Ever wonder what makes certain content go viral and get shared so much? Mostly luck, with a hint of underlying science, a dash of timing and a soupcon of creativity. Yeah, it’s true. There’s no magic formula for going viral. But, we do have some mega insights on the most commonly shared posts on Facebook that will help you improve post engagement.
Ready to brew up some insanely shareable posts for your business? Let’s dive into the main ingredients of those popular posts:
Type of Posts
Variety of content is key. Mixing it up to include lists, “how to” articles, infographics and educational posts will keep readers engaged and coming back for more. Want them to share? Surprise them with some compelling images and stats. People love to share lists and infographics because they are easy to digest and skim-friendly but longer, in-depth posts are actually shared more often…which brings us to length.
Length
Although you may assume that shorter, bite-sized posts (like funny memes and fluffy cat pictures) will satisfy people’s short attention spans, according to research, the opposite is true. On average, longer form content actually gets more social shares than short content. In fact, the longer the content, the more shares it gets! These findings were consistent with what researchers discovered about the most emailed posts in The NY Times: longer articles were more likely to be emailed than shorter articles.
You’re better off promoting an epic piece of blog content instead of posting another fluffy piece. You’ll stand out and be seen as an industry expert that people will trust.
Trust and Trends
Trust. Not all posts are created equally. One of the main key ingredients of getting people to actually click on and share your post is to include a catchy preview message. You want this message to be enticing but also relevant to the content the reader can expect to find on the other end of the link.
And be sure to take advantage of trends. Trends are our friend. In-vogue topics will definitely increase engagement with your audience…just be sure to deliver what you’re promoting and do it consistently.
Inspiration and Images
Boost engagement and inspire your audience with quotes and visually compelling images. Businesses that implement a Facebook preview image with their blog post have up to 3 times as many more Facebook shares and likes than those who don’t. The question is, do you know where to find these professional photos that relate to your post, are sized appropriately and stir up emotion? We do and we’ll take care of that for you!
Emotions
People share things that inspire awe and will bring value. The New York Times did an intensive research study a few years ago; they interviewed 2500 people to determine the primary reasons they shared a story online. These were the main reasons:
- To bring valuable and entertaining content to one another
- To define themselves to others (give people a better sense of who they are)
- To grow and nourish relationships (stay connected with others)
- For self-fulfillment (to feel more involved)
- To get the word out on causes they care about
Professional Blog Content from Post Café
Of course, one of the main prerequisites to increasing shared posts on Facebook widely is to write professional content. And Post Café can whip those up for you so your audience stays engaged and shares away!
