They compel people to engage with them. And they drive traffic.
You just have to know how to “guide” people from the social media “image” to your website.
In this post, we look at 3 ways to “Dangle the Carrot” – 3 ways to tease the click out of someone – be they on Pinterest, Facebook, Google Plus or any social media platform. It's all about providing great content but leaving them wanting more!
Let's face it. All social media platforms are visual. Images are becoming one of the key features of Google+, Facebook, and of course Pinterest and Instagram. Even LinkedIn has become more visual, featuring images on their newsfeed, and Twitter provides great real estate for images and video on a platform that is famous for being about 140 characters.
So why do images work so well?
Firstly, our eye is drawn to the image before all other parts of a post. Sure the description and the title are very important, but what is the first thing you are drawn to? The image.
From the moment we are born we learn visually. It's innately natural for us to be drawn to an image first, just like babies are drawn to simple black and white contrasts and eventually faces. In fact, if we can make sense of the image, we don't even need to take the next step, which is to look to the title and the description to see if we are interested in reading something or “clicking through”. Sometimes we “click” on the basis of the image alone.
Use graphics, photos and words to give your image immediate meaning and make it “clickable”
Click to Tweet and I will sure to give you a virtual high five over on Twitter!
Want to know more about this? Read this awesome post by the Buffer Team.
Why “Dangle the Carrot”?
To Dangle the Carrot is to tempt, motivate, or lure someone into taking action. For example, “the mother used the old carrot on the stick trick to get her son to eat his dinner by promising ice-cream for dessert”. It comes from the theory that mules or donkey's would be lured to move by hanging a carrot on a stick in front of them – just far enough away so it would encourage them to move towards the carrot.
Except in our case, we are actually going to let the donkey get the carrot. Whatever you promise (or hint at), you must deliver! It's ok to tease, but you can't leave them hanging (literally!).
Let's look at some examples – 3 types of images that encourage us to click:
It's winter in Australia. Who wouldn't want to click on this baby
Carrot #1: The “Blog Post” Image
When searching for an example of this one I knew exactly where to look. It was straight to the Styling You blog for me, and true to form, Nikki had provided me with a great example. Famous for her fashion and styling posts, her weekly mouth-watering recipe is also becoming a weekend ritual for many of her readers (including me).
Jump to Facebook and does she give away all of her secrets? Nooooooo. Nikki is a master of the art of the tease. Case in point, this image she posted (on the right). She is also the master of taking great photos but that's for another day. How can you resist clicking on this and heading straight to her website (where she really wants you to be?). I couldn't. I also couldn't resist getting lost in a recipe vortex. Thanks Nikki. If you can't find me later, I will be heading out to get the ingredients for mulled wine, key lime pie and flourless peanut butter chocolate cake (oh please, the only word missing from this is “salted” but we all know that the peanut butter will manage that task).
Note: if you are one of my female readers, head to Nikki's blog. The recipes are a side bonus for the posts packed full of styling, fashion, beauty and lifestyle advice for real women”¦and one of Australia's most popular blogs).
I digress….
But you get my drift? A great image with a simple overlay to give you the extra info you need, is all that it takes (ie this image clicks through to the recipe to make it). Use my favourite tool Picmonkey to create the overlay and BAM – you have the pied piper of images, set to bring everyone over to your blog.
Engagement tip: Ask a question. Note how Nikki also asks what everyone is planning to cook up on the weekend? We love talking about ourselves. Ask Questions!
Carrot #2: The “Extended Mix” Image
You all remember those dodgy infommercials with the “But Wait, there's more” line at the end. Well, no, we are not going to do that.
But we are going to talk about how to do this in a fun, clever and cheeky way. And the basis of this tip is to provide great value on an image and then to provide an option for even MORE great value (ie the “Extended Mix”). There are two steps.
Step 1: Produce an image that is helpful. It can be a short checklist, a super helpful tip, a how-to image (using photos to describe a process) – anything that will “teach” or help someone to solve a problem in your niche. Here is a great example from The Beauty Department. They do some fabulous “how-to” images that are embedded in blog posts. This one was all about creating your own DIY Beach Wave Texture Spray. The image in yellow below was featured on Pinterest, and it lists the basic ingredients of the DIY spray – but leaves you wanting to know more about exactly how to make it:
This pin provides some great tips – but not the full story. The “extended mix” is just one click away!
Sure, I could make something up from this image, but it really is a teaser for the full step-by-step process (which can be found by clicking the image), which is where we findStep 2: embed the image into a blog post that providesfurther, extended information that adds more value to the reader.
The Blog Post includes the complete recipe. Click here to check it out.
Think about how you can create images that will lead people to an “extended mix” of the topic on your website – will it lead to a chapter of your book? Or a new product? Or your new webinar? or an optin for your list?
Carrot #3 – The “Breaking News” Image
You may have read my post about 4 words that help to get more shares on Facebook. Warning:I a going to give youa spoiler here if you haven't read it. The 4 words were “We Love New Stuff”. We love to share “new” content. Just like it is human nature to tell someone some new info or a story or to gossip, it is human nature to want to share “new” content on Facebook. You can read about it here.
But when you couple “new stuff” with “breaking news” you have a double-hit of shareable goodness. Here is an example:
A ‘shareable' image announcing breakable news is…well….shareable!
Just last week, I was grabbing the link to the Facebook Page Guidelines to send to a client. I usually do a quick once-over when I do this to see if anything has changed, and it had – Facebook had removed the rule about having to restrict your Timeline Cover Photo to 20% Text. I quickly checked online and there had been some early posts about it, and I had an old copy of the guidelines so I could see that it had definitely been removed.
So I created a quick” Breaking News” image using a stock photo and posted it online just to let my readers know. The result? I was surprised to see 69 shares, 16 likes and a number of comments on my page as well as the many pages that shared it.
Think about your own industry or niche. Are there opportunities for you to post out about new information, breaking news or red hot tips?
They can be from your own research/business or they can be found by keeping an eye on “bigger” websites or brands that routinely post out about breaking news. There is no harm in re-posting “breaking” content but be sure to credit the source if you find out about it from another source.
All I did was put the information into a “shareable” image that would catch people's eye in the facebook newsfeed. One or two Facebook Pages with big following's reposted the image and the share-juice grew from there.
Tease Tip: If I wanted to, I could have made this more of a “tease” by embedding the actual breaking news into a blog post so that people would be forced to click through. But in this case I was happy with the Facebook Shares.
What have you seen lately that made you want to click? Have you produced any images that have resulted in great engagement? As always, I would love to hear your success stories in the comments below.
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Donna is a Visual Content Strategist and founder of Socially Sorted, listed by Forbes as a "Top 5 Social Media Blog You Need to Know About". Donna helps brands leverage the power of visual storytelling and content strategy in their business. Her content has been featured in publications such as Forbes, Inc. & Entrepreneur and she is a speaker and trainer on visual content for the marketing and tourism industries internationally.
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FAQs
What does dangling a carrot mean? ›
COMMON If you dangle a carrot in front of someone or offer them a carrot, you try to persuade them to do something by offering them a reward. The team have dangled a $17 million carrot in front of the Italian to remain in North America. He is to offer the public a new carrot by reducing petrol prices.
Does carrot on a stick work IRL? ›The carrot would be stood on and the string or the stick snapped. The carrot would then be consumed. It's been tried and does not work.
Are you the stick or the carrot? ›The phrase is a metaphor for the use of reward and punishment in training. It refers to a cart driver holding a carrot in front of their horse to drive it forward, while also holding a stick behind it. Some people might respond well to rewards, others to punishment, and some might find both beneficial.
What does less carrot more stick mean? ›This is a reference to how you can get a donkey/horse to do something for you. In this situation, they are saying that instead of using military force (stick), the president is choosing a softer approach (carrot).
How do you win the dangling carrot? ›The carrot and the stick was a simple method. Reward the behavior you seek by dangling a carrot, with some sort of compensation, in front of the attorney; or punish the undesired behavior, with a figurative stick behind them.
What do you mean by dangling? ›1 : to hang loosely and usually so as to be able to swing freely. 2 : to be a hanger-on or a dependent.
What is the metaphor of the carrot and stick? ›The phrase “carrot and stick” is a metaphor for the use of a combination of reward and punishment to induce a desired behavior. It is based on the idea that a cart driver might activate a reluctant horse by dangling a carrot in front of it and smacking it on the rear with a stick.
What is a carrot and stick situation? ›If an organization has a carrot-and-stick approach or policy, they offer people things in order to persuade them to do something and punish them if they refuse to do it. The government is proclaiming a carrot-and-stick approach to the problem.
Where did dangle a carrot come from? ›The idiom of carrot and stick is based upon the fable of a cart driver who seeks to both induce his mule to move forward by dangling a carrot in front of it as well as force it into moving forward by wielding the stick from behind.
What is a carrot in money? ›Carrot equity is a financial incentive in the form of company shares granted to a manager (or key employees) of a firm who meets specified financial targets or operational goals.
How do you use carrot on a stick in a sentence? ›
The government is proclaiming a carrot-and-stick approach to the problem. But Congress also wants to use a carrot and stick approach to force both sides to negotiate. Using a mixture of carrot and stick, the authorities encouraged obedience from citizens.
How would you use the carrot or stick approach in your classroom? ›When students fail to meet that expectation, there is a perception these students either do not care, they are not trying, or they are not reading and applying the feedback provided. The instructor's response then is to dangle a carrot (incentive) and use the stick to try to change the necessary student behaviors.
What is the carrot approach in leadership? ›A "carrot" approach incentivizes good work with rewards, while a "stick" approach uses punishment to push people towards goals. Both of these approaches have drawbacks. They often don't trigger the true motivator of an individual, but play on their desire (carrot) and fear (stick).
Who created the carrot and stick theory? ›The Carrot and Stick Approach of Motivation is based on the principles of reinforcement and is given by a philosopher Jeremy Bentham, who developed it during the industrial revolution.
Where is carrot and stick made? ›Where are Carrot & Stick products manufactured? In the USA.
How do you win at the casino every time? ›- Find The Best Games. ...
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True, Visible Odds
GTA Online claims its slots have a 98% payout rate. But if you've played the game, you'll know the figure is wildly exaggerated. You could gamble hundreds of times and win nothing.
To always win the car in the GTA 5 casino, make sure that the Lucky Wheel is resting on the clothing wedge that's two spaces to the right of the car wedge. When you spin the wheel, it should land on the car.
What is the synonym of dangle? ›droop. verbhang down; languish. bend.
What is the synonym of dangling? ›hanging, pendent. (or pendant), pendulous, suspended.
What part of speech is dangling? ›
verb (used without object), dan·gled, dan·gling. to hang loosely, especially with a jerking or swaying motion: The rope dangled in the breeze.
What is the carrot and stick approach do you think that it should be minimized in organizations Why? ›The carrot is a reward for moving while the stick is the punishment for not moving and hence making him move forcefully. Thus, an individual is given carrot i.e. reward when he performs efficiently and is jabbed with a stick or is given a punishment in case of non-performance.
Why do punishment and rewards carrots and sticks not work as a means of motivating employees? ›Offering your employees rewards for a job well done is fine, but relying solely on a system of rewards and punishments can be detrimental. This type of motivation is artificial, and short-lived at best. Once the carrot has been gobbled up, you'll be back to square one. As for sticks, fear is a poor motivator.
How markets can provide both carrots and sticks to encourage innovation? ›The carrots of the market are the innovation rents (excess profits) that can be earned by capitalists who early adopters of new technology. This is creative part of creative destruction. The sticks of the market is those capitalists that don't innovate or don't adopt new technology will go bankrupt.
What is another term for the carrot and stick theory of motivation? ›The stick and carrot theory is a well-known approach. Although some people think that this is a theory of motivation, this is actually a theory of compliance.
What is the dream meaning of carrot? ›Dreaming about carrots has meant about your family, but this is also a strange dream because not many people have this experience. Carrots symbolize that you miss people who are close to you, and you want to share special moments with them again. It also represents the habit you must fix.
What does a carrot mean in politics? ›In politics, "carrot or stick" sometimes refers to the realist concept of soft and hard power. The carrot in this context could be the promise of economic or diplomatic aid between nations, while the stick might be the threat of military action.
What does it mean to dangle a carrot in front of a horse? ›To try to entice one with the promise of a reward.
What does calling someone a carrot mean? ›(slang) A redhead; a ginger-haired person.
How do I use all my carrot cash? ›You can redeem Carrot Cash up to the cost of your booking. If the value of your accumulated Carrot Cash is greater than that of your booking, the leftover amount will remain in your Wallet. However, you cannot choose how much of your Carrot Cash to redeem on your booking.
How did I get carrot cash? ›
Carrot Cash can be earned when booking flights, hotels, and car rentals. You may also be able to earn Carrot Cash through other in-app activities (for example, buying loot boxes). Carrot Cash awarded on a booking that is later canceled will be removed from your Hopper Wallet upon the cancellation of the booking.
What is a good sentence for carrot? ›Examples of carrot in a Sentence
She chopped some carrots for the soup. He added some grated carrot to the soup. The company offered a carrot in the form of additional vacation time to workers who met their deadlines.
If you have a change of heart, you change your opinion or the way you feel about something: She was going to sell her house but had a change of heart at the last minute. Changing your mind. 180.
How will you apply the carrot and stick theory in your own organization and in your own life give specific examples? ›Carrot and stick examples
If you offer a reward that nobody desires or a consequence that no one minds, employees will not have a reason to work toward achieving the goals you set. Examples of rewards for staff members include: Taking the employee out for dinner or buying a group lunch.
It may be described as a three-pronged approach of repression-conciliation-suppression. In the first stage, the Extremists were to be repressed mildly, mainly to frighten the Moderates.
What is meant by intrinsic motivation? ›Intrinsic motivation is defined as the doing of an activity for its inherent satisfaction rather than for some separable consequence. When intrinsically motivated, a person is moved to act for the fun or challenge entailed rather than because of external products, pressures, or rewards.
Which leadership style uses carrot and stick? ›Among the many leadership styles available is the carrot and stick leadership style commonly known as the transactional leadership style (Kaleem, 2016).
What works better carrot or stick? ›Whilst using the 'stick' method typically sees workers having to meet specific KPIs (key performance indicators) or risk facing the sack, losing a portion of their bonus or working overtime to deliver what you need, the 'carrot' method instead provides workers with specific rewards.
What does it mean to dangle a carrot? ›COMMON If you dangle a carrot in front of someone or offer them a carrot, you try to persuade them to do something by offering them a reward. The team have dangled a $17 million carrot in front of the Italian to remain in North America. He is to offer the public a new carrot by reducing petrol prices.
What does less carrot more stick mean? ›This is a reference to how you can get a donkey/horse to do something for you. In this situation, they are saying that instead of using military force (stick), the president is choosing a softer approach (carrot).
What is carrot and stick bond? ›
Carrot-and-Stick Bond is a convertible bond with a "carrot and stick" condition. "Carrot" is expressed in a lower than usual premium for conversion into stock. "Stick" is the issuer's right to withdraw an issue with a specified premium if the stock value exceeds a certain percentage of the conversion price.
How do you make carrot sticks? ›How To Cut Carrots Into Sticks For Vegetable Dip Platters - YouTube
Does carrot and stick ship to Canada? ›Your order will ship within 1-2 business days. Please allow several days for delivery. Canada orders are subject to a $15 shipping fee.
Is carrot and stick sold in Canada? ›$79+ complimentary shipping within the U.S and Canada
CARROT & STICK WILL NEVER COMPROMISE YOUR BEAUTY OR YOUR VALUES. This Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Facial Lotion is derived from and formulated... Packed with the antioxidant superpower of three vitamin C derivatives...
To try to entice one with the promise of a reward.
What does it mean to call someone a carrot? ›(slang) A redhead; a ginger-haired person.
What is carrot and stick theory? ›Carrot and stick motivation is a motivational approach that involves offering a “carrot” (a reward—for good behavior) and a “stick” (a negative consequence for poor behavior). It motivates staff by creating actionable goals and desirable rewards for employees who can alter their behavior and performance.
Where did the carrot and stick come from? ›The earliest English-language references to the "carrot and stick" come from authors in the mid-19th century who in turn wrote in reference to a caricature or cartoon of the time that depicted a race between donkey riders, with the losing jockey using the strategy of beating his steed with "blackthorn twigs" to urge it ...
What is the dream meaning of carrot? ›Dreaming about carrots has meant about your family, but this is also a strange dream because not many people have this experience. Carrots symbolize that you miss people who are close to you, and you want to share special moments with them again. It also represents the habit you must fix.
What does 🧠 mean in text? ›Essentially, the use of the brain emoji 🧠 refers to oral sex. Yup. Only the masterful users of our wonderful English language will have been aware for quite some time that to give “brain” to someone is to give them oral sex, and so this rendition featuring the emoji is nothing but a derivative of this same expression.
What is the synonym of carrot? ›
...
What is another word for carrots?
redhead | ginger |
---|---|
Bluey | ginger nut |
copper | ginger head |
...
Carrot | |
---|---|
Species: | D. carota |
Subspecies: | D. c. subsp. sativus |
Trinomial name | |
Daucus carota subsp. sativus (Hoffm.) Schübl. & G. Martens |
The government is proclaiming a carrot-and-stick approach to the problem. But Congress also wants to use a carrot and stick approach to force both sides to negotiate. Using a mixture of carrot and stick, the authorities encouraged obedience from citizens.
What is carrot and stick example? ›In the modern corporate world, this analogy of the carrot and stick is used to offer employees a reward and consequence system that acts as concrete feedback for their behaviour. For example, financial incentives for strong performance can be given to staff – and concurrently, penalties applied for lack of achievement.
What is meant by the carrot and stick How do your views compare with the views of the author be very specific? ›The carrot is a reward for moving while the stick is the punishment for not moving and hence making him move forcefully. Thus, an individual is given carrot i.e. reward when he performs efficiently and is jabbed with a stick or is given a punishment in case of non-performance.
Who created the carrot and stick theory? ›The Carrot and Stick Approach of Motivation is based on the principles of reinforcement and is given by a philosopher Jeremy Bentham, who developed it during the industrial revolution.
What is a carrot in money? ›Carrot equity is a financial incentive in the form of company shares granted to a manager (or key employees) of a firm who meets specified financial targets or operational goals.
What is the carrot approach in leadership? ›A "carrot" approach incentivizes good work with rewards, while a "stick" approach uses punishment to push people towards goals. Both of these approaches have drawbacks. They often don't trigger the true motivator of an individual, but play on their desire (carrot) and fear (stick).