Creating content that is shareable is extremely difficult. The statistics are depressing.
According to a report by Buzzsumo, 50% of all content is only shared 4 times or fewer on social media.
If your post gets only five shares, don’t be discouraged because you are above average. That’s insane.
The bottom line? Most content is ignored.
Your brand’s words are being ignored on social media.
Today that’s about to change.
In this guide, there are top ingredients that will help increase the shareability of your content:
1. Long form content gets more social shares than short form content
You may have heard that more people are consuming content through their mobile devices. This means that you should write shorter pieces to satisfy your reader’s shorter attention spans, correct?
While people certainly enjoy sharing light-hearted fare such as LOL cat pictures and funny memes, they are also keen to share more intellectually challenging, long-form content.
The internet is full of short content and gifs, so you’re more likely to get noticed if you spend your time writing one great piece of content, rather than lots of shorter, less substantial ones.
As a result, it’s easier to stand out.
A minimum of 2,000 words per post is ideal.
2. Having at least one image in your post leads to more Facebook shares
We’ve all heard experts say that images increase engagement. But that only applies to social posts on Facebook, right? What about actual written content?
What about social meta tags for Facebook?
We were curious to see if publishers who implemented these tags, specifically the preview image, received more Facebook shares on average. We expected this to be true, but we wanted to see how dramatic this difference was.
If you want to control what image Facebook displays when you share a link, you need to add a meta tag to the head section of your article. T
The results of the study showed that articles with the Facebook preview image meta tag were liked and shared more than three times as much as those without the tag.
Use social media tags on every post, along with a photo. The images will determine what potential readers see before they even visit your article.
3. Having at least one image in your post leads to more Twitter shares
Perhaps unsurprisingly, since Facebook social image matters, Twitter is the same.
Adding images to your content and posts will help you get more shares on Twitter as well as Facebook.
4. Invoke awe, laughter, or amusement. Appeal to people’s narcissistic side
We analyzed the top 10,000 most shared articles across the web and found that most of them were associated with positive emotions like joy, amusement, and laughter.
Why do people share things they find funny, interesting, or inspiring? We don’t have a scientific reason for it, but the New York Times did a research study a few years back.
They interviewed 2,500 people to determine the primary reasons they shared a story online. These were the main reasons they found:
- Bring valuable and entertaining content to one another
- Define themselves to others (give people a better sense of who they are)
- Grow and nourish relationships (stay connected with others)
- Self-fulfillment (to feel more involved in the world)
- Get the word out on causes they care about
The first three reasons that awe-inspiring and funny content fulfill are that it brings value to our friends, shows others we have great taste, and spurs conversation and reactions.
People also share for selfish reasons, like narcissism.
In the past eight months, eight out of the top ten most shared articles were quizzes. Seven of them were from BuzzFeed, and one was from the New York Times. Why are quizzes so popular?
When we share our quiz results on social media, it reinforces our identity and ego. Others will learn more about who we are, what we value, and our interests. The last time you shared a quiz, did you think that 90% of your Facebook friends would care? No, but the few who do will know that you’re a cool person.
Letting others know where we stand on an issue lets others know our opinion on the matter.
The bottom line is that quizzes work. People share content that helps them identify who they are. Being controversial may divide the crowds, but those who agree with you are more likely to share your content.
The key to being a good entertainer is to not bore your friends.
5. People love to share lists and infographics
We were curious which content formats people were more likely to share. So we classified each article in our analysis into six types:
- Lists
- Infographics
- How-to articles
- “What” posts (e.g. articles whose title started with the word “What”)
- “Why” posts (e.g. articles that tried to answer a “Why” question)
- Videos
Content types that receive more average shares are lists and infographics.
Interestingly, posts and videos that provide instructions on how to do something are shared less frequently than the average post.
The main reasons people share list posts is because they are easy to read and understand. Lists also help the reader to know what to expect from the article.
Brief visuals help us to understand a lot of data quickly and easily.
No matter what, be certain that your content has lots of pictures or diagrams, so people won’t be overwhelmed by all the text.
One key ingredient for writing successful long-form content is to make it easier to scan. This can be done by structuring it as a list post, using easy to read paragraphs, and employing sub-headlines and bullet points.
6. 10 is the magic number for lists
Ten-item lists on average received the most social shares, with an average of 10,621 social shares.
Lists of 10 are by far the most popular, with four times as many social shares on average than the second most popular list number. The other runner-ups are 16 and 24.
If you want your list post to be successful, try to make it 10 items long.
7. People tend to share content that looks trustworthy
Does trust play a role with content sharing?
To answer, we compared the average number of social shares for two types of content:
- No byline or bio attached to the content
- Articles with a byline or bio
The results show the importance of a byline.
The trustworthiness of a person on social media sites like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+ is implied by their byline.
Although trust may not seem to make a difference on Facebook,
Articles with a byline or bio tend to be shared more often on social media than those without one. This is especially true on Google+, where articles with a byline or bio are shared 42% more often than those without one.
People seem to trust the content they see on Facebook less than on other social media sites, suggesting that users share different types of content on each network. We usually share entertaining, funny content on Facebook with our close friends.
There are different types of social media platforms, each with a different purpose. For example, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+ are mostly used by professionals to connect with each other and build their credibility.
Every post should include a byline at the beginning and a bio at the end to make the content more trustworthy.
8. The captivating campfire storyteller
A story that is well told can evoke strong emotions in the listener, engage them in the story, and get them talking about the story.
According to studies, listening to or reading a good story releases dopamine and oxytocin, which are happiness chemicals, in your brain. In addition, stories also light up your motor cortex, which is the part of the brain responsible for your actions.
Jon Morrow of Smart Blogger is a master blogger who knows how to work touching micro-stories into his content.
The result?
An avalanche of shares and comments.
His post about the 7 life lessons he learned from being unable to move anything but his face generated a lot of online attention.
Impressive, right!?
He shares some major challenges he has gone through to get to where he is:
” It’s been far from easy. I’ve had pneumonia 16 times, recovered from more than 50 broken bones, and spent a significant amount of time in hospitals and doctor’s offices throughout my 34 years.
Although I have been through a lot, I am still here. Not only have I survived my condition, but I have also built a life that most people can only dream about.
Readers are challenged to pursue their dreams in spite of the insurmountable challenges they face.
Here’s how to incorporate stories into your content
- Massage simple but fascinating personal anecdotes into your content to illustrate your points.
- Be vulnerable and share personal stories of your failures so readers see you’re authentic… even Superman has his kryptonite but fans still adore him.
- Target a particular emotion in your story and harp on it.
- Make your audience the hero of the story so they identify with it.
- Tell your audience success stories.
- Follow proven storytelling frameworks like this one.
Weave gripping stories into your content.
Thereafter, you’ll open the shares faucet.
9. The firebrand rabble-rouser
Controversial content triggers a deluge of shares.
A strategic no-holds-barred attack of a popular stance in your niche:
- Evokes a reaction from both supporters (because it reaffirms their beliefs) and detractors (because they want to prove you wrong).
- Attracts the attention of influencers in your niche.
- Allows you to lead the conversation – gives you a voice and recognition in your industry.
Research conducted by the renowned Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania concluded:
Highly surprising, shocking, or exciting content is more likely to be shared than content that elicits low-arousal emotions.
Contrarian content fits the bill perfectly.
Be careful though.
Rabble-rousing means more than just attacking a different opinion. It means taking a stand for what you believe in and not caring how other people react.
Forbes Top 10 B2B marketer and founder of IconiContent Aaron Orendorff has a different view on the popular ‘Follow Your Passion’ maxim.
The post opens with a bold, provocative statement that goes against common advice.
“It’s common wisdom. Across generational lines, sentiments like those from Steve Jobs’ 2005 commencement at Stanford have been engraved into our collective consciousness:
In order to do exceptional work, you have to be passionate about what you do. If you haven’t found your calling yet, keep searching until you find it. Don’t just settle for any old job.
What the author is saying is that it’s not a good idea to “follow your passion.” The advice to “follow your passion” is wrong.
But don’t raise a furor over anything.
That’d make you a jerk.
This is a case of much ado about something that your audience cares deeply about.
Here’s how to write antagonistic content
- Identify a popular stance or approach in your space you feel is wrong.
- Pinpoint exactly what’s wrong and why it misses the mark.
- Show the destructiveness of the prevailing thought.
- Support your argument with research from reputable sources.
- Use case studies to prove your points.
- Attack groups of people you audience hate.
- Point the right way… don’t curse the darkness, switch on the light.
- Share your convictions plainly, confidently, and unashamedly.
- Scared of stirring the pot? Start by writing a manifesto type of post where you focus on articulating your beliefs without poking those with different convictions.
So, start trouble and get people talking… fast.
10. The affable home shopping TV host
Home shopping TV hosts are experts at demonstrating how products work. They always show how the products work precisely and simply, whether it’s a toaster or vacuum cleaner.
They don’t just tell you about the features of the product. They show you how it works and how it can make your life better. They take something mundane like a knife and turn it into something amazing.
Undoubtedly, well done how-to articles are very popular.
They’re evergreen and only need the occasional update.
For example, Mike Allton, a well-known content marketer, author, and speaker, has seen the benefits of how-to long-form content firsthand. One of his blog’s most popular posts is simply titled ‘How To Launch Your Blog’s Podcast.’
The post includes fine details like:
- How to add a new episode
- Setting up iTunes
- Setting up Stitcher
- Setting up Google
- How to promote your podcast
This provides readers with a step-by-step guide that is easy to follow with included screenshots.
Here’s how to write shareable how-to content
- Identify a nagging problem your audience is struggling with.
- Show them step by step how to solve the problem.
- Go deeper and further than most in your guide.
- Use a lot of graphics to make it easy for people to understand.
- Touch both ends of the spectrum, create guides for both beginners and advanced folks in your space.
- Target brand new tools or approaches in your niche and be the first to share a how-to guide on it.
- Identify hidden product features and explain how to use them.
By and large, good well-structured teaching spreads widely.
The most shared content on social media a.k.a viral content
If you’re looking for ways to make your content more shareable, try following these tips: 1. Write content that appeals to your target audience. 2. Make sure your content is high quality and well-written. 3. Use social media to promote your content and get it in front of as many people as possible.
In summary, what’s the psychology of shareable content?
These content types inflame our primal emotions:
Fear, anger, joy, or awe.
By using these recipes, you create an emotional experience for your readers. Emotions that are intense or exciting are more likely to inspire people to share content with others.