What the . . . Pho? I bet you thought I was going to say something else, right? Well maybe not considering this is my blog and you don’t see me using language of that sort. One reason you don’t see me using it is because I don’t use that language in life. First of all, I’m not going to be getting preachy here. That’s not what this is about. I want to help you get more traffic through your blog’s doors.

 

The ‘What the . . . Pho?’ is actually a noodle restaurant that some friends and I just love the name of because here in America we have naughty minds at times. We can say this and people around us just look at us funny. One of the friends played the organ/keyboard in church and he would look over at me and I would mouth the phrase and he would suddenly bend over in convulsions doing all he could to focus on his music. The other friend was the choir director. He had learned long ago not to look at me. Yes, I tended to be a little mischievous if the time was okay to do so.

 

“So ‘What the . . . Pho?’ do you know about this and ‘What the . . . Pho?’ does this have to do with blogging?”

 

I’m glad you asked.

 

How to turn your Readers OFF

 

One of the first decisions you need to make when you create a blog or even when you begin writing an article for publishing is . . . “Am I doing this to get more people to read my writing?”

 

“I write for me. I don’t write to satisfy others!”

 

We like to say that but that isn’t always true. If you have a blog and want to bring people to it, then . . . yes you are writing for them in a manner of speaking. Here are tips to turn your readers off, depending on the type of blog you have. I am going with a blog type that has the average person who wants a nice, safe place to go for entertainment.

 

#1

Put Profanity in the Title of Your Article

You probably have never even really thought of doing that, but I’ve seen it and it instantly turns me away. It doesn’t even make me curious about the article. It could be by the Pope and I still wouldn’t read it to see what medications he’s on.

 

If it happens enough, I stop bothering with that blog at all.

 

“Ronovan, you’re a prude!”

 

Far from it my Friend. I enjoy all types of blogs, I just respect intelligently put together content.

 

 

 

 

#2

Articles Laced with Profanity

Notice I said ‘laced’, meaning filled with it. I’m not a fan of proFANity. Yes I made a pun. I am chuckling on the inside. Seriously. Can’t you tell? You’re screens should be shaking now. Okay, maybe not. I do however understand while reading something real life that words happen. Sometimes a word may fit a situation. I may choose another word while another person chooses a different word. No big deal.

 

I have a problem with the articles that are laced with it as shock factor. It doesn’t match what I know of the writer. It doesn’t match the piece being presented. It was placed there in an attempt to either shock, evoke humor, or just for no reason at all.

 

“We can say what we want, stretch our wings, and experiment, you dork!”

 

Very true, and I experiment as well. I just know myself and what my Friends have come to expect and I will stretch my wings within that boundary and at times it’s more challenging to do so. Write a sensual poem that conveys a lot without saying much in sexually. It’s a fun challenge.

 

 

#3

Being Derogatory

I write poetry where I slam bullies and the like. I don’t spend an entire article running down a people, a country, or a system or a mental of physical illness in generalities. Yes, there are times when certain articles need to be written. However, they need to be written in an intelligent and rational manner or the reader tunes out, turns away, and turns the channel.

 

If you are going to do it, pick your battles so people hear you. Run things into the ground and your words become a blur. That is unless you are targeting that audience who only wants to read about that issue.

 

“Ronovan, there are certain things that are just clear cut!”

 

 

 

 

The issue may be clear cut but the entire story never is.

 

 

 

 

#4

Back to Profanity

If you are going to use a word then wait for it. Build up your reader, hook them in, get their support, and then when you throw the word in, it isn’t AS MUCH of as a turn off. It might still happen, but less likely.

“If I use the words I want at the beginning it grabs their attention!”

 

 

 

Do you want respect as a writer or attention as a shock hack?

 

 

 

 

I would go for a 5^th one just to make it a Top 5 list but that’s pushing it and pushing you to read something weak. So I’m not going to do it. I’ll stop with 4.

 

Keep your articles clean and professional and only use certain words when you honestly believe they need to be used. I’ve stopped following several blogs of late for multiple headlines using certain words. And if you know me you know I follow lots of people of all types and language use. And there are even a few articles that are laced with profanity that make a point, but it’s rare, and I slowly begin to shy away.

 

I hope this article proved useful to you. If so, leave me a comment, so I know I’m helping you out. Sure a ‘like’ works as well, but I like to hear from my Friends at times.

If you found this helpful you can also find other tips by clicking here.

Much Respect

Ronovan