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Does clickbait work?
- Thread starter 010rusty
- Start date
Just to further justify it, we kinda use clickbait in our performance.
A strong opener to draw them in moving on into a relatively unrelated show, and linking it all up at the end? Show-bait.
Only difference is that people are going to expect the show after the opener.
Huh, that is a really good point. The main reason I created this thread was to talk about the various types of magic clickbait, most notably Emails from magic companies that say "I was fooled"-[insert somewhat famous magician here]. That when you open it its just the same old method but one thing was changed, and everyone forgets about it 10 minutes later.
But Maaz made a really solid point. I guess there is more magic clickbait than I immediately thought.
Oh I hate those. Every now and then, I get one and it makes me legitimately mad because you read 2 paragraphs to figure out the name of the effect, and another 2 just to try and see what it does, only to realize that it's just an old effect. I'd say I get one or 2 subjects every month, but once one comes, they keep hitting your inbox with them.
Sorry, I was about to go on a bit of a rant there. I had to stop my self from making this a 5 paragraph essay.
I would say there is a difference between drawing interest in something and outright lying about it. Clickbait is the latter. The term has been thrown around so much it has lost its original meaning. Clickbait, for example, can be a title to a video that has nothing to do with ANY of the content in that video. Or a headline for an article that is just outright false or not covered in the actual story just to generate clicks and views.
It's perfectly okay to draw someone in while not being misleading about it. To pinpoint the video that both ChristopherT and Tyler Scott linked to of Joshua Jay describing the importance of introductions, this isn't clickbait at all when you're talking about a live show. It's all facts about the performer and paints a great image to the audience about who you are and what you're there to do. Even in busking situations where you're showing someone magic and they had no idea they would be seeing live magic that day, you don't tell them you're going to do something and just not do it for the sole purpose of obtaining their viewership for a short moment.
Just wanted to give a few quick thoughts on the matter. Is there ACTUAL clickbait used in the magic community? Absolutely. Does it work? For the views and clicks, absolutely. And for the money as well. But if you really cared about your audience and performed great magic, you wouldn't have to use those tactics in the first place.
It's perfectly okay to draw someone in while not being misleading about it. To pinpoint the video that both ChristopherT and Tyler Scott linked to of Joshua Jay describing the importance of introductions, this isn't clickbait at all when you're talking about a live show. It's all facts about the performer and paints a great image to the audience about who you are and what you're there to do. Even in busking situations where you're showing someone magic and they had no idea they would be seeing live magic that day, you don't tell them you're going to do something and just not do it for the sole purpose of obtaining their viewership for a short moment.
Just wanted to give a few quick thoughts on the matter. Is there ACTUAL clickbait used in the magic community? Absolutely. Does it work? For the views and clicks, absolutely. And for the money as well. But if you really cared about your audience and performed great magic, you wouldn't have to use those tactics in the first place.
I totally agree. People have started using clickbait to mean (in the case of YouTube) any interesting looking title or thumbnail, even if it's in the video. Like you said, I consider clickbait as outright lying to your audience by enticing you with content that isn't shown whatsoever just to get views.
One magic related example I've seen recently was something along the lines of"WILL TSAI AGT MATRIX ROUTINE REVEALED" and it was just a video of some teacher performing (not revealing) a very well constructed matrix routine for his students.
Great perspective. The definition I was aware of is: To use imagery or language to convince someone to click on your article or video. Clickbait inherently isnt bad unless it lies or misrepresents the content on the article or video.
For example, here is something I would say is ethical: "World famous magician stuns audience with this classic of magic!" Referring to a performance where the magician performs the cups and balls.
Here is an unethical example using the same scenario as the one above: "Magician risks his life performing this insane illusion!" the bait in this one is that the viewer wants to see the magician risking their life. When it doesn't happen it makes you feel stupid for watching it.
Lastly another example is when thumbnails use images (usually of a girl wearing little to no clothing) to hook you in to watching the video even though the person in the thumbnail is prolly not even in the video at all.
For example, here is something I would say is ethical: "World famous magician stuns audience with this classic of magic!" Referring to a performance where the magician performs the cups and balls.
Here is an unethical example using the same scenario as the one above: "Magician risks his life performing this insane illusion!" the bait in this one is that the viewer wants to see the magician risking their life. When it doesn't happen it makes you feel stupid for watching it.
Lastly another example is when thumbnails use images (usually of a girl wearing little to no clothing) to hook you in to watching the video even though the person in the thumbnail is prolly not even in the video at all.
I don't think clickbait means an outright lie. Clickbait is just the modern version of a term/phrase that already existed: yellow journalism. Which is journalism that relies on sensationalism and exaggeration to make sales. An outright lie would be clickbait too, but also eye-catching headlines and youtube titles where the content doesn't satisfy the reader/viewer is just as equally clickbait-y.
As you say, since I clicked this thread, it apparently does
Of course clickbait works every single time! Because one has no way of knowing if a clickbait IS a clickbait!
Some before me pointed out the difference between a clickbait and something that arouses interest...
The difference lies in the fact whether our interest is rewarded or not.
For example if there's a video that says "WATCH THIS!!!!! SCARIEST THING YOU WILL EVER SEE!!!!!" and you DO get quite scared, it is not a clickbait. But if that leads you to something like "Visit the website linked in the description for free torrented horror movies", then it is a clickbait.
So unless we click on something, how do we know it is worth it or not? So clickbait always works, technically speaking.
Now clickbait in other stuff, well, it works quite well too! I mean, half of your skills are assessed by how you start your performance. Throw a flashy opener and your audience is hooked! In fact even in public speaking, a quirky question in the beginning catches their attention, and after that if your magic performance or speech manages to sustain the interest, your bait worked and did good to both, your audience and you. Now those people will be more eager to see you speak or perform.
If you don't render on their expectations positively tho, your bait worked, and did absolutely zero good to your audience (you prolly wasted their time) and did temporary good to you, because they did hang in till the end of your performance, their brains praying you soon do something amazing and satisfy their interest-needs. Next time, they will want to watch you, though they will be less eager. And finally, after being fooled with clickbaits or speech-baits or whatever numerous times, they won't wanna even listen to you.
So you ultimately harm yourself.
So clickbaits work 100% of the time, but their gifts are not really worthy enough to convince anyone to use them.