into clickable slideshows and top 10 lists. Remembering looking for news online, he imagines himself running in a void being bombarded with Buzzfeed articles, GEICO advertisements, and vague titles that promise that you will react emotionally. |
| 194 | * ''WesternAnimation/WeBareBears'': In "Panda's Sneeze", there's a SpinningPaper segment done with cell phones and laptop computers showing articles about Panda's viral video. One of them features a Buzzfeed parody with secondary links like "20 Struggles That Toad Owners Have" and "Little Girl Drinks Water, You Won't Believe What Happens Next!" |
| 195 | [[/folder]] |
| 196 | ---- |
| 197 | ->The one heartwarming [[TheStinger stinger]] fans discovered at the end of this article will restore your faith in humanity! |
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