Negative headlines are 30 per cent better – @outbrain

Sad but seemingly true.  I just came across this July 2013 post from Outbrain.com’s Alex Bennett based on their analysis of 65,000 paid links. 

Titles containing negative superlatives had 30 per cent higher click-through rates than those with no superlative.  Titles with containing positive superlatives had, with a neat symmetry, 29 per cent fewer click-throughs.

Image Source: Outbrain.com

As the author suggests, this may well be the result of audience cynicism and fatigue.  Or else, it could be good old human shadenfreude.