Clickbait is a way of creating video titles or thumbnails that promise lots of excitement, gossip and shocking news. These expectations are almost never met, though, and sometimes, clickbait purposely implies something that is not actually true.
Clickbait can increase the number of clicks a video gets on YouTube, but this growth is not authentic, therefore, it will likely not last.
This is not to say that creative titles and thumbnails are out, but just that sensational and misleading ones should be avoided.
Audience Trust
The foundation of a great YouTube video is trust. Whether your audience trusts you to provide them with funny entertainment or with scientific information, people need to know that what they click on is what they get.
In other words, people expect to see content that aligns with the title of the video they click on. Clickbait titles, however, disrupt this trust or prevent it from forming to begin with.
When a video promises one thing and delivers another, viewers' reaction will likely be disappointment, annoyance, frustration, or they might even feel deceived. When a video doesn't meet expectations, people simply click away because the video’s actual content is not what they planned to watch.
Repeated clickbait can completely break down your audience's trust in your channel and any credibility your YouTube channel had. Viewers might even leave negative comments or dislike your videos, signalling to potential new subscribers that your channel is not worth their time.
Instead of using clickbait to generate a short-term spike in views, you should rather work on building a strong relationship with your audience and instil a sense of trust in your content. While this is not necessarily a quick fix, it will increase the longevity of your channel and make for a more stable YouTube career.
How the YouTube Algorithm Works
If you're still not convinced, consider the fact that the YouTube algorithm can't be fooled very easily. YouTube is an organisation that aims to generate profit, and it cannot achieve that if its users are unhappy with their experience on the platform.
The YouTube algorithm is designed to ensure a positive user experience, and therefore promotes content that has longer viewing time and low bounce rates.
When viewers click on a clickbait video, they usually realise quite quickly that it is not what they expected. They leave the video early, increasing the video’s bounce rate. A high bounce rate signals to the YouTube algorithm that the video is not providing particularly valuable content, causing the algorithm to recommend it to fewer people.
Watch time — or how long people watch your videos — is also an important metric that impacts your YouTube videos' performance. The more watch time your video accumulates, the more likely YouTube is to recommend it to others.
When people click away from your videos early, it negatively impacts your overall watch time, which once again causes YouTube to recommend your videos to fewer people.
Lastly, YouTube itself claims that its algorithm "doesn't pay attention to videos, it pays attention to viewers." This emphasises that your content does not matter as much as the way people react to your content. This includes dislikes, negative comments and low engagement.
Clickbait may seem like a shortcut that will give your YouTube channel a bit of a push in the right direction, but its results are not as idyllic as it seems. Instead of trying to trick people into watching your videos, focus on creating quality content that delivers on its promises. This will help you build a loyal audience, increase engagement and ensure steady long-term growth.
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For more YouTube best practices, read The Best Way to Title YouTube Videos.
*Image courtesy of Canva