Adding “Fuck” To Your Title Makes Your Medium Post 8,040 % More Fucking Popular
In looking at 12 quick examples of popular posts with “fuck” or “fucking” in the title, and comparing the number of likes from that post with each author’s previous one or two posts, the average amount better your fucking post will do is…
Yes. 8,040.07% is the average of how much better these posts performed.
Here’s the breakdown.
12 examples. Why 12? I just searched “fuck” on Medium and clicked on a bunch of stories. In the end, I had 12 new tabs open. Scientific, I know.
But just look at the numbers. It’s fucking magic:
- “Work Fucking Hard” by Darius Foroux
If you play it right, hard work can be one of the most fulfilling things in life. Don’t shy away from it.medium.com
Total post likes: 3.1k
His previous two posts: 757 and 496
→ 394.8% better than the average of those two
2. “Fuck working hard” by Jessica Semaan
Total post likes: 5.6k
Her previous two posts: 203 and 55
→ 4,241% better than the average of those two
3. “Don’t Fuck Up the Culture” by Brian Chesky
On Monday, October 21, 2013, I sent this letter to our entire team at Airbnb.medium.com
Total post likes: 5.6k
His previous two posts: 693 and 164
→ 1,206.9% better than the average of those two
4. “A Story of a Fuck Off Fund” by Paulette Perhach
You will be the kind of woman who can tell anyone to fuck off if a fuck off is deserved, so naturally you start a Fuck…medium.com
Total post likes: 5k
This was her first Medium post, and her next: 30
→ 16,566.7% better than the next post
5. “Be A Fucking Weirdo” by Jon Westenberg
Total post likes: 3.7k
His previous two posts: 1.6k and 1.5k.
→ 138.7% better than the average of those two
6. “Fuck changing yourself” by Jessica Semaan
I have tried to change how I look, since my ballet teacher kicked me out of class because I was too fat ¶
I have tried…medium.com
Total post likes: 3.2k
This is her second hit with fuck in the title. Compare this with another post she published on the same day as this one, which has 184 likes.
→ 1,639.1% better than that same day post
7. “We Should All Be Weird as Fuck” by Renée Padgham
Because somewhere along the way being human became being weird and that’s bullshit.medium.com
Total post likes: 1.6k
Her previous two posts: 11 and 5
→ 19,900% better than the average of those two
8. “The World Is Fucking Insane” by Nick Crocker
Total post likes: 1.5k
His previous two posts: 12 and 190
→ 1,385.1% better than the average of those two
9. “Fuck Your Life Hacks” by trish tatman
Total post likes: 1.5k
Her previous two posts: 5 and 1
→ 49,900% better than the average of those two
10. “How quitting my corporate job for my startup dream f*cked my life up” by Ali Mese
Finally the SMS arrived:medium.com
Total post likes: 12.3k
His one post prior: 1.96k
→ 527.6% better than the average of those two
11. “The Complete Guide to Not Giving a Fuck” by Julien Smith
Total post likes: 1.3k
His previous two posts: 690 and 855
→ 68.3% better than the average of those two
12. “Doing What you Love Is Going To Be Fucking Hard” by Jon Westenberg
Total post likes: 732
Another repeat author here. And on his previous two posts: 195 and 44
→ 512.6% better than the average of those two
Add it up!
What does this mean?
Well for starters, Medium readers are vulgar as shit! We’re a bunch of pirate potty-mouths on here!
But more importantly, what it means, is people are drawn to authenticity. To honesty. And to emotion.
These headlines catch our eyes because in a world of tip-toeing, censoring, pretending, and political correctness, they stand out.
And we like these stories because from the very first line, they are brutally honest and emotionally telling.
They have an attitude and a strong point of view. They almost become anthems.
We can tell the author is passionate, and so, we are too.
Raw energy is contagious and we can feel it in their words.
We are sick of going to job interviews trying to hide our true selves behind a mask of what it supposedly means to be professional. And we are sick of interviewing people we know are hiding beyond a rehearsal.
We are craving the real.
Real thoughts. Real experiences. Real connections. Real people. Because we can place our trust in what’s real.
It’s not all about the Fucking Title
Of course for these 12 hits, there are certainly a lot of posts using the word “fuck” that simply didn’t start trending or get any real traction. This post may even be one of those. So it’s definitely not just about the title. You need to fill the post with great content that will resonate with an audience too!
But that’s why I didn’t take a poll of every single Fucking Title post on Medium and find out the number of success stories vs. duds.
I instead compared these posts with the previous works from each author to determine if this tactic helped spark popularity and breakout pieces for them.
Most of the authors listed here do have fairly large or engaged audiences already, either because they publish a whole lot, they publish to a popular publication, or they simply write a cannonball splash every once in a while.
Hard to say if these audiences existed before or after these posts. But in looking at the spark in their readership and post engagement when using a Fucking Title, it turns out, the answer is yes, it helps.
By a whopping average of 8,040.07%!
So.
What the fuck will you write next? — Click to Tweet
