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If you want to become a better writer, you have to hit the publish button. Notes and drafts don’t count. Practice in public helps writers get off the sidelines and turn pro.

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How to Be a Contrarian — and Make it Lucrative

6 min readJun 6, 2025

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Photo by Dollar Gill on Unsplash

If you’ve been on the internet for longer than a week, you probably know contrarian stances work. They rally the crowds like few other types of content do.

Naturally, you feel inclined to use them as often as possible. I encourage you to do so, but, as always, within limits. Everything gets old, including contrarian takes.

Today, we’re exploring why contrarian stances work and how to get them right.

Why do contrarian stances work?

A contrarian is someone who regularly rejects conventional wisdom, “best practices”, and widely accepted standards.

Some are naturally-born contrarians, others are ​soapbox preachers​, who thrive on being righteous and on belonging to fringe groups where it’s easier to find acceptance.

In marketing, however, we’re not that fringe. We use contrarian takes because they work.

They work because they stop the scroll. They’re different from the usual drivel people see online, so your audience stops and consumes contrarian content.

Different is interesting. It’s like wearing a bright pink dress in an office full of black…

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Practice in Public
Practice in Public

Published in Practice in Public

If you want to become a better writer, you have to hit the publish button. Notes and drafts don’t count. Practice in public helps writers get off the sidelines and turn pro.

Adriana Tica
Adriana Tica

Written by Adriana Tica

Marketing strategist, trend analyst, writer. No-BS, zero-hacks marketing strategy. Free weekly advice and sign-up gift: https://www.adrianatica.com/newsletter/