Using a cliffhanger in your content is akin to jumping out of an airplane without ensuring your parachute is strapped securely to your back.
Dangerous?
Yes.
Will it get you a bigger audience watching to see if you’ll land safely?
Maybe.
Should it be used in the majority of your posts?
Absolutely not.
If we step out of the marketing world and into the wonderful world of fiction, many readers are split on whether cliffhanger endings are acceptable. It might work if it’s a ploy to keep people interested in the next book of the series.
I’ve seen comments in reviews on Amazon about readers who refuse to read another word from an author after being subjected to a cliffhanger.
A little harsh? We all have our personal tastes.
For other readers, using this technique keeps them hooked.
If you’re going to hand me a cliffhanger, you better damn well have provided an engaging story that transported me away from my middle-class life in suburbia.
The same goes for content. If you use this technique, make sure you’ve written a dynamite post that your audience cares about enough to be left dangling over the cliff’s edge.
Even then, be prepared for a few “what the…” comments.
Is it worth the risk of losing a few readers?
Only you can answer that.
I can tell you that sometimes risks pay off in ways you didn’t imagine. Using the same format for all your content posts gives your audience comfort and stability.
However, shaking it up every once in a while can jar your audience out of a rut and also make them happy when you go back to what they know.
It’s all about balance.
When crafting your marketing strategy, one of the essential things is to have an arsenal of tricks in your battle chest. You may never use some of them, but knowing they’re out there at least gives you the option to try something new.
Stay tuned next week when I’ll share three tips for successfully using cliffhangers in your content.
P.S. See what I did there? Not exactly dangling out in space, but you have a toe over the edge.
