Call-to-Action: A Form of Engagement Bait Or Not?
Just like this: “Click to read more!”…
Call-to-action posts have become a gray area regarding Facebook’s engagement bait policies. Some types of CTAs clearly cross the line into baiting territory.
However, not all CTAs have ulterior motives of artificially inflating irrelevant engagement.
Latest Facts on CTAs: Engagement Bait or Not?
AdvertiseMint explains that call-to-actions (CTAs) are different from engagement bait, which is not favored by Facebook’s algorithm. A CTA is a key part of websites, social media, or ads, aiming to grab viewers’ attention. It could, for instance, encourage people to subscribe to a newsletter.
On the other hand, engagement bait is a post that seeks likes, shares, or comments for reasons not related to a specific action, like fundraising or petitions. Hootsuite states that Facebook labels requests for likes and shares as engagement bait.
In this post, we’ll analyze the nuances between authentic CTAs that provide value versus manipulative CTAs intended as engagement bait. You’ll learn effective strategies to incorporate ethical calls-to-action without triggering engagement bait penalties.
What Constitutes a Call-to-Action?
A call-to-action (CTA) encourages viewers of a post to take a specific action. Some examples of common CTAs:
- Click a link
- Visit a website
- Sign up for a service
- Purchase a product
- Attend an event
- Share user-generated content
- Vote in a poll
- Enter a contest
- Provide feedback
CTAs come in many forms beyond just text. Buttons, images, and videos can also prompt users to take action. when used appropriately, CTAs allow brands to drive conversions, traffic, leads, and organic sharing.
However, problems arise when CTAs exist solely to bait engagement without offering real underlying value. So how can you incorporate ethical CTAs while avoiding engagement bait penalties?
CTAs: Value vs Manipulation
Not all CTAs are created equal. Some provide genuine value, while others try to artificially manufacture engagement.
Consider these examples:
Authentic CTA: “Click the link in our bio to sign up for our 30-day yoga challenge and get your fitness journey started!”
Bait CTA: “Click like and tag 3 friends below to enter our giveaway!”
In the first example, the CTA delivers value by allowing interested users to register for a fitness program. It stands independently even without engagement.
But the second CTA only exists as a formulaic engagement bait tactic to boost reactions, comments, reach, etc. It lacks substance.
So when evaluating potential CTAs, scrutinize whether you’re providing value or relying on manipulation. If your CTA helps users meaningfully, it has a valid purpose beyond baiting metrics.
Avoiding Engagement Bait: A Case Study
This is where too many content creators will be confused. Do we ask for engagement in CTAs? Like asking viewers to follow us, to share our content, to like our posts, or to incentivize shares? Are we going to include CTAs in the end for a better engagement?
I know CTAs are so important for the viewers to know what to do after they watch your Reels. Of course, this will increase the INITIAL ENGAGEMENT.
However, in monetized content, this strategy will actually decrease your organic reach once the initial engagement (through CTAs) is consumed. The AI of Meta will not suggest your content for a long period.
I have experimented with a year of content comparing the organic reach and engagement of Facebook Reels with or without CTAs. Those Reels with CTAs gained only 50k-100k views and lasted for a month in the suggested feed; while those content without CTAs garnered 200k-800k (and even 1M+) views and lasted for 4–6 months. I can still see notifications that my non-followers are engaging with the Reels I posted 4–6 months ago.
Facebook is now demoting posts, profiles, and pages with baiting CTAs. With the experiment I did. I also crafted the proper technique to include CTAs in “monetized” content in my e-book.
It is true that if you include CTAs in the end, your engagement will increase. That is only the initial engagement. You will see a spike in your views. But once this engagement is consumed, your reach will start to decrease.
What Facebook is asking is organic engagement because if viewers resonate with your content they will like it, comment on it, and share it even without asking them to.
Best Practices for Crafting Quality CTAs
Here are some tips for incorporating authentic, high-value CTAs into your Facebook posts:
1. Ensure Relevance
CTAs should directly relate to the accompanying content. For example, a post about meal prep should link to related products or recipes, not an unrelated free tee giveaway.
2. Explain Context
Don’t just tell people to click, share, or enter. Explain why taking the action benefits them and moves them closer to their goals.
3. Use Natural Language
Avoid demanding-sounding language like “Click now!” or “Share this post!”. Frame CTAs conversationally using words like “Learn more”, “Join us!” and so on.
This tactic is also used in a good SEO for a website. The CTAs like “Learn more” “Buy this”, “Explore now” or“Join us!” don’t favor a good SEO.
4. Avoid Overkill
One strong CTA per post is sufficient. Flooding posts with excessive calls to action come across as desperate or baiting.
5. Vary Types
Mix up linkouts, downloads, sign-ups, UGC prompts, interactive content, etc. to keep CTAs fresh.
6. Track Conversions
If your CTAs aim to drive conversions, install tracking pixels to see which posts and CTAs perform best.
Examples of Quality CTAs vs Baiting CTAs
Let’s analyze some examples of high-quality CTAs versus manipulative CTAs more likely to get flagged as engagement bait:
Authentic CTA:
“Enjoying our productivity tips? Click the link below to get our free guide with 10 habits for staying focused!”
This CTA delivers value by offering a relevant free resource to followers interested in productivity. It explains the context so users understand why they should click.
Baiting CTA:
“Want to win a free laptop? Just like this post and tag 5 friends in the comments for your chance to enter!”
This CTA’s sole purpose is to inflate engagement and reach by baiting reactions, tags, and comments. It does not enrich users or offer meaningful value.
Authentic CTA:
“Have a recipe hack to share? Post a short video of your kitchen trick and tag us so we can repost it!”
This prompts user-generated content that followers enjoy creating and viewing. The CTA explains why to create and tag video recipes.
Baiting CTA:
“Tag someone who would LOVE this cake below! Let’s get this post to 1,000 comments!”
Asking viewers to tag others without reason is a common bait tactic. Explicitly requesting 1,000 comments also demonstrates manipulative intent.
Authentic CTA:
“Join us for a live picnic performance this Friday at 12pm PST on Instagram Live! Hit the link in the bio to RSVP.”
This CTA promotes an event that followers derive inherent value from attending. It explains why to click by detailing the date, time, and RSVP purpose.
Baiting CTA:
“How many likes can this adorable puppy pic get? Smash that like button now and keep the love flowing!”
Requesting likes without offering any value in exchange is a hallmark of engagement bait posts.
Final Tips for Ethical CTAs
To wrap up, here are some final tips to ensure your CTAs drive authentic engagement without veering into baiting territory:
- Consider value over engagement
- Make CTAs secondary to content
- Avoid demanding/spammy language
- Explain the purpose and benefit
- Track CTA performance
- Find the right frequency and placement
With Facebook’s algorithm highly tuned to demote baiting, creators need to be very thoughtful about how CTAs get incorporated into their overall strategy.
Final Thoughts
At face value, distinguishing engagement baiting from authentic CTAs can seem ambiguous. However, analyzing underlying motivations and value delivery provides clarity.
Ethical CTAs aim to actually help users by filling their needs and interests. In contrast, baiting CTAs exploit engagement for visibility gains under the guise of valueless actions.
Avoid anything that exists purely to boost vanity metrics. But relevant, explained CTAs that enrich your audience have an appropriate place on Facebook. As long as you keep the focus on your followers, not just juice for the algorithm.
However, if you are not sure. Just do not include CTAs in a monetized page or profile. If you don’t have a plan for monetization or you are interested only in engagement for your offerings or products, you can include authentic CTAs.
Read this: How to Avoid Engagement Bait on Facebook: Rising Creator’s Guide
FAQs
What makes a CTA engagement bait versus authentic?
If a CTA’s sole purpose is driving reactions, comments, shares, etc. without offering meaningful value to users, it qualifies as engagement bait. But CTAs that provide relevant utility and context avoid baiting.
Can you use CTAs in organic posts?
Absolutely. CTAs aren’t inherently bad if crafted thoughtfully. The distinction is between optimizing to artificially inflate engagement vs optimizing to authentically help users.
What CTA frequency is most effective?
While no universal best practice exists, having 1 relevant CTA per post is typically sufficient. Avoid oversaturating posts with excessive calls to action.
How do you make CTAs sound natural versus demanding?
Use casual language like “Learn more [on specific topic],” “Find out why [on particular reason],” “Get the guide [and explain the benefits that give value]” etc. Avoid aggressive commands like “Click now!”, “Follow for more” or “Share this post!”.
Should you A/B test different CTAs?
Yes, using split tests to compare CTA language, placement, and formats is recommended to see what resonates most with your audience.
