Today I was watching a video from Westboro Baptist “church” (and in this instance I only grudgingly use the word church) on YouTube. Fred Phelps was up to his usual nonsense and of course there were no shortage of comments decrying them (Westboro Baptist). It dawned on me as I was watching, listening, and reading the comments at how absolutely brilliant Westboro Baptist is. From a marketing standpoint. Until a few years ago who had ever heard of Fred Phelps and Westboro baptists church? Now it is a household name. Synomous with hate, and bigotry of course but household nonetheless. It got me thinking about a few things.

Can negative press be beneficial to a blog?

Some will say that any press is beneficial for a blog, but I disagree. The right press at the right time is beneficial for a blog. And sometimes the “right press” is negative. For some reason our human psyche is captivated by ugly things. That’s why people will slow down to a crawl as they drive past a car crash. Anyone who tells you they slowed down for the safety of the emergency works is lying. We want to see the carnage. Be that twisted steel or twisted bodies.

It’s the same with a blog. When someone highlights a blog in a negative light it draws traffic to that blog. People want to see the disaster for themselves. Kind of like when people view a Westboro Baptist YouTube video. They already know it’s going to be bad, everyone has told them this but they still go to watch it.

Can you capitalize on negative press?

I believe that you can, but it takes some forethought and preparation. There need to be two things in place; a plan of action and the ability to recognize when to implement that plan.

1. Have a plan in place BEFORE the negative press hits
2. Recognize when it does hit and not after the fact

It’s easy to reflect and know when something turned negative but the real skill is to see it when it happens and immediately begin to work it to your advantage. If you try to jump on it a few days after the initial storm has died down you will end up looking like someone who is trying to justify themselves rather than someone who is meeting the challenge head-on.

Should you generate your own negative press?

In some instances yes, in some no. Let me explain. You need to gauge the answer on your own abilities to make a connection with your visitors. First consider your current readers.

• How will they react?
• Will you alienate them?
• Will they see it as a brilliant ploy or will they be offended

Next consider those you will be entrapping with the negative press “ploy”

• Is your target audience going to take the bait?
• If they do respond can you keep them interested?
• Can you depend on them to generate secondary interest with their contacts?

Finally consider your own moral values in regards to generating your own negative press. Because at the end of the day you need to live with yourself and how you’ve handled it.

Now some questions for you:

1. Have you ever dealt with negative press?
2. Did you create it, or was it “natural”?
3. What was the end effect? Good, bad, or no change?