In the world of social media marketing, creating shareable content is a key component to creating a successful brand.
Just think back to your grade school days when you had something to say, you raised your hand, nobody called on you, and so you started to wiggle. More time went by, still the teacher ignored your raised hand and you started convulsing, the words so backed up in your throat you could hardly breathe, and then finally…it’s your turn. But at this point you have become an atomic bomb of information. You blurt out what you want to say and nobody understands you. The important thing that you needed to share isn’t clear and doesn’t stand out from the rest of the wiggly, impatient toddlers. The content that you just communicated is not worth being repeated.
News Flash all: we are no different than we used to be as toddlers. We have something to say that we want to communicate in the best possible way. Sometimes we are Shakespeare and other times we are Animal (you know, the crazy red dude from the Muppets).
So, how do you take all of that knowledge TNT and focus it at your users in a way that will make them want to share it with all their users? Your content needs to stand out and get the wandering, out of focus user to zero in on what you have to say. By doing this a landslide develops. First you generate more traffic and that generates more shares and then your bottom line explodes. So how do we ignite the payload?
Make Your Content Go Viral Tips
Find Out What’s Trending
Wanting what is popular is something you can’t avoid unless you are a monk deep in meditation or you are living in the early 19th century pre-Industrial Revolution. Trending content is shareable because it’s what everyone is talking about. Simple as that. People are talking about the latest skin care product and they want to continue talking about it, so if you post about said product, you will generate more shares. See, after just one tip you are a regular old Mr. Rogers sharing all over the neighborhood.
A great place to find out what is trending is Twitter. Just click on the magnifying glass (search button) and then click on trending. It’s as simple as that. You are now hanging out with the in crowd.
Extra, Extra, Read All About It
You are walking down the street in New York City. It is the morning of April 16, 1912. A newsie is on the corner holding a paper up, the headline says, “TITANIC SINKS, 1500 DIE”. You stop. Approach the newsie and buy a paper. Why? Because the headline got your attention. You have now arrived at tip number two: writing attention grabbing headlines.
               The headline is the first impression. This can also be said about the thumbnail if it’s a video post. First impressions are everything, and on social media it’s no different. This is how you draw users to stop and read. Hopefully, a gigantic luxury liner doesn’t have to sink, taking many lives to a watery grave, to create an attention-grabbing headline, but unfortunately, people do enjoy the occasional doom and gloom, so that could be a possible way to go, especially if you are an undertaker trying to drum up business.
Community Engagement
Your followers are your life blood. You need them, they do not need you. Remember that, you need them, they do not need you. Get in touch with their feelings, what makes them tick (or if you are an undertaker what doesn’t make them tick). You can do this through messaging, blog interaction, Reddit threads, comments on your post, or other social media interactions.
Influencers
               And next up the almighty influencers. Without them how would one know where to turn? Regardless of who they are, influencers have, yes, a large amount of influence. Their following tends to be oversized to say the least, most likely in the millions. Millions of people are the goal. If you can get millions of people to share your content, the possibilities are endless. You can do an interview with the influencer, have them tag you, or have them share your content. So, how do you reach them? Contact them and tell them you have money, money, money. The rest is in the bank.
Images
Most people’s lives are driven by what they see, and that is no different for social media. Images drive content and they cause users to engage. The best image is one that directly connects to the content. If your image is only loosely associated with the content that can cause user confusion and make them want to go elsewhere. A well thought out image increases your chances of your content being shared.
Provide Value
If you wish to separate yourself from the traditional “all looks and no talent” crowd overpopulating social media, you should always keep this one in the back of your mind. Whether you’re supplying them with information rich content to teach them something new, or simply giving them a good laugh with clever memes, be sure to deliver quality.
Postscript
               Being heard is great. Being understood is also great. Being an expert is the goal. By following these tips Make Your Content Go Viral your users will come to you as the guru of content. They will worship at your virtual store with hands raised, filled with money, and shares galore. Â
