Using Controversy and Negativity as Traffic Driver to Your Blog

Your blog is a direct representation of your character and style and as each one of us is different in life, so are the good blogs. That is what made blogs popular and continues to drive people to them and continues to produce results.

A failure to follow this simple concept reduces a blog to a mere collection of informational pages and even if that information is extremely good - luck of person behind the information removes interactivity. Failure to show YOU on your blog is a pre-defined path to one big nothing. And the best way to show "YOU" is to create controversy around one of the articles on your blog.

Being negative or controversial all the time or god forbid inconsistent, will lead your blog into even deeper hole, so you need to thread that path very carefully to enjoy true benefits. Sometimes a negative point of view or a controversial view on a subject that is popular in your niche can create a storm of traffic and spread like a wildfire.

Controversy generates difference in opinions and given option to provide reader's with a place for comments produces a lot of responses. People love to share their opinion and their point of view and blogs are perfect place for it. And as amount of comments grows on any specific post, we as a social creatures tend to read it just to learn what all buzz is about.

And that is where controversy plays its role. Give me an opinion that is so different from mine and a place where I can share what I think about it and I'll be surely commenting. What is even better is that buzz, generated around your post fueled by personal feelings spreads just like any gossip. Word of month is still the most viral marketing you can possibly have and add ability to communicate via email and instant messaging and the traffic storm is coming.

So your next logical step is to Give people as many options as possible to share your story. Allow them to spread the gossip as fast as possible and this is where blogs come once again a head above everything else. Fully utilizing available plugins to allow social bookmaking's, emailing of your post, integrating social network badges gives your visitors so many more options to spread the word and you only stand to benefit from it. Make sure to take full advantage of what options your specific blog platform presents and it is a no-loose preposition for you!

But as opinions flare you have to be prepared to control them to some extent. I'm not talking about outright censorship but a form of control is required. Although in some cases you might have to make an exception and simply delete comments that are way too offending to your regular readers. While allowing controversy - you don't want to be caught in the middle of "hate" or "racial" comments. After all it is your blog and you are responsible for it.

What I mean by control is more of like putting off the fire before it becomes too big. Controversial or negative topics will generate some comments that might attack you personally and attempt to insult you. Be quick to respond but do not go into personalities and address any valid concerns by that reader. Being professional will make them look bad and will display you in better light.

Fast response to these types of comments is crucial to your strategy success. If left unchecked, negative opinions can be very infectious and destructive to you and for some reason you will find people side with those opinions more readily if not put down by you in timely manner. So be professional, address any concerns and don't go into personalities. Put the little fire off and control the spread of viral effect of your topic.

Controversy is good when properly used but be sure you are prepared to handle it. And once you have finished, enjoy the fruits of your labor: Stampede of free viral traffic.