We’ve all seen the titles “Ten reasons why … you won’t believe number five!” and some of us may have been tempted to click on the link to find out what number five is, only to be terribly disappointed.
Yes, click bait titles get people to your webpage, but they are unlikely to stay, and when they do leave, they are likely to be so irritated that they won’t come back or recommend you to anyone else.
So why would you do it?
Website Traffic
Of course, you want lots of people to come to your website and, if a catchy heading brings them, surely that’s good, right?
No, because you only want the right people to come to your website – those who are likely to stay and become clients.
Click bait titles rarely deliver what they promise, meaning you are essentially bringing people to your site under false pretenses. It’s far better to use headings that are either good for SEO or tell the reader what they are going to get – like the title of this blog.
That way, people who are coming to your site are there because they are interested in what you have to say on the subject and may stay and look around.
The dark side of click bait
Click bait titles will get your business and your brand a bad name. Not only because your potential clients are left annoyed, but also because of the associations with many click bait sites.
Many make money through advertising, so the longer you are on the site the better, as you will see more ads. But some of those ads are also ‘loaded’ with adware. This is a form of malware which tracks online behaviour. For some of them you don’t need to even click on the image, being on the page is enough for them to start tracking you.
Even if this isn’t what is happening on your site, the click bait titles could associate your brand with this practice in people’s minds.
Treat your prospects well
Always treat your prospects with respect and they will soon become clients, and that means having good information on your site, which is to the point and offers value.
Many things in life are about quality not quantity and that couldn’t be more true than when it comes to prospects, so nurture the ones you have.
Priddey Marketing is all about quality and nurturing the best prospects for your business. If you need help with this, we would love to help you on the journey. Just book a 15 minute chat directly with Su on her Calendly link or email info@priddeymarketing.co.uk