Coming up with ideas for compelling linkbait content can be really tough, particularly if the topic you want to write about doesn’t necessarily have an angle that often does well in social media. But one tactic that almost always succeeds is to play the opposites.
What do I mean by that? It’s pretty simple. Think of your topic. Then think of the polar opposite of that topic. Smash ‘em together and VOILA!– you have an idea for content that is virtually guaranteed to succeed on a site like Digg.
Readers will never tire of reading content that surprises them, or frames what they already know in a novel way. Play up the opposites, and you will be creating a content hook that the majority of users will be powerless to resist.
Looking for examples? Read on to see some great pieces of internet content that draw people in with an “opposites attract” approach…
This video went viral earlier this month because of the juxtaposition of the demure ladies of Jane Austen and the hyper-masculinity of Fight Club. It’s important to note that the opposing elements of the title draw the reader in, but the effort put into the video’s quality is what kept people sharing the content.
Top Five Delicious Foods (With Disgusting Ingredients)
This is a case where two opposing words play off each other. Delicious? And disgusting? How could you not be intrigued?
The 5 Most Insane Improvised Weapons (That Were Animals)
A huge amount of Cracked’s content plays into the rule of opposites, and it’s part of the reason for their massive success. This article is one great example of this. When most people think of weapons, they think of guns or other inanimate objects…and never of living creatures!
Even Geeks Need To Exercise: Star Wars Yoga
Star Wars geeks often find themselves stereotyped as overweight (or underweight)…in other words, the complete opposite of jocks. By combining “geeks” with opposing ideas like “yoga” and “exercise”, the title generates interest from Star Wars fans and health nuts…two groups that don’t always have a lot of overlap online.
6 Modern Technologies Animals Invented Millions of Years Ago
This article actually features two pairs of opposing elements: Modern/Millions of Years Ago and Technologies/Animals. A double whammy!
120 fake sci-fi events on a real-world timeline
This was really popular for several reasons: 1. The title created interest by opposing “fake” and “real”. 2. The scope of the piece was huge. 3. Science fiction is just plain awesome.
8 Health Foods That Are Bad For You
A classic pairing of opposites that also generates interest in a reader because they are afraid they might be missing out on vital information if they don’t click on this article.
15 Book-to-film adaptations that live up to the source material
It’s also important to note that content can succeed when it defies expectations. People are often heard to say “The movie was good, but not as good as the book”, so this article tries to prove the opposite of that adage.
These examples are just a small fraction of the interesting content on the web that features an “opposites attract” content hook.
What are some of your favorites? Let us know in the comments section, or tweet the URL to @blueglassinc using #BLUEGLASSoppositesattract
This is great, I’ve certainly seen a lot of these before but never really thought of the formula for them. Thanks for sharing!
I’m glad you enjoyed reading this! It’s a really useful tactic for creating something interesting, and some of my favorite pieces of content lately have all been about opposing forces. It was fun to round these up and re-read/watch all of these!
Do you have a favorite article that you’ve read lately that falls into the “opposites attract” mindset?
i love this topic.
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed reading this! I mean, honestly, who DOESN’T love linkbait?
That was an awesome link bait post! I love the topic of link bait. A good follow up post would be on how to push the content out for maximum spreadability. You have to get the word out. Is there any formula for promotion of the content to seed the virality?
I love reading linkbait almost as much as I love writing about it! We really should do a follow-up post to this based on your suggestions, I think it would be a great read!
Thanks Tucker for sharing a very interesting idea. I never thought of this. However, I have seen people doing sthng different like if a particular trend or idea is very popular they would play Devil’s Advocate method, i.e, writing totally opposite against it. For instance, If Inception is being very popular then some critic would do everything to blast it. That does bring some eyeballs.
Though, I have done same against Twitter obsession and reality shows but that was more because of strong feelings about the topics instead of just inviting some attention.
Thanks a ton for the share.
Thanks for reading!
Playing Devil’s Advocate is a great way get traffic, but I have seen it blow up in people’s faces when the concept is bold but the content is poorly written. As always, the concept AND the writing both have to be quality to have great potential.