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How do you create shareable content?
Creating shareable content involves crafting posts that resonate deeply with your audience and encourage them to pass it along to their own networks. Here’s a guide on how to create content that is likely to be shared on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter:
1. Focus on Emotional Appeal:
- Evoke Strong Emotions: Content that stirs emotions—whether it’s humor, happiness, inspiration, surprise, or even anger—tends to get shared. People share content that makes them feel something strong.
- Relatable and Authentic: Share content that resonates with people’s experiences. When something feels authentic, viewers are more likely to relate to it and share it with others.
2. Create Engaging and Shareable Visuals:
- Images and Videos: Visual content, such as high-quality images, short videos, infographics, and memes, are more likely to be shared. Make sure they are eye-catching and fit the platform’s format.
- Memes and GIFs: Humor is often viral. Memes, GIFs, and funny videos are highly shareable because they provide entertainment value.
- Incorporate Faces: Posts with faces or people, especially when they express emotions, tend to generate more engagement and sharing.
- Text Overlays: Adding text to images or videos, like inspirational quotes, clever lines, or relatable sayings, makes the content easy to digest and share.
3. Provide Value:
- Educational Content: People love to share content that helps others. Educational posts, tips, hacks, and how-to guides are shareable because they provide value and help others learn something new.
- Useful Resources: Offering free resources, like templates, checklists, or guides, is a great way to create shareable content. People love to share useful tools with their networks.
- News and Updates: Share timely or trending news, especially content that informs or impacts your audience. People tend to share breaking news or updates that feel urgent or relevant.
4. Inspire Action or Participation:
- Challenges and Hashtags: Encourage users to participate in a challenge or use a branded hashtag. This can create a sense of community and increase the chances of your content being shared as others take part.
- Polls and Questions: People love to share their opinions. Create interactive content like polls, quizzes, or questions that invite users to engage and share their responses with their friends.
- Contests or Giveaways: Hosting a contest or giveaway where sharing the post is part of the entry can boost shareability. Make sure the prize is enticing and relevant to your audience.
5. Keep it Simple and Easy to Digest:
- Concise and Clear: Avoid over-complicating your content. Keep it concise, clear, and easy to understand. Long, complex content can turn people off, while bite-sized content is more likely to be shared.
- Listicles and Bullet Points: Lists and bullet points make content easier to skim, which increases shareability. They’re also perceived as more valuable and actionable.
6. Tap into Popular Trends:
- Trending Topics: Create content around trending topics, popular memes, viral challenges, or hot issues. People often share content that’s currently relevant and in the conversation.
- Seasonal and Holiday Content: Posts that are tied to holidays, seasons, or cultural events often perform well because they are timely and people love to share festive or relevant content.
7. Create Unique or Unexpected Content:
- Surprise and Delight: People are more likely to share content that surprises them or gives them a “wow” moment. Whether it’s an unexpected twist in a story, a jaw-dropping fact, or an amazing visual, surprises are more likely to be shared.
- Unconventional Content: Content that is out-of-the-box, quirky, or different from the norm often stands out. The more unique the content, the more likely it is to be shared.
8. Encourage Sharing Directly:
- Clear Call to Action: Sometimes, a simple request can boost sharing. A phrase like “Tag a friend who needs to see this” or “Share if you agree” can encourage people to spread the content.
- Use Social Proof: Highlight that others are sharing your content. “Join thousands of others who are already sharing this!” This can create a bandwagon effect.
9. Make It Easy to Share:
- Optimize for Sharing: Ensure your content is easy to share across various platforms. Add social share buttons on websites or blog posts and use shareable image formats (e.g., square for Instagram, landscape for Facebook).
- Encourage Sharing with Incentives: Offering something in return (such as discounts or entry into a prize draw) can be an effective strategy for boosting shares.
10. Create Content That Sparks Conversations:
- Controversial Topics: Content that sparks discussion, even debates, can be very shareable, but be cautious. Controversial content can lead to negative backlash if not handled carefully.
- Open-Ended Questions: Ask questions that spark curiosity and invite people to share their thoughts and opinions. The more discussion your content creates, the more likely it will be shared.
Examples of Shareable Content:
- A funny video with a surprising twist.
- An inspiring quote with an engaging image or video.
- A meme that taps into current trends.
- A life hack or tip that people find useful and will want to share.
- A heartwarming story about an act of kindness or community.
By combining emotional resonance, value, and ease of sharing, you can create content that spreads across social networks, increasing engagement and visibility.
