Misleading Titles in MyLot
By Angel
@Angelee_27 (3460)
United States
December 11, 2015 2:14pm CST
First off, what is a "misleading title"?
A misleading title is when the title does not match the written content. Typically, a person will create a misleading title for the purpose of attracting more attention.
For example: Jimmy writes a discussion here on myLot that is about his pet dog's life from puppy to adult canine. A proper title would be something along the lines of "My Dog's Journey Through Life".
However, Jimmy wants to get tons of attention and doesn't feel that that title would get him the attention he wants. So, instead, he chooses to title his discussion "WOW! It's Insane! I Can't Believe What I Found!".
Clearly, this title does not summarize what he has written about in his discussion. He didn't write anything about finding something. However, it will intrigue readers and make them want to click and read.
Sadly, when a reader clicks on Jimmy's discussion and reads through it, they would quickly become disappointed. It wasn't at all what the reader wanted to read.
I have ran across many misleading titles here on myLot over the years. I find it very annoying. I feel that the writer has wasted my time when I click to read something that seemed interesting to me from the title, but turned out to be a completely different subject in the written content.
Have you been tricked with a misleading title before?
How did it make you feel?
Do you think it is okay to submit a misleading title on myLot?
11 people like this
9 responses
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
11 Dec 15
I dont mind a misleading title.
if i dont like the actual content i'll just move on.
3 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
11 Dec 15
Mike do some my lotters spend all their time bemoaning us hapless discussion writers who do nothing right according to them?
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
11 Dec 15
@Hatley some may do so but this discussion, I think, is about using a title that may not be related to the actual content.
Personally i see that as a "hook" and can be done very nicely.
Many people have done it, including me, very successfully.
Sometimes, if i see a title that i'm really interested in, and it turns out to be a hook i'm disappointed...especially if im not interested in the content.
When that happens i just find another discussion to participate in.
I used hooks a few times on the old site.
Now i dont do that, my discussions content will directly relate to the title...but thats just me.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
11 Dec 15
Good lord what else can we readers; gripe about? know what if you d o noit l ike my title just go right on by.May be we need to spend more time making our own discussions readable and up to your idea of perfections than to go around policing mylot. I Try to Lead people to be interested in my discussion and spend m y time trying to make my own posts better so I do not go around criticizing everyone for every little thing.
2 people like this
@Angelee_27 (3460)
• United States
12 Dec 15
@Mike197602 Right...
A play on words, for example, in a title is fine by me.
@zebra2222 (5269)
• United States
12 Dec 15
It's best not to use misleading titles. I try to stay close to the subject at hand.
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
11 Dec 15
Sometimes misleading titles turn out better than I even thought the discussion would be about so it really doesn't bother me. Besides, if I don't like what the discussion is actually about I can leave it.
1 person likes this
@Missmwngi (12927)
• Nairobi, Kenya
11 Dec 15
I love misleading titles,they are good to see those people who comment without reading
2 people like this
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
11 Dec 15
yeah, that's always good for a laugh
1 person likes this
@Missmwngi (12927)
• Nairobi, Kenya
11 Dec 15
@Mike197602 Sure and you can get the funniest comments there
1 person likes this
@RonElFran (1214)
• Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
14 Dec 15
When I feel that a writer has deliberately misled me with an inappropriate title, I put that person on my "do not respond" list. That writer may have gotten one view from me, but won't get a like or comment or any more views.
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
12 Dec 15
I must lead people on a lot then because i've been doing that for years here..
@OneOfMany (12150)
• United States
11 Dec 15
"A Post About Bunnies" and it has nothing to do with bunnies. I wrote that and stated that it had nothing to do with it. It's just what I wanted to talk about and what I ended up talking about were very different things.
