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Get Your Content Shared – 10 “How To” Clues for Your Business
If you agree that the Internet is the greatest content vehicle, surely social media must be today’s preferred ride! Social media platforms enable any content to be shared easily, quickly, and almost effortlessly without cost or commitment to the creator, the middle man (sharer), or the end user. Not only that, but the sharer can be seen as a valuable friend, a niche expert, and in some cases, even a consumer resource worth paying for!
I believe a business owner (or a freelancer he employs) can prepare content in such a way that it is most “shareable” (if that is a word) and an enticing entry point to his online business. Good content creators have a knack for producing shareable content without thinking about it too much; others of us have to be more deliberate in our content structure and style so that our readers will want to pass along our content.
Here are ten (10) easy-to-decipher clues that should help your business create better shared content. I call them “clues” because these ideas are just that – they are clues that you will have to interpret or fit into your own content process to make them effective for your particular business niche and situation.
1- One piece of content – one purpose. Each piece of content should have a singular purpose, a planned mission, a reason for being. Don’t get greedy and try to stuff too much into one blog post, article, suggestion, or idea. Keep a narrow but deep pattern to each content piece. Answer one question. Solve one problem. Tell one story. Give one piece of advice. But . . . don’t be afraid to go deep into the details of that one subject. If your purpose is to solve a perplexing niche problem, you may not be effective if you just gloss over the details – the step-by-step guidance that people often want.
2- Focus on niche specifics. This clue goes hand-in-hand with the previous idea about your content having just one purpose. In most cases, people don’t share general or obvious content. Why would they? People like to share specific niche tips, insights, solutions, secrets, and stories that might not be found anywhere else. People share original ideas; often things they are hearing for the first time. So focus any content you want shared on things in your niche, your products, your business, or your advice on original thoughts you have – on things unique or particular to your own business. Differentiate your business brand from your competitors and prove your worth in the type of content you offer.
3- Make sharing easy. This goes without saying, but many content creators do nothing to ease the work or time it takes to share their content. Most social media platforms offer bloggers, web developers, and businesses tools and buttons that make sharing a breeze. Make good use of the tools and technology available and encourage sharing at your web site. Some businesses even provide incentives or rewards for the sharers like individual recognition for “serial” sharers, “count” dials for the number of shares by a member, discounts on products for top sharers, or access to restricted content.
4- Professionalism and design are important. Plain text, especially if it is crammed together and difficult to read, is a turn-off for most viewers. Content with lots of errors (spelling, grammar, style) is a turn-off. Hard to read typefaces, narrow margins, and a lack of white space within the content are to be avoided. How the content is wrapped and presented makes a difference – sometimes a big difference.
Think of this clue like this: imagine a beautiful layer cake with fancy chocolate swirl frosting, colorful garnishes, and mouth watering visual appeal. Now, also imagine a greasy-handed mechanic grabbing a big handful of the cake and slapping it down on a rusty old oil pan he grabs from the trash bin for a plate. All of sudden, the delicious cake (content) is not quite so tantalizing and inviting; in fact, it may turn your stomach to even think about consuming it. Sure, this example is a stretch; but I want to drive home the point that great content deserves to be aesthetically pleasing or it may not result in any shares at all – even if the content is valuable!
5- Shared content is interesting content. People don’t share things that are boring, dull, humdrum, tedious, bland, routine, uninspiring, apathetic, and plain. They share things that they believe their family, friends, and other like-minded souls will find interesting, valuable, helpful, cool, fun and/or worth chatting about. People share content to engage others, to keep relationships fresh, and to start conversations that can lead to engagement and dialogue about other subjects and personal interests.
6- Content that entertains gets shared. Sharers like to be heroes. They like to make others feel good, laugh, be happy, smile at their share, and they like to be the one that makes the entertainment accessible to their followers. Research has shown that articles that excite, elicit laughter, inspire, or create awe in the consumer are much more likely to go viral than those that merely inform or give the facts. Why? Entertainment triggers an emotional response, an excited reaction, and subsequently, a desire to include others in the “fun” or wonder.
7- Valuable content is “worth sharing.” A focus group was asked if they individually assessed or judged the value and usefulness of content to the recipient prior to deciding whether or not it was worthy of sharing. 94% of that group indicated that indeed, content value was an important consideration in their content sharing. Most people are generous and caring, at least with those that are in their social media “friends” circle. They want to be helpful and giving to those they engage.
8- Cause driven content. Most everyone has a cause, a crusade, a banner to follow, a team to cheer on, a cross to bear, or a purpose or belief that they want to be known for. Sometimes our causes define us. People share content to show who they are, what they stand for, what they like and dislike, things that (in the sharer’s mind) are right or wrong, and what issues they care about. Cause driven content can be a very polarizing format. Don’t worry that it may upset some, when at the same time, it endears others. Just as with entertainment, cause driven content triggers emotional response and is a likely candidate to be shared repeatedly and by those that are sympathetic and sometimes by those that are hostile to the cause.
9- Sharers want approval and validation. Why do the social media platforms encourage “friending”, “likes,” and “shares”? Research and testing has shown that humans want the approval and acceptance of their peers. In studies like “The Power of Likes”* researchers found that people were more apt (32%) to “like” or up-vote a pre-liked post or comment. If something is already popular within a social group, chances are very good it will be also be popular with newcomers to that group. Can you create or position content that will resonate with your immediate audience? If so, it will likely also be shared by their social circles of like-minded friends and followers.
10- Branded content encourages repeat sharers. Small business owners shouldn’t have to be reminded to create a unique brand and attach it to every piece of content that leaves the business. People that share brand content often return and share more of that same brand’s content over other alternatives. If the sharer sees the value and consistency of content created by a business, chances are good that he/she will return again to share more of that same helpful, or entertaining, or cause-driven content. The value of a group of consistent “serial sharers” to a business can’t be overstated. Create a valuable and trusted brand known for outstanding content and the chances that your content will be shared (partially because of your brand) increases substantially.
Sometimes, being able to work more than one of these ideas into a piece of content will give you some bonus impact with potential sharers. But I would caution every content creator and say that it is not necessary – don’t get carried away with trying to incorporate multiple suggestions given here into one piece of content. Remember Clue #1 – One piece of content – one purpose.
*Source: “‘Like’ This Article Online? Your Friends Will Probably Approve, Too, Scientists Say”, Kenneth Chang in NYTimes.com
Feel free to tell us about other shared content clues you have used in your business.
To your online business success,
Steve Browne
www.SteveBrowneDirect.com