Anyone else want more in the Title line than click-bait? "Do This Now!"

[erronis]

Why do I think that it would be just as easy to make a title like "Please vote now!" when that is the body of the rest of the post?

Are there points gained by having clicks through the title? Is this google or facebook?

While I'm mildly venting, perhaps DU could implement a hover text that shows the first 100 characters of the actual post without actually clicking through. I did this for a tiny company a decade ago in one day.

[CatWoman]

1. lots of time on your hands, huh?

[erronis]

2. No. Not a lot of time. I'd like to have some conciseness in the title. Wouldn't you?

[CatWoman]

4. so why not post that in the thread itself?

why post this rude, call out thread?

[flibbitygiblets]

9. IF I may, it's rude to post with threads that say only "This!" or other ambiguous click-bait

I never ever read posts with lame titles like that... and I'm annoyed at the same time that maybe there's something important in there that I might have missed. Especially when I see one of the dreaded "This!" posts make it to the "greatest threads" section. It's passive-aggressive attention-seeking behavior, and that's why I quit Fakebook. Well, that and the Russian collusion thing.

But here's the problem: The vast majority of these ambiguously-titled clickbait posts are not worth my time. I have a full time job, as do the vast majority of us here, I imagine. Is it really so much to ask to provide a descriptive title in your posts? If so, prepare to be disliked and ignored.


Rant over.

[SharonClark]

12. LOL! Your post is rude. The original post is not.

[trof]

14. You're the rude one.

jeez

[Codeine]

15. There's only one rude person in this exchange,

and it’s not the person you’re addressing.

[BlueHusker]

3. Here"s my mild vent

When I click on a title because I want to know more and all it says is "that is all".

[wasupaloopa]

5. I do not click on click bait OP's. Pass them right up

[Cerulean Southpaw]

7. Same

If I catch even a whiff of "YOU WON'T BELIEVE" or "what happens next will amaze you", I'm not going to click.

I'm not clicking on a title that says nothing more than "This", or the slightly longer "This right here", or sometimes both combined. Also not clicking on "You HAVE to see this!!!".

The rules aren't hard and fast, but ALLCAPS or multiple exclamation points are a strike against the chances I'll click.

If it gives no hint what it might be about, I'm not clicking. I understand the idea is supposed to make you wonder "This WHAT? Right WHERE? Have to see WHAT? WHAT happens next?".

It's a manipulative tactic. I don't like it when people are trying to manipulate me.

[eleny]

6. It's a good idea to have an informative subject header. So many people have limited time to check DU

It's not always easy to think up a header with the meat of the matter. But I'll try.

[erronis]

10. I agree about finding the meat of the matter. But if it's hard to find, perhaps it's not there...

No disrespect meant here!

But I sometimes start a long diatribe about some subject before trying to figure out how I'm going to synopsize it. By the time I get around to wrapping it in a Subject/Title I realize that the content is not worth anyone else's time.

Having written quite a few very erudite tomes over the years that have been unremarkable by anybody's standards, I realize that most are for our own pleasure.

[eleny]

16. Or we're hoping to hash out our thoughts on a subject

All in good faith.

[Roland99]

8. *raises hand*. Or those who just post a link or video with NO context

[erronis]

11. This also goes along with hijacking an email thread to talk about things not in the subject line.

I think both of these methods are ways of addressing the same group of people without starting a new thread/email.

Ok, I'm getting off my proper etiquette hobby horse which I definitely don't belong on.

[Iggo]

13. Just skip those ones.

I do it.

It's easy.

[GusBob]

17. You know which threads I never read?

The ones that say "must read" automatic trash can

I'm with you, tired of the teaser titles to get you to click.

Also learning who posts valid "breaking news" vs lame joke fakes

After a few years you learn to look who is posting before you click thru too