Because those people are still reading the site. He gets the ad revenue whether they like the content or hate it. And if they leave a comment he gets double as posting the comment means the page loads a second time so all the ads refresh, too.

I guess ad revenue is more important than a little integrity then.

I don't see click-bait titles as lacking integrity. Maybe that's just me.

OMAaT has sent me almost 3000 emails in just over a year and a half.

Now VFTW has started to salt & pepper my
Email too.

Don't they realize that the more emails they send out, the fewer I read.

Spammers make me angry. Angrier than bait/clicks. I just ignore those.

I agree. It annoys me too, but these are blogs we're talking about. I won't be up in arms about this whole click-bait trend until I see it on a genuine news (i.e. not lifestyle or whatever) article published by the NY Times or WSJ.

Don't you realize that you can change your email subscription settings?

Perhaps I will have better luck after posting this comment:

I was going through my Facebook newsfeed and I saw:

How did I know it would be Gary? :rolleyes:

I thought he Unfriended you.

Gary had an article yesterday titled "Citibank’s Huge 100,000 Mile Offer for 2 Credit Card Signups". Needless to say I got so excited and clicked on it just to find out that it's 100,000 mile offer for 2 cards (combined). Gary if I ever see you in person I will [redacted].

Oh he did, but I still follow Boarding Area's page so their status updates appear in my newsfeed.

Someone in the comments said I only complained about the Clickbait because he unfriended me. I'm not 12.

Can't wait for Sunday morning when bloggers attempt to answer reader questions. Amazingly, they almost always revolve around "Should I get the Chase XXX card or the Amex XXX card?". And the answer is usually "Get both!" :D

Sometimes, though, they play it straight. OMAAT has been pretty good, for example, on the relative virtues of the Amex versus the Visa Hilton cards that come with Hilton Gold status; Gary's advice on the various cash cards (including B of A) has been pretty sound, I think. Just about anyone's advice on why you should get the Barclays US Air card I pretty much agree with as well . . . assuming AA miles are useful to you.

And then sometimes -- maybe even most of the time? -- many don't play it straight. I guess what annoys me the most is having to pick through the not-so-good to find the good. If I'm going to have to do that, why should I trust anything? What's the point?

But there is good out there. It's just hidden under a lot of bull manure.

Or you could just skip all Credit Card posts, which is what I mostly do.

Gary graduated with highest honors in economics.

Hilarious, how did you ever guess?

From today's Million Mile Secrets:

Q: I’m new to this travel hacking stuff. I’m debating on getting the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the United Airlines credit card. Which should I get? Or can I apply for both cards at the same time?

A: Chris should get the Chase Sapphire Preferred card 1st and then apply for the United Airlines card in 3 to 4 months. I’ll explain why!

From a week long of blogs pretending to be experts in travel and miles/points and all they are doing is selling plastic non stop!

http://travelbloggerbuzz.com/weekly-...travel-really/

Fighting back with satire

JeSuisTBB

I am not angry

Now this crap always amazes me, exactly how many credit cards do they honestly think people should be getting?

The more the better (for their pockets!). Frugal Travel Guy advice to newbies is to apply for 7 at a time...not kidding.

Sure pays better than crack :rolleyes:

...to whose crack are you referring?

Oh...you mean the drug.

Never mind...

For the record, I have never done crack. But I hear the Buzz you get from it is amazing! I can see it now...

"Top 10 Reasons Getting Credit Cards To Fly For Free is Better Than Crack!"

Miles to Memories seems to think buzzard is just a tiny bit ANGRY! :rolleyes:

Dear Sweet Jesus. So. Much. Pumping. So. Much. Clickbait. :eek::eek::eek:

WEATHER ALERT!!! Free Delta Changes, click my Delta cards :D

It's as if Delta is the only airline with severe weather change fee waivers! Who knew?!?!:D

The DAY Delta pushes weather alerts to FLY DELTA APP or moves the alerts being on a NON-hidden obscure part of the Delta.dumb home page is the day I stop posting about the alerts.

Just providing a service here. Nothing more! :rolleyes:

I just threw up... Do they make a vomit face emoji?

Here's one not from Gary!

http://theforwardcabin.boardingarea....g-pain-unless/

Darn it, CMK10, you beat me to it! The neat thing about this one, though, is the shameless and unapologetic panache with which it's carried out coupled with the truly silly underlying point: travelling with elite status is better than travelling without.

Gee, now that's profound. There's really kind of Delta Points-like greatness in this blog post. I unreservedly commend it to everyone.

I'll honestly forgive posts that are interesting or informative or otherwise well done. I think you're all way too hard on Gary, for example. But here? I see no redeeming substantive virtues at all.

I disagree. People have more of a reason to be disappointed in Gary because he used to have integrity. I would let him off the hook if he just came out with it and said he doesn't want to write quality pieces anymore because writing virtually useless clickbait articles pays more than having self-respect and writing substantiative posts.

That may be the worst post I've seen on Boarding Area in years. Are there ANY standards anymore? Why is this blogger still employed?

Boarding Area employs its bloggers? I thought they were all volunteers, and if they're lucky they get ad revenue.

Another BA Blog, this time "Heels First" (whatever that is) with:

http://heelsfirsttravel.boardingarea...s+First+Travel

I feel like all View from the Wing titles are "something catchy, and here's why", or "something catchy, and here's why it doesn't matter".

For example: I don't like Gary Leff, and here's why.

...but you did not state why, you “click-baiter” you...

Clickbait within clickbait:

The link is to another blogger blogging about.....Iceland.

There, I clicked on the clickbait so you don't have to!

There are only so many ways to convey 'expertise' without giving the milk away for free.

XYZ, and here's why.

ABC, what it means/matters/doesn't matter

Dude's posting 7-10 posts a day. He's going to have to use some over and over.

Let's take a look at a recent one: Airline Fuel Surcharges May Be Illegal. Here’s Why It Won’t Matter.

My OP rant notwithstanding, you can't improve on that, and here's why. :D;):p

(I wish I could force you to click on something in order to read the rest!!!!)

You could say

Airline Fuel Surcharges May Be Illegal, But the House will Always Win Anyway.

or

Airline Fuel Surcharges May Be Illegal, But a Fee by Any Other Name...


More clever, right? But here's the rub: the headline tells the whole story. Now there is no need for me to click on the link from BA or facebook or twitter to read this:

Because that entire point...the entire point of the post...has already been conveyed in the headline. He would have already given the 'milk' away for free!

It simply doesn't PAY to have informative and/or clever headlines.

And nothing trumps the profit motive when you are running a business.

Same reason most of these folks don't post substantive stuff on FlyerTalk (or even MilePoint) anymore....they get PAID to do it in blog and seminar venues (or at least get expenses reimbursed).

You may call me a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.

I will click on an informative title because I want to learn more. And because no writer would give you the conclusion in the title if he didn't have a lot more to say about the subject.

Oh, I think I see the problem now...

All of what you said is good and true, except click-bait entries usually gives nothing away because there's nothing to give. If one makes 10 posts a day, sure some may be duplicates, but there will be just as many useless fluff.

Vftw got me good today with:

How to Use Points for Luxury Hotels That Aren’t Part of Loyalty Programs

Swallow the click bait and you get:

'You can't'.

:rolleyes:

About as useful as "Are Credit Cards About to Be Killed Off in Europe?" yesterday.

A new player on my radar:

Incidentally, questionable use of "whom" throughout the article:

http://travelblawg.boardingarea.com/...band-boosters/