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Facebook Putting A Nip On Irritating Watchbait Video Headlines
March 30, 2022
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Watchbait is the same as clickbait; inflated, misleading headlines that get people to watch to the end.
The following are examples from Meta on what to avoid:
Withholding is a tactic where a post intentionally omits key information to create an arbitrary curiosity gap for users to watch the video to understand the full context.
- His Reaction Was Priceless!!
- He paid attention at first but then this happened...
- Artificially long videos that withhold the “payoff” of the video
Sensationalism is a tactic where a post includes unnecessary exaggeration to imply that something in the video is more important than it really is.
- Absolutely mind-blowing details in the latest recipe of Café Bob’s milkshakes!!
- Your best friend has just sent this crazy message to your girlfriend!
- SHOCKING weather phenomenon could upend all of your summer plans
Misleading is a tactic where a post attempts to make viewers believe something about the nature of the content that is not true.
- Thumbnails, titles, descriptions, or other parts of the video that suggest something happens in the video that actually does not, often implying something outrageous or unbelievable may happen which ultimately does not occur in the video.
- Using staged, scripted, or fake content that is portrayed as reality that misleads viewers.
To help avoid your Page being flagged for Watchbait:
Do
- Post titles and descriptions that set appropriate expectations; accurately describe the video someone is about to watch.
- Use informative headlines and captions so people get a clear understanding of your video.
- Use thumbnails that display actual content from your video and represent the content accurately.
- Add your own voice to help drive genuine conversation.
Don't
- Don’t rely on missing information to lure viewers into watching; avoid intentionally omitting key details.
- Don’t exaggerate or sensationalize the topic. Avoid excessive capitalization or excessive use of emojis in the title and description or text overlay.
- Don’t use thumbnails with exaggerated or photoshopped scenes or reactions that are not actually present in the video.
- Don’t present fake or staged outrageous or dangerous incidents as real CCTV video or “caught on camera” recordings.
Let us know what we can do to help you: lori@lorilewismedia.com.
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