'Clickbait' vs authentic content - why quality PR is important in achieving business objectives

These days, it seems no publication is immune to the clickbait virus. Nearly every article you turn to has a sensationalised headline like “what this mother did will SHOCK you” or “nine people you won’t believe actually exist”, which almost guarantees you head to their website. 

Readers are savvy and can detect a clickbait headline from a mile away, so why do writers opt for this approach? Even though readers recognise it is clickbait, they are still drawn to the article as it reels them in, hook, line and sinker … I promise I will refrain from any further fishy puns. The problem with this is it can often disappoint the reader by overselling or overpromising, leading to a poor return on investment.

So why should you create authentic content rather than rely on clickbait? Here are a few reasons why we recommend focusing on building genuine connections with quality content over just a quick sell.

Clicks vs engagement

Clickbait is fantastic for bringing in viewers, however the audience may not be relevant. You can often see this with digital advertising, where random ads pop up. While based on your search history, they can sometimes miss the mark (how dare they assume I’m single and looking for love). There’s no point getting a 21-year-old male reading a story about a revolutionary product to aid menopause (a bit awkward!). Clickbait preys on people’s curiosity and quick visibility, while sacrificing meaningful results. If your ultimate objective is to drive sales enquiries or bums on seats, authentic content targets the right audience and showcases what you have to offer. If you can’t resist a good baiting headline, make sure you back it up with relevant content for the audience.

Don’t oversell or rely on sensationalism

Clickbait has a tendency to oversell the story. You go in expecting to read something truly groundbreaking and amazing, whereas it’s very often far from it. While overselling garners interest, it can end up upsetting people and delivering a negative reaction, which could lead to backlash online. There is nothing worse than clicking on an article to search through 10 pages and be disappointed by the lack of substance. Find a way to communicate your story in an effective way that allows people to be genuinely invested in your company. This can be achieved by utilising the three E’s - education, emotion and evolution.

Transparency

Clickbait headlines, like the apparent storyline on ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’, are often vague and indirect, leaving room for the content creator to embellish the storyline in exchange for more views. By adding more information to the heading (without it being a novel of course), you can tell the audience exactly what they’re about to read. This provides more transparency and believability, which is a fantastic way to build connections with your audience by giving them exactly what they’re looking for. Eventually, the truth will out so companies providing authentic content will succeed in the long run. As they say, slow and steady wins the race.

While there are benefits to an effective clickbait approach, the dangers can often outweigh the benefits. To create effective storytelling and authentic connections with your audience, contact Elevate today on 07 3180 3666 or info@elevatecom.com.au.