The Top 6 surfing clickbait sites (you won't believe who's number 3!)
I don't want to click. I really don't. I've been fooled before. Many times in fact, around 9am and 3pm each day I get suckered. So this time I'm resolute in my decision...and yet the question lingers: What if this story is the one? What if this story is as exciting as the headline promises? What if? What if..?
You know how the rest of the story goes, dear readers. And you probably also know that this business is getting out of hand. But what the hell are you gonna do? Well, we here at Swellnet know what we're gonna do...
...and thus we bring you the top 6 clickbaiting sites in surfdom.
1) The Inertia. Was it ever gonna go to anyone else? The surfing world's Huffington Post has posted some genuinely great stories since its inception, and some of the most audacious clickbaits yet seen. Terabytes of Alana Blanchard, gigabytes of twerking, megabytes of shark leads, and shitloads of Top Ten lists are the defining feature of surfing's definitive online community.
2) Surfing Life. Australia's Surfing Life, which used to be known as Australia's Surfing Life, but is now just Surfing Life which comes from Australia, has taken the bait so to speak. Following The Inertia's lead they've rejigged their editorial output. A two part story with a friend of a person who saw a shark encounter was a recent highlight, as was the list of places to get waves in Brazil. We wait with baited breath (ha!) for more of this output.
3) The ASP. While not strictly clickbait I've made an executive decsion to include them due to their social media campaign. Photos of the big day at Cloudbreak when the ASP cancelled the comp, photos of Backdoor that aren't Backdoor, lame motivational poster captions that shoot for an Arthur and Martha level of sophistication - and still fall short.
4) Tracks. With a flash new website to fill Tracks have started putting everything in its right place. 'The 5 best unsponsored surfers', '5 surfing no-no's', '5 Teenagers that will redefine big wave surfing', and the rather vague '10 Tracks Surfing Facts'. It's all very ordered and organised, perpendicular and parallel. Comforting indeed.
5) STAB. Rather than a new sensation, shock tactics have long been STAB's raison d'etre. They ain't new to the big talkin' headline, and to be fair they've got the chutzpah to pull it off. But the internet is a hungry old beast and like others they're finding the best snack is a short run list with maybe a female arse as lead pic to, you know, bait the readers in.
6) The Inertia. Fuck it, I can't think of any other site worth mentioning so in they go again.
There, it's done. But we all know where the blame really lies, don't we dear readers? Just as we get the pollies we deserve so do we get the stories we demand. The solution, however, is easier said than done: Just...don't...click...
Comments
Can't click Stu, 3rd or 6th.....?
Eh? Whaddya mean Welly?
Are you saying SN is 3rd or 6th clickbait....?
My bad if I missed the point ;)
Stab has the worst tracking requests, on average about 120 per page. I understand it's business, but to put it in perspective this page only has 12.
What's a tracking request ?
If that article was intended irony - take a bow Stunet.
Of course it is Blowin.
...and a curtsey to you.
Good sport Mr Swellnet. Clickbaiting is insidious and its only getting worse, its even creeping into serious photography websites I frequent though the authors wont admit it. At least the Inertia have tried to justify their frequently sensational headlines, which doesn't make them any less annoying but at least they're not in denial.
I'm fucked what is clickbaiting....?
Totally out of the loop here, you tech geeks.
Please fill me in as I missed this whole thread here haha.
And tracking requests ?
Blowin please explain Mr quick post on line straight away , no one else has, or am I just a dumb tech fuck...?
Welly, clickbaiting is the recent invention of websites using sensational, tantalising headlines that, when clicked on, offer fuck all information. Maybe a poorly refashioned article that someone else wrote, maybe just a dumb video, or maybe it's a "Top 10 list of really exciting shit". All clickbaiting serves one purpose - driving up web traffic. And by whatever cheap and nasty means necessary.
See these articles for more:
https://econsultancy.com/blog/64399-the-dirty-secrets-of-clickbait-this-post-will-blow-your-mind#i.1hce8iwqydkpr3
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/you-have-no-idea-whats-behind-these-clickbait-86284798014.html
omg, the name of one of these sites is...................................................................................................................................................................................................................Upworthy
or should I say, you'll never believe the name of this top website
Ha ha...
Blowin: I don't know much about Tracking Requests 'cept that they have multiple uses. They're used to measure web traffic (Google Analytics, Nielsen stats etc) and also to customise the web experience for the user, and no doubt there'd be some more nefarious applications too.
Thanks Stu, much appreciated,
From the tread, I thought SwellNet was gonna get 3rd or 6th or last or something....?
Worth noting that the publications you have referenced produce extensive content each month and don’t waste too much time commenting negatively on other surf media which is a pet subject of this site. If you combine the internet and magazine output of these publications the total output is significantly greater than what you will find here. Much better value for consumers to attach their loyalties to one of these brands than Swellnet. Surf Forecasting is the original click bait concept. Don’t flatter yourself Stu that everyone is here for your disgruntled, self serving, jaded, chip-on-the shoulder prose.
I thought Stu was being lighthearted though if you're personally involved I can understand why you're offended by it. If the magazines and websites put out so much content surely they don't need to clickbait?? It drives me mad.
Was only a matter of time...
Personally , I'd read a cornflakes packet if that's all I had available. Too much isn't enough. While some of the content May edge toward the dross , it's no drama to click on out of there. Cheers to everyone out there attempting to eke out an existence in this brave new world of online entertainment . Here's to your success.
You really do make me laugh Stu Nettle. I imagine you saying this in a totally dead-pan way, which makes it even funnier.
Hey Bec, hope you've got some comfy cycling knicks and learnt to go left. In short, hope you're enjoying Raglan.
The Brazilian list is pure and completely delusional...
This morning The Onion launched their dedicated clickbait site. Called the ClickHole their motto is "All web content deserves to go viral."
https://www.clickhole.com/
Clickbaiting...far better than getting RickRolled