Don't click on that "cutest thing ever" link! Facebook wants to discourage "click-bait" NEW YORK (CNNMoney) In a move that will have repercussions for a wide array of media companies, Facebook is changing its all-important algorithms to discourage what it calls "click-baiting headlines." As a result, you'll probably see fewer stories on the Web that proclaim "You won't believe what happens in this video!" or promise that "This story will blow your mind."
These sorts of headlines have proliferated in the past couple of years because Internet publishers have found that they help boost page views and, consequently, revenues from advertising. But critics of the style -- and there are a lot of them -- say it's cheap and fundamentally unsatisfying to users.
Facebook (FB, Tech30) apparently agrees.
Facebook says "click-baiting" happens when "a publisher posts a link with a headline that encourages people to click to see more, without telling them much information about what they will see."
There is a whole ecosystem of bottom-feeder Web sites that specialize in these kinds of stories.
How BuzzFeed's moving beyond cat videos Facebook's algorithm currently rewards these links when they're posted onto the social networking site because the links "tend to get a lot of clicks."
But "when we asked people in an initial survey what type of content they preferred to see in their News Feeds, 80% of the time people preferred headlines that helped them decide if they wanted to read the full article before they had to click through," the Web site said in an announcement on Monday.
So "click-bait" is unsatisfying -- and it may also hurt Facebook's business model, which entails getting people to spend more time on Facebook.
"Over time, stories with "click-bait" headlines can drown out content from friends and pages that people really care about," making Facebook less useful, the announcement added.
Facebook said it would try to curtail the "click-bait" plague by showing "fewer of these types of stories."
The site said it would be careful not to ensnare other Internet publishers.
Facebook has become a crucial source of traffic for news and entertainment sites, so eve! ry perceived change to Facebook's algorithm is obsessively scrutinized.
And because Facebook has more than one billion monthly users, its choices and preferences ripple across the whole web.
Another change it announced on Monday will, in some cases, discourage publishers from attaching photos to their promotional posts -- so users will probably see somewhat fewer photos and more straight links in the future.
Ariel Skelley/Getty ImagesYou can keep your fridge stocked even when cutting back on your grocery store trips. If you've gone to the grocery store lately, you've probably noticed that prices are steadily going up. Whether you're single or feeding a family, the cost of food can really add up. Prices from beef to staples like milk are all increasing so it can be difficult to shelter yourself from the rise in cost. Recent studies indicate that some families of four can expect to spend nearly $1,200 a month on food if they're not careful. It is also important to point out that this number doesn't include costs for dining out, just simply shopping at the grocery store. If that number sounds too high to you and you're looking for ways to lower your grocery bill, these tips should help. Shop less often: One easy way to spend less on groceries is to shop less often. If you go shopping once every week, try extending it to once every nine or 10 days. Averaged out over a month, this would cut out one major trip to the store per month and thus help you spend less. While it might seem difficult at first, it is possible to reduce your trips to the grocery store and still keep your pantry full. Beyond spending less, the act of shopping less frequently also has two other major benefits -- it forces you to eat more of the food in your home and it helps you greatly reduce food waste. These two things together will help you stretch your groceries and thus lower your spending. Shop around a meal plan: As simple as it might sound, shopping with a meal plan can help you lower your grocery bill. You can make this meal plan to fit your needs, whether it be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. Having a meal plan will not only allow you to bring more discipline to your grocery shopping but it also has the benefit of giving you flexibility in when you have your meals. If you use your meal plan strategically, you can use it to shop around sales and coupons in order to maximize your savings. If you have not given thought to a meal plan, try using one for a few weeks and you should see it help you lower costs in the long run. Think about value: It is a common misconception that you can't eat healthily on a budget. That is an understandable belief but is largely a myth. When you take a look at your grocery spending, consider the kind of items you are spending money on. Are you stocking up on empty calories like soda and snacks? Some of that is OK, but taken to an extreme it will add up. The often overlooked side effect of spending on empty calories is that they will not fill you for very long. Items that are higher in protein, as well as some fruits and vegetables, will generally keep you satisfied and thus cause you to spend less in the long run. While those items that are considered empty calories might seem cheaper in the short run, they generally are more expensive in the long run as you will end up buying more as well as possibly deal with poorer health. That can lead to more visits to doctors and other costly health care costs. Be flexible: Few people enjoy eating leftovers, but they can do wonders to helping you lower your grocery costs. In fact, you can even include leftover nights within your meal plan once or twice a week. You can make this work even better if you make meals that complement each other when you pair them together later in the week. Having leftover nights also has the dual benefit of infusing a little more creativity into your meals, especially if you feel like you're having some of the same things time and again. If leftover nights aren't desirable, then at the very least use your leftovers as a way to supplement the lunches you take to work. Lowering your grocery costs, especially in a growing family, can be a challenge. However, with a little planning and commitment, it is possible to save money and not spend an arm and a leg at the grocery store. .