At one stage clickbait was considered to be an effective way to drive traffic to your site but you won’t believe what happens next!
Catchy yet vague headlines draw readers in, encouraging people to click the link and make the jump to your site, but just how effective is this online marketing approach?
What Is Clickbait?
Clickbait is a term used to describe a certain type of Internet content that uses sensationalism or is provocative in nature. It is used to grab the attention of readers and draw them to a particular web page.
Does Clickbait Work?
At one point it was thought that using clickbait was a very effective means of drawing traffic and getting your content the attention that is needed. There is no doubt using this method can generate a larger number of visitors, but does it in fact result in more customers? Using sensationalism to create a buzz may work well in the short term but all too quickly you may find your readers are losing trust in your content and becoming frustrated with your attention getting tactics.
How Using Clickbait Can Hurt You
While joining the swarms of people using clickbait to drive numbers to websites may be tempting, it may not be the best idea. Truth be told, it can do more damage than good and is likely an advertising scheme better left alone.
Yes, it is effective in gaining numbers, but realistically you are doing more damage to the customer relationship than good, as readers will lose trust in your brand and your content after being deceived by clickbait.
Bounce Rate – Clickbait will also have a negative impact on your bounce rate. Once a viewer clicks the bait and realises they have been misled chances are they will leave the site just as quickly as they came, not taking the time to look at products and advertisements and resulting in very high bounce rates, which we all know is not a good thing.
Attracting the Wrong Viewer – Drawing people in is important, but it is about drawing the right people. Clickbait is not effective in doing so. The visitors you are bringing in are not likely to be interested in your products or services because they came to the site on a completely unrelated reason. This means the likelihood of turning visitors into customers is greatly diminished.
Lacking Creativity – The concept of clickbait is no longer a new one, and Internet users are wise to the game. Using the same plots as everyone else will not score you any creativity points, as you are simply following the crowd. Instead, engage your readers with interesting and relevant content that is true to your brand and the message you want to send. People appreciate clear and concise content that gets to point, and that is far more likely to result in converting visitors into customers and clients.