The power of negative headlines (part two)

Mark R. Hinkle (Author, Blogger, Technologist) enjoyed my riff do not read this blog post. So he tried the tactic on his blog on subject he knew would elicit a strong reaction.

Top 10 Reasons Not to Use Ubuntu

Editorial note – even if, like me, you don’t know what Ubuntu is, you must read item number 8 on Mark’s list.

Mark says the reaction was amazing. The next morning he woke to find the post on the front page of Digg with over 100 diggs (there are 149 now). He says his blog is getting 10 times the normal traffic and the hits keep coming.

Mark says an added benefit was that he enjoyed writing the post.

“There's a lesson to be learned about appealing to the emotions of your readers there somewhere,” he says.

Comments

[Oritseyemi Emmanuel Madamedon]

What else can I say. Every post on this site is gold!

Your books cashing in with content and The new rules of marketing and PR are indeed a must for anyone who is serious about doing business online.
Great,classic books !

Oritseyemi Emmanuel Madamedon

[David Meerman Scott]

To Oritseyemi Emmanuel Madamedon -

Now what else can I say? "Every post on this site is gold!" is quite a comliment. Thanks for taking the time.

All the best to you. David

[Donna St. Jean Conti]

What a fascinating concept, especially when we are taught to use only positive headlines and leads. I see, though, how a negative headline can work to pique someone's interest, so that they HAVE to see what the post is about. Another great post! Thank you.

[Internet Marketing Blog]

I've tried negative headlines on a few of my sites and it's worked well on two of them.

[Tatiana Tugbaeva]

I have always been taught to use only positive headlines because a negative message "scares your audience away." But I can see how negative headline or lead play with someone’s curiosity. My first reaction to "do not read this blog post" was to click on it and read it! I must try this technique now. Thank you!