Why You Should Avoid Clickbait & Sensationalism In Your Digital Marketing Campaigns.

It’s a general knowledge that attention is the ultimate currency in Digital Marketing. Hence, clickbait and sensationalism have become ubiquitous tools used to grab eyeballs and drive engagement. While these tactics may yield short-term gains, they often come at the cost of credibility, trust, and long-term success.

What is Clickbait?

Clickbait is the art of crafting headlines to attract clicks, often relies on sensationalized language or misleading promises. It preys on curiosity, exploiting the human desire for instant gratification and novelty.

Clickbait is most times designed to deceive, when users feel deceived or disappointed by the content they encounter, it erodes trust in the brand or publisher behind the clickbait. Bloggers are major culprits, as they have seemingly nothing to lose, it’s a different story for brands as it puts the brand reputation at stake.

I know you must have clicked on a link based on the headline, only to get to the landing page and feel the regret of a lifetime, highly disappointed.

For example, “Here is how to make $1m in 24hrs!” Yet the content on the landing pages only has basic and known steps to making money without any possibility of making $1m dollars in 24hrs. The publisher only succeeded in driving traffic but lost the trust of the user.

What is Sensationalism?

Sensationalism takes clickbait a step further by exaggerating or distorting facts to provoke an emotional response. Whether it’s fear, outrage, or awe, sensationalized content aims to evoke strong reactions to drive engagement and sharing. While sensational headlines may initially drive traffic, they can damage a brand’s reputation if the content fails to deliver substance or accuracy.

Talk about choosing a short cut to success, only to experience the dooms day of not building a solid foundation. My point is the immediate traffic or views or visit to a landing page from sensationalism and clickbait is nothing compared to the negative impact on the bottom line when the actual content does not meet up to exaggerated promise of the headline.

Mailchimp even puts it better in this article: "Most clickbait articles underdeliver, so if you're using clickbait headlines and are getting a lot of clicks to your site but low engagement rates, it means you're losing out on valuable opportunities to convert visitors into customers."

The rise of social media and content aggregation platforms has also increased the prevalence of clickbait and sensationalism. With millions of pieces of content vying for attention every day, digital marketers are under immense pressure to stand out in crowded feeds. In this environment, the temptation to resort to sensational tactics can be strong, as brands compete for fleeting moments of user attention.

The consequences of clickbait and sensationalism extend beyond mere metrics like clicks and shares. They contribute to the proliferation of misinformation and fake news, as sensational headlines are often detached from reality. In an era where trust in media and institutions is already fragile, the spread of sensationalized content further erodes public trust and undermines the credibility of legitimate sources.

Clickbait and sensationalism can have psychological effects on audiences. Constant exposure to sensationalized content can desensitize individuals, making them more susceptible to manipulation and less discerning about the information they consume. Over time, this can contribute to a distrustful society, where truth becomes subjective and objective facts are dismissed as “fake news.”

Most of us have that friend, mom, uncle or aunty who never stops forwarding links to those sensational headlines which mostly are fake news on WhatsApp DMs, some even post on their stories or statuses, many undecerning people fall for these clickbaits and even go a step ahead to sharing them to others. This is bad for our society.

In dealing with these challenges, digital marketers must prioritize authenticity, transparency, and value creation over short-term gains. Instead of resorting to clickbait and sensationalism, brands should focus on building meaningful connections with their audience through genuine storytelling, useful content, and ethical marketing practices.

Platforms and regulators have a role to play in combating clickbait and sensationalism. By implementing algorithms that prioritize quality over quantity, platforms can reduce the visibility of sensationalized content and promote trustworthy sources. Furthermore, regulations and guidelines can set standards for responsible content creation and curb the spread of misinformation online.

Ultimately, the allure of clickbait and sensationalism may be tempting, but the long-term costs outweigh the short-term benefits. By prioritizing integrity and value creation, marketers can build stronger relationships with their audience and contribute to a healthier digital ecosystem where trust and authenticity prevail.

As Digital Marketers, we have a great part to play in making the world a better place by creating genuine and authentic headlines. The ripple effect of clickbait and sensationalism in the society outweighs the short term gains of clicks and website traffic.. Let’s build a healthy society and brands people can trust.