Is there a positive side to negativity?
We all know motorists can't help themselves when passing the scene of an accident. They slow to stare. This doesn't mean Coca-Cola is likely to benefit by wrecking all their logo covered trucks.
I recently was forwarded a post about the power of negativity. Apparently, by creating negative titles for your blog post, you increase the chances people will want to read it. Your negatively titled post can be forwarded far and wide, read by many. Your Klout score could skyrocket.
Of course, a casual perusal of the nightly news should suffice to convince us all. They've been in the business of grabbing people's attention for decades. They rarely talk warm and fuzzy.
There are many studies of social media behavior. I've read negative posts are more likely to be read. I've also read negative posts can reduce audience interaction over the long haul. The only constant on social media, of course, is that it keeps changing. The biggest question is you. Who are you and what's your purpose?
There's always an easy way out. A negative advertisement might grab people's attention. But it leaves you and your brand mired in a pile of associations you may find less than beneficial. Coca-Cola can grab our attention by wrecking a truck. But they probably don't want that kind of publicity.
One way to grab attention without going too negative is to create an oxymoron. Like 'Less is More' or 'The Strength of Weakness'. Or use a double negative, one that never doesn't sound positive. A title is best when it surprises. Even more importantly, the best titles also imply an offer of real value.
And you know this already. This is why you work so hard to put your best foot forward, to smile when meeting someone new, to give the best you have to give. Because those first impressions, like every blog you post, come to represent the best parts of all you have to share.