The Downworthy plug-in is the latest shot across the bow of the clickbait industry. The plug-in's name is a reference to Upworthy, the viral story site that mastered the art of creating titles that were too interesting not to share. Nowadays just about every website engages in the "You won't believe what happens next" style of headline writing when sharing stories on social media, and Downworthy is here to combat that.
The plug-in sniffs out common clickbait words and phrases, including: literally, you won't believe and will blow your mind. When offending words and phrases are detected they are changed by the Downworthy plug-in to funnier and more "accurate" descriptions. The formulaic titles read surprisingly well when altered by the plug-in and as an added bonus are pretty hilarious, if occasionally NSFW.
What's Driving This Trend
- Clickbait-combating Tech
- The Downworthy plug-in targets hyperbolic headlines.
Who This Affects Most
- Content Creation
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating more accurate and engaging headlines without relying on clickbait tactics.
- Digital Marketing
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in developing alternative strategies to attract users without resorting to clickbait techniques.
- Advertising
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in finding new ways to capture user attention and drive engagement without relying on clickbait advertisements.
