How To Write A Compelling Title Without Creating Clickbait

What Is Clickbait?

Clickbait, essentially, are titles created to manipulate people into clicking a link. How do they accomplish this? By making people feel like it is absolutely necessary to read the article.

You’re probably thinking: “Isn’t that the goal of every title?”

To that we say… you’re almost right. But there’s a difference between a compelling title and clickbait, the most important being that clickbait resorts to manipulation. And manipulating your audience brings a lot of negative consequences (more on that below).

So to avoid creating clickbait and facing these consequences, you first have to know what clickbait looks like. Here are its 3 characteristics:

1. Not Giving Enough InformationClickbait will give just enough information to peak interest - without actually sharing what the article is about.Ex: “You’ll never believe what new tricks bloggers are using for their articles! Click here to discover the secret.”These sort of titles lead people to draw their own conclusions about what the article will be about. Bloggers will think, “New trick? What do other bloggers know that I don’t?”; while people who read blogs will think, “Wait - are bloggers tricking us? Is this something readers should know about in order to avoid?”These are two very different conclusions that people will draw, meaning one of them is wrong. And the person who’s wrong will regret clicking.

2. ExaggeratingAn exaggerating title? This is what that looks like: “You’re DESTROYING your brand with these COMMON practices!”Notice two things: 1) the CAPITALIZED words; 2) the dramatic language. Put both of these together and the reader will think that they absolutely have to read the article because, if they don’t, they will have to kiss their business good-bye.Meanwhile, the actual truth is that the reader might not even have to worry because they might not even be using the “common” practices in the first place. That’s the tricky thing about these types of titles - the reader won’t know it’s exaggerating until they click the link.

3. Leaving The Reader In A State Of SuspenseThere are types of clickbait that make readers feel excited yet uncertain about what they’re going to read. This is an example: “Here’s what happens when you write clickbait….”The example leaves people wondering whether there are amazing outcomes to writing clickbait or whether there are terrible consequences. It doesn’t give the reader any indication of what they should expect - in fact, they wouldn’t even know if clickbait would change their personal lives or just their career.And the only way to find out? By clicking the link.

Why You Shouldn't Write Clickbait

If you read the characteristics of clickbait and thought, “well… it works.” Then what we have to say is, “yes, clickbait works - but not for long.” The consequences of writing clickbait by far outweigh any good it might bring your business:

1. It’s Annoying - most people can agree on this. Clickbait is one of the most annoying things to spot when you’re using search engines, so you don’t want to build a reputation as the business who contributes to that.

2. Readers Won’t Trust You - everyone’s time is precious, which is why people need to know what your content is about before clicking it and wasting that precious time, thinking that the article will provide them with something. When you write informative titles, you gain trust by showing that you value your readers’ time. Remember that trust is essential for engagement.

3. Your Content Will Disappoint - clickbait titles are so interesting and so exciting, so much so that you’re basically raising reader expectation just to disappoint. It’s hard to compete with people’s imaginations because they’re hoping that you can solve all of their problems - which, very rarely, you can.

4. They Won’t Lead To Sales - sales are your main goal, and clickbait won’t lead to that. Why? Because many of the people you attract with clickbait aren’t your target audience, meaning they’re not interested in your products/services.

5. An Increasing Bounce Rate - you’ll gain a click, but the person who clicked won’t stay to interact with your page. Meaning: your damaging your SEO.

How To Write A Compelling Title Without Creating Clickbait

1. Share What Readers Gain From ReadingReaders love to learn about things that can make their lives easier. Whether it makes a process simpler, saves them time, helps them solve a difficult problem, provides them with more information, or something else. If they can gain something - they’re interested.Ex: "How To Grow Your Business Using Instagram."

2. Be Very ClearThe Internet is full of information. Using a search engine leads to thousands of articles popping up - which can feel overwhelming. This leads to people skimming by titles that cause readers to use any brain power. Therefore, be upfront with what the article is about and avoid vague phrases (no matter how cool they can sound).Ex: "Editor Tools That Create Eye-Catching Images."

3. Ask QuestionsYour question should be something they're already asking (we highly recommend doing research on your target audience so you can know their habits, their behaviors, and their desires).Ex: "Why Should Every Small Business Have Social Media?"

4. Use NumbersNumbers draw the eye and attract the reader. Why is this a thing? Well, it’s human nature. Our entire lives are run by numbers: we have cell phone numbers, social security numbers, watches that tell time, calendars that tell dates, and classes focused entirely on math. Numbers make us feel organized, they let us know what to expect, and - sometimes - can even indicate that writers have done their research. Think of it this way: would you be more satisfied if someone said, “You’ll have a vacation some time,” or if they said, “Your vacation is in 6 weeks?”Ex: "5 Quick Tips to Improve Your SEO"

5. Acknowledge A Problem Your Readers HaveIf people are using a search engine, then it's very likely that there is a problem they're trying to find a solution to. When you acknowledge the problem in your title, those people are going to feel like you understand their issue and will know how to solve it. Ex: "Reasons Why Your Engagement Might Suddenly Drop."

Final Thoughts

We hope this article has been helpful to everyone who wants to increase their link click rates, but don't know how. If you need any more guidance, feel free to schedule an appointment with Owner Jamie. He can answer all the questions you have about social media, guide you through difficulties you might be having, and more. Click the button below to begin.