Boycott click-bait blog entries!
#1
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,611
Boycott click-bait blog entries!
I'm fed up with the click bait! I'm on slow foreign mobile networks and so every click comes at dial-up speed.
Suddenly the blog links with titles like:
You won't believe the simplest way to upgrade every time!
And
How to get status on the cheap.
And
Amazing award space on a surprising route.
Are driving me absolutely bananas because they inevitably are useless tactics that have no practical applicability. Which I would have known and not wasted my time/bandwidth on if the headline had been a headline instead of a tease. It's a form of lying. And I don't like being lied to.
So I've had it: any blog entry whose headline is a tease rather than a headline will never get a click from me again.
Thank you for indulging my rant.
Suddenly the blog links with titles like:
You won't believe the simplest way to upgrade every time!
And
How to get status on the cheap.
And
Amazing award space on a surprising route.
Are driving me absolutely bananas because they inevitably are useless tactics that have no practical applicability. Which I would have known and not wasted my time/bandwidth on if the headline had been a headline instead of a tease. It's a form of lying. And I don't like being lied to.
So I've had it: any blog entry whose headline is a tease rather than a headline will never get a click from me again.
Thank you for indulging my rant.
#3
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 1,782
They must have learned that technique at BAcon. Maybe someone could write a 28 part report? Just kidding...
But seriously, I guess the blog gains by page views? Is that the idea?
The problem is that the goals of the blogger do not necessarily align with the goals of every reader. And that's ok.
Bloggers (I think) want to get ad revenue, credit card revenue and also award bookings. Maybe also Uber credits etc.
Readers want lots of things, like circles and arrows, tricks of how to look up award availability or free one-ways, credit card news etc, trip reports, analysis of program changes, etc.
How many people get mad at the 11pm news when they keep teasing the weather report? It's annoying, but that's how it works.
The bloggers should be held accountable if they don't post the best offer. Other than that, let them post away. If you don't like their posts, just stop reading their blog. Maybe it'll be enough of a difference and they'll change.
But seriously, I guess the blog gains by page views? Is that the idea?
The problem is that the goals of the blogger do not necessarily align with the goals of every reader. And that's ok.
Bloggers (I think) want to get ad revenue, credit card revenue and also award bookings. Maybe also Uber credits etc.
Readers want lots of things, like circles and arrows, tricks of how to look up award availability or free one-ways, credit card news etc, trip reports, analysis of program changes, etc.
How many people get mad at the 11pm news when they keep teasing the weather report? It's annoying, but that's how it works.
The bloggers should be held accountable if they don't post the best offer. Other than that, let them post away. If you don't like their posts, just stop reading their blog. Maybe it'll be enough of a difference and they'll change.
#5
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,611
#6
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
I'm fed up with the click bait! I'm on slow foreign mobile networks and so every click comes at dial-up speed.
Suddenly the blog links with titles like:
You won't believe the simplest way to upgrade every time!
And
How to get status on the cheap.
And
Amazing award space on a surprising route.
Are driving me absolutely bananas because they inevitably are useless tactics that have no practical applicability. Which I would have known and not wasted my time/bandwidth on if the headline had been a headline instead of a tease. It's a form of lying. And I don't like being lied to.
So I've had it: any blog entry whose headline is a tease rather than a headline will never get a click from me again.
Thank you for indulging my rant.
Suddenly the blog links with titles like:
You won't believe the simplest way to upgrade every time!
And
How to get status on the cheap.
And
Amazing award space on a surprising route.
Are driving me absolutely bananas because they inevitably are useless tactics that have no practical applicability. Which I would have known and not wasted my time/bandwidth on if the headline had been a headline instead of a tease. It's a form of lying. And I don't like being lied to.
So I've had it: any blog entry whose headline is a tease rather than a headline will never get a click from me again.
Thank you for indulging my rant.
Delta fixing a temporary glitch that didn't show Alaska and Virgin Australia award space is mildly good news, but the headline phrase "Delta fixes online award booking" certainly connotes something different, given the notorious DL.dumb issues.
#8
formerly known as felinaar
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Plat, AA Gold, AS MVPG, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 612
#9
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 5
While I try and avoid rabid click-bait, clearly you need to have some sort of enticement in the headline.
For example: if you can get 500 bonus AAdvantage miles for a $100 spend then
"500 bonus AAdvantage miles for a $100 spend" is clearly fine
"500 free AAdvantage miles" is probably just about ok, if pushing it a little
"Naked Japanese schoolgirls run riot on AA plane" is arguably simply click-bait.
A delicate balancing act. But please just have a dig at me in the comments - rather than boycotting me for eternity - if I do ever push it too far...
For example: if you can get 500 bonus AAdvantage miles for a $100 spend then
"500 bonus AAdvantage miles for a $100 spend" is clearly fine
"500 free AAdvantage miles" is probably just about ok, if pushing it a little
"Naked Japanese schoolgirls run riot on AA plane" is arguably simply click-bait.
A delicate balancing act. But please just have a dig at me in the comments - rather than boycotting me for eternity - if I do ever push it too far...
#10
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
#11
Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: United 1K, Hyatt Diamond, Starwood Platinum
Posts: 119
I also enjoy techgirl's blog for great personal opinions and stories...
Is That YOUR Inflatable Penis?!
(How can you not click on that?!?)
Is That YOUR Inflatable Penis?!
(How can you not click on that?!?)
#12
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,611
I also enjoy techgirl's blog for great personal opinions and stories...
Is That YOUR Inflatable Penis?!
(How can you not click on that?!?)
Is That YOUR Inflatable Penis?!
(How can you not click on that?!?)
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Fort Worth TX
Programs: Earned status with AA, DL, SPG, HH, Hyatt, Marriott, Seabourn, NCL, National, Hertz...I miss my bed!
Posts: 10,927
#15
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,611