Clickbait Structural Strategies in Honduras

Abstract. Introduction. This study examines clickbait as a strategy for capturing audiences’ attention in the Honduran media system through the lens of the attention economy and the political economy of communication. Methods. This quantitative content analysis evaluated (N=3,244) tweets published by eight Honduran media outlets between February 24 and March 2, 2023. Six variables were operationalized: headline structure, news type, audiovisual elements, engagement, views, and media outlet type. Results. From the tweets evaluated, 39.7% reported characteristics appealing to clickbait. The chi-square test revealed no association between clickbait and higher levels of interaction. However, 92.3% of clickbait posts used URLs. Among the most used clickbait appeals were incomplete information in headlines and emotional appeals. Conclusion. The study reveals that, although clickbait is not a predominant practice, it is significant and presents a structured architecture of commodification (92% used URLs and emotional appeals), suggesting the commodification of communication processes into exchangeable goods and, therefore, competing for visibility and attention. Unlike in the Global North, where clickbait is used as an expansion strategy, in Honduras, it appears to have emerged as a survival strategy in response to a limited peripheral and advertising market.