“17 Facts You Won’t BELIEVE Are True”
“50 Signs You’re A 90’s Kid”
“He Puts a Bar of Soap in the Microwave and a Minute Later, It’s Wild”
These are all actual real titles to “articles” that I have found across the wild abyss that is the internet. We call these crazy titles “clickbait” because that is simply what they are. They exist only as a lure for you to click on their website. Leading you to an extremely disappointing webpage that is just swimming in flashy advertisements.
Here’s a little fun fact that I’ve learned throughout my 21 extremely experienced years: People aren’t as stupid as you think. Even before you knew what clickbait was called, you knew what it was. I’ll bet you recognized it right away.
Clickbait’s sensationalism has always been around in one form or another. We, as humans, respond to things that seem incredible and fantastical. Luckily for us, we’ve also got the self-awareness to recognize when we’re being taken for a ride. Clickbait will always be around, but just like moon shoes, Google Plus and Chia pets. People’s thinking and susceptibility to clickbait will fade, and they know where they can find quality. That’s why experiential marketing is here to stay.
Creating an event isn’t an easy process. It requires time and real effort to make a high quality campaign. And once it’s set in place, people will make connections—real human-feeling connections to a brand. That’s what will last. Experiential marketing will be with us forever. Just like electric cars, chocolate and peanut butter, and the Muppets.