Clickbait works, but most of the time, it’s a recipe for disaster. People fall for tantalising headlines, only to get disappointed with the subsequent page because it features little content and more links.
Facebook declared war against clickbait two years ago, and the battle continues today as they consistently update their algorithms. Here’s what you need to know about it:
What type of content should you avoid posting?
Facebook is taking steps to curtail spammy posts. They reviewed and categorised a myriad of posts to inform a machine learning model, which can identify various kinds of spammy content. Facebook spam includes individual stories, pages and web domains that constantly share links with clickbait headlines.
If you’re managing your own page, you need to reassess your strategy to make sure your posts and ads are meeting Facebook’s standards. Below are the types of posts you should avoid:
Ads with a sensationalised message
Ads that use exaggerated headlines and direct to landing pages that don’t meet those expectations can be flagged for low-quality content. “Earn one million dollars in one day!” and “This will blow your mind!” are some examples that deliver false promises to the reader. Unless the following landing page aligns to the headline’s claims, Facebook will either disapprove or reduce the distribution of this kind of ad in their auction.
Engagement bait
Chances are, you’ve encountered posts that entice you into interacting with likes, shares, and comments. Known as engagement bait, this actually does more than cluttering your news feed with irrelevant content. It aims to exploit Facebook’s algorithm by increasing engagement to artificially expand reach.
Although Facebook engagement bait posts like vote, react, and share baiting aren’t banned at all, they are being demoted the news feed because they urge people to use reactions that don’t reflect their real feelings.
Ads that withhold information
Sharing links is an excellent way to engage your audience. But if you use Facebook clickbait headlines that withhold information in attempts to lure clicks, like “You won’t believe what this guy does after his set…”, Facebook will decrease the post distribution for your page. That said, always use links with accurate and straightforward headlines and use your personal voice to encourage conversations.
Quality content wins
Facebook is all about authenticity. They want to foster authentic and meaningful engagements by helping people see more of the stories they care about. That’s why they created restrictions for publishing ads in the platform. If you have multiple ads flagged for low-quality content, it’s likely that all your campaigns will be penalised.
The bottom line – don’t over promise and under deliver. Keep your headlines clear and truthful. This is key to successful Facebook ads.
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