“If it bleeds, it leads.”
It’s a fundamental staple of journalism–bad news sells. Everyone says they want to hear more good news, but objective data tell a different story. Audiences gravitate to controversy, crime, and crashes.
Other analogous publicity principles prey upon our fascination with negative events: “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” “I don’t care what you write about me, just make sure you spell my name correctly.”
This morning I read some advice for building blog traffic. One of the highly recommended techniques for attracting readers was to address controversial topics. The writer cited examples in which readership skyrocketed following articles that addressed contentious issues.
This really surprises no one. We’re all familiar with the “shock jocks” on radio and television, the personalities who become wealthy mostly by saying outrageous things. Quiet, reasoned analysis apparently isn’t stimulating enough to build a large, loyal audience. The sure-fire path to higher ratings involves passion, confrontation, and ideological extremism.
To paraphrase a well-worn movie line, “If you irritate them, they will come.”
This advice is troublesome for me. I want to attract readers; that’s why I write. More readers means more people are interested in my message, and honestly that interest eventually translates into book sales, article publication, and speaking engagements. It’s a self-perpetuating cycle of building an audience. There’s not much point to working as a writer/speaker unless people actually hear and read your words.
But I do not wish to add to the pervasive sea of divisive rhetoric from talk radio, cable television, and endless Internet opinion sites. My mission involves inspiration, encouragement, and hope. I’m not sure I accomplish that mission by purposely creating or enhancing confrontation simply to enhance my own recognition.
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12: 35-37)
I do not fear controversy when it arises within a discussion, but my primary goal at this point involves spreading the message of Relentless Grace. I fear that an effort to artificially create contention might turn away those who most need to hear that message. Those folks already have enough struggle and pain in their lives.Is controversy a necessary element of writing or speaking that attracts and retains your interest?
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I’d really appreciate your thoughts. This blog currently receives a few hundred hits per week, but very few comments. Would we generate more discussion by becoming a bit more controversial? Would you be more prone to comment if the topics inspired debate and disagreement?
Would we really increase readership and comments by being more edgy? Would a little controversy, and maybe some good old argument, make you more likely to return or turn you away? What would make you more likely to recommend this site to others?
Please leave a comment, visit my website, and/or send me an email at rich@richdixon.net.