Clickbait, which in Portuguese means “click-hunting”, is a digital marketing technique whose purpose is to increase the number of hits on a website. In this technique, accesses are obtained through exaggerated, and even appealing, titles and images, which arouse the reader's curiosity.
The contents that use clickbait they only serve as bait to increase the number of hits and generally do not deliver what they promise, so they may not be considered a good strategy.
Why is it not a good strategy?
In the short term, the clickbait may seem like an interesting technique for increasing traffic - number of hits on the site. In addition, if the page has ads, profitability can also grow in the first instance. However, by deceiving the reader by promising what they do not deliver, in the medium and long term, the site loses recognition and credibility.
This means that if the purpose of a website is to become a reference and gain credibility among its readers, the clickbait it can be a risky strategy.
Imagine you are browsing the internet and find the title of an article that promises immediate solutions for weight loss. You click on the link and realize that the content is just “more of the same”, meaning it doesn't deliver the miracle solutions as promised.
In addition to leaving this page as soon as you find you have been cheated, you will likely not access any more content from that site, nor will you even share any of that content with your friends.
Other example of technique of clickbait they are the sweepstakes: pages that offer prizes or even cash values for those who click on the link. These pages are usually just bait and often point to a page that doesn't match the call.
Clickbait is a technique penalized on the internet
Because it is, in most cases, a lying content, the clickbait is penalized by both Google and Facebook. This means that when the algorithms of these tools realize that content promises responses that it doesn't deliver, the page will be poorly rated or even blocked.
Examples of phrases used in clickbait:
- You can't miss reading!
- Your life will not be the same after this information!
- You won't believe what we found!
- Read it right now and change your life!
Alternatives to the clickbait
For companies that invest in content marketing, increasing the number of hits on your page or blog is one of the main goals. However, betting on an immediate strategy can compromise the entire sustainability of the brand. After all, considering the speed of information circulation on the internet, in a short time, a company's reputation can be harmed.
The recommendation of experts for companies that want to invest in this type of marketing is to produce quality content that delivers to customers what was promised. The results will not be immediate, but if a company wants to be recognized in the market, immediate strategies can be illusory and compromise brand perception.
See also the meaning of digital marketing and viral marketing.
