What is clickbait and how to use it correctly?

It is likely that you have seen the headline of a post that has caught your attention, to the point of convincing you to click on it. This is due to clickbait , which works like a hook to get clicks.

It’s a great system for attracting users, but if the content doesn’t match the enticing headline, it can backfire on you. Hence, they sometimes refer to this concept disparagingly.

However, if you give what you promise and do not fall into the easy system that is based on exaggeration and sensationalism, it can give you great joy and make your metrics rise like foam.

Do you want to know how to use it well? So let’s start at the beginning.

What is clickbait?

Clickbait is a marketing technique that seeks to achieve the highest number of clicks through certain actions, taking advantage of people’s innate curiosity.

For example, using a persuasive copy , a surprising image, an original news… Any element that makes you click and enter.

Also called click bait or cyber hook.

Its purpose is to attract the largest number of visitors to a web page, because a higher CTR (Click Through Rate) improves metrics such as the volume of visits.

I recommend this system whenever you have an ad campaign running, or if you need your posts to be seen, and reinforce your SEO positioning .

Clickbait can be your ally to get direct clicks.

How does clickbait work?

You read “The series on Netflix that is all the rage and has already surpassed Bridgerton” and you click.

What key has been activated in your brain? Curiosity, which is an infallible lever for neuromarketing .

And that is what clickbait takes advantage of.

The operation of the system is simple: you present a title or photo that arouses curiosity, but to know more you have to click on the link.

It is about generating hype in the audience , that is why clickbait has a lot of psychology.

Its bad reputation comes from the fact that the headlines are often sensational, misleading or lead directly to a fake news , so this great marketing technique can be tarnished if you do not use it correctly.

It’s as simple as responding with content that lives up to what the headline or photo promises. Honest marketing, nothing more.

If you only look for easy clicks, you will be discovered quickly and your reputation will plummet, hurting your conversion rate and increasing your bounce rate.

Result?

Dissatisfied users, disgruntled Google.

Advantages and disadvantages of clickbait

In the clickbait technique you walk a fine line between curiosity and exaggeration, so you can achieve both great benefits and have a slip:

Advantages of clickbait

Using the cyber hook correctly, you will get many benefits very quickly, since the system facilitates direct clicks:

» More traffic for your website

The increase in clicks (CTR) increases the volume of users who come to your website, know it and can stay as a loyal audience.

» Better organic positioning for your website

By generating more traffic, it improves your web positioning and helps you rank higher in search engines.

» In ads it increases the conversion rate

The more clicks, the more chances there are to make sales. And clickbait increases the conversion rate compared to an ad without a hook.

» It is shared on social networks

If the headline and content are attractive, the post or ad can go viral and be shared on social networks, amplifying your brand.

Disadvantages of click bait

The vast majority of the disadvantages of this technique have to do with its misuse, so it is up to you to avoid them:

» The public that enters is not faithful

If you only work with curiosity and do not provide quality, you do not get regular users or subscribers. You will be a slave to continually generating attractive titles to get punctual and volatile audiences with them.

» The reader spends little time on your website

Users who have only entered to find an answer to the question posed by the header, will scroll to find the solution and leave quickly.

If you are looking to move up search engine positions, this can be counterproductive, if they interpret that the content is not useful, they will leave your page and Google will take good note of it.

» It can affect your brand reputation

Especially if the headline or the image that you show the reader as a hook does not correspond to the content, it does not respond or you use morbid headlines. Remember that your online reputation is at stake.

» Search engines and social networks can penalize you

It is rumored that Google is going after these practices. So if you walk the fine line of sensationalism, it can hurt your ranking.

How to use the clickbait technique in your favor and without bad practices? + Examples

If you’ve come this far and you think click bait fits what you need, I’m going to give you a few references so you can develop it effectively and positively.

Before considering each point, analyze your buyer persona and decide what type of content may be interesting for them. That is the goal, good content that keeps it on your social network or website.

To entice them to it, lure in clicks with a headline that piques their curiosity. So take note of these activation techniques to use in your copy:

1. Create suspense around the content

The human brain likes a good mystery and wants to solve it. If it also makes you rethink a knowledge on which it is based, much better. Therefore, seeing a phrase that contradicts your logic prompts you to click.

” An example?

“Do you know where in Asturias the sea, the river and the mountains come together?”

The title tells you that there is a place where three physical characteristics that do not usually coincide come together, which encourages you to enter. The main photo of the article also gets you to keep reading.

2. Encourage lists

Another thing that draws our attention is the numbered lists. Everything that has numbers (if possible, odd) is simple and organized for our brain, and you will want to go see it.

” An example?

«7 things to consider when choosing a folding bike and 4 interesting models»

Drum roll in this title that adds not one, but two lists in the same headline. It is impossible for curious neurons to stay still.

3. Call to action

Headlines with imperative verbs prompt the reader to take some action. It is as if they activated a switch from the outside that is directly connected to your finger. Here the limit is not to be aggressive.

” An example?

“Discover the favorite destinations to travel during the summer.”

The initial verb opens a door that invites you to enter the post, while acting as a subtle order that the brain receives.

4. Strike a chord

We have already talked on more occasions that the brain acts more by emotions than by logic, so creating a headline that connects with the reader’s feelings helps clickbait.

In particular, we are motivated by everything that has to do with animals or children.

” An example?

“The mourning of dogs and cats for the loss of a companion.”

Pet-related issues are always of interest, and in this case it also touches on a situation that is even more touching.

4. Ask a lot

When you ask a question, you include the user immediately and also arouse their curiosity. It is a great claim for the click.

” An example?

«Are you self-employed with a local or working from home? Beware of fines if you do not carry out your paperwork well.”

The initial question already selects the audience that may be interested in the content, and the tagline threatening a sanction puts the finishing touch to the topic. Not going to be that…

5. Don’t roll up

The shorter and more direct the headline, the sooner the user digests it and discovers the theme of your article.

You already know that the brain does not like to waste energy. Don’t be sparse, but don’t write more than 85 characters either.

” An example?

“How to recognize good empanadas.”

Food is another topic with a lot of appeal and recipe blogs are among the most widely read.

With this simple title, El comidista teaches how to distinguish quality empanadas from those that are not.

6. Provide solutions

If you know your buyer and their problems, you have already found content. Now focus on giving solutions to their concerns and reflect it in the title. Then give good advice in the post, which should be in line with the headline.

” An example?

“Managing a team: 7 keys to doing it efficiently”

This post focuses on solving a planning problem, which is the theme of the web.

The title reflects this in a simple way, and includes a list as reinforcement.

conclusion

Clickbait is a hook to get clicks, increasing your website traffic or the conversion rate of your campaigns.

In this marketing technique, good copywriting can tip the scales in your favor, while falling into sensationalism leads you to ruin not only your metrics , but also your brand reputation.

So use judicious titles to get the click, and then give users good content to get them to stay a while and come back another day.