The Uncomfortable Truth About Online Engagement
As a writer, I’ve always strived to be taken seriously in the digital realm. However, a harsh reality check from an unlikely source – my youngest son, an independent marketing expert – has forced me to confront the unsavory truth about online engagement.
The Power of Provocation
According to my son’s analysis, my blog posts perform significantly better when accompanied by attention-grabbing thumbnails featuring suggestive content. It’s a difficult pill to swallow, especially for someone who values intellectual credibility over clicks. The comparison to sugary breakfast cereals is apt – both exploit human weaknesses to drive sales.
The Primal Pull of Thumbnails
Take this very blog post, for example. Would you have stopped scrolling if the thumbnail was a bland, black-and-white image? Probably not. My son believes that our primal instincts drive us to seek out stimulating visuals, and bloggers often cater to this demand to boost pageviews.
The Pageview Imperative
In the cutthroat world of blogging, pageviews are the lifeblood of success. Without them, the lights go out. Some bloggers resort to clickbait tactics, sacrificing substance for sensationalism. While it’s a questionable approach, it often yields impressive results.
Embracing the Uncomfortable Truth
So, what’s a blogger to do? Accept that provocative thumbnails are a necessary evil in the pursuit of online relevance? Perhaps. After all, as the saying goes, “You’re only as good as your pageviews say you are.” If that means embracing a more risqué approach, then so be it. VINDOG: Purveyor of Provocation – it has a certain ring to it, doesn’t it?
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