Hey Smart Marketers!
A couple of days ago, I saw a sponsored post in my LinkedIn feed… It was promoting an eBook about a very interesting subject.
Just to put some context, I’m fitting the brand’s ICP and already knew what they were doing and their products.
So, I clicked…
Agreed to give my email… and got a copy of the eBook…
Here’s the harsh truth: the ebook provided ZERO value. It consisted in 5-6 slides with links to public content on the brand’s Blog.
How do you think the upcoming cold email “will find me”?
I get it though…
Business is tough these days and Marketing is under a lot of pressure to get more “leads”.
But for an immediate click, let’s have a look at long-term losses:
Trust issues
Clickbaits, by their very nature, mislead users about the content they will find.
When users click on a promising headline only to discover that the content doesn’t deliver what was promised, it results in a sense of disappointment and frustration. Over time, this repeated experience can erode trust in the brand.
Users may become skeptical of every content and begin to doubt the authenticity of marketing messages. As trust diminishes, so does the likelihood of building lasting relationships with your audience.
Damaged Reputation
The long-term cost of using clickbaits is the damage they can inflict on a brand’s reputation.
When users feel deceived or tricked, they are likely to share their negative experiences with others. Negative word-of-mouth and online reviews can quickly tarnish the brand’s image.
Repairing a damaged reputation can be a lengthy and resource-intensive process, often requiring substantial time and effort to win back the trust of an audience.
Decreased Engagement
While clickbaits might initially boost CTR, they often result in high bounce rates and lower engagement with marketing content.
When users quickly leave the website or disregard emails because of misleading clickbait, it can have a significant negative impact on the overall site and email engagement metrics.
Over time, this can result in lower SEO rankings, reduced email deliverability, and fewer users actively engaging with your content.
If you genuinely want to build long-term relationships, you can still craft attention-grabbing content but with Integrity:
- Be transparent about what your content offers. Craft headlines and teasers that accurately represent the value your content provides.
- Deliver Real Value. Ensure that your content genuinely benefits your audience. High-quality, informative content is more likely to keep users engaged and returning for more.
Using clickbaits to get clicks might provide short-term gains, but the long-term costs in terms of trust and reputation can be substantial.
Instead of resorting to sensational tactics, focus on ethical marketing practices that create lasting, positive relationships with your audience.
See you next week!
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