Have you ever wondered how content receives viral shares? Have you witnessed mediocre articles go viral, while your content remains un-shared? Below is the secret formula for the perfect viral share!
The Basic Elements:
You want to create compelling content! Before you begin, however, you need to know:
- What do you want to say?
- How do you want to say it?
Consider also the cognitive impact. A study found that an article from the NY Times was most likely to be emailed if the impact was practical, interesting and/or surprising.
Positive Emotions:
According to a study of over 100 million articles by Buzzsumo, content that evokes awe, amusement and laughter, receive the most social shares.
Research:
Both studies consistently found that in-depth, long form content performs better than short content. Meaning, 3,000-10,000 word articles receive the most social shares while 0-1,000 word articles receive the least.
What should you do?
- 2000 words per post
- Maximize readability of long articles
The more readable, the better. According to Buzzsumo, the most shares go to…
- Infographics
- “Top” Lists
- “Why” Posts
- “What” Posts
- How-to’s
- Videos
10 is the perfect number in the content equation!
Balancing the Equation:
- Optimize visuals for social sharing.
- Optimize a catchy headline
- Include a byline
Publishing Your Work:
- Consult the experts
- Share at the right time
- Revisit old content
Source: (Gryffin.)