Content marketing, in its many forms, is highly competitive. There are endless pages of content out there in the form of articles, videos, infographics, polls, images and more, that it can be difficult to get your voice heard and stand out from the crowd.
Obviously, having a large international reach helps content marketers to get their content out there and even to get it viral. But for smaller businesses and entrepreneurs that publish content on a regular basis, it can be difficult for that content to receive extensive likes, comments and shares.
In this article we will address some of the most prominent factors that influence whether or not your content will go viral. Read on to discover more…
1. Amplify your content’s reach
It’s no good simply creating amazing content and expecting it to do the hard work for you. In our competitive landscape, you need to get the word out there about your content, and that means promoting it (and promoting it some more) and raising awareness of it through sharing.
Use your social media platforms, to spread the word about your latest content. Create email marketing newsletters and email your subscribers with your latest content. Studies have found that a failure to amplify your content equates with a failure for that content to go viral - which of course makes sense! So the more exposure your content receives, the more likely it is to get a high level of shares, likes and comments.
2. Be opinionated, insightful and authoritative
Content with strong opinions and heavy levels of research was also found to drive higher levels of engagement. Produce high-quality content on a regular, consistent basis but also uncover research into the latest developments in your area of expertise. If content is backed by research, reporting and statistics, it is far more likely to be shared, liked and commented on because people perceive that content as valuable, trustworthy and respectable.
3. Specific formats are more likely to go viral
A test carried out by Moz and BuzzSumo found that list posts, ‘why’ posts and videos were more likely to receive a high level of both shares and links. People like to be engaged in the most interesting, compelling manner and plain text simply isn’t enough nowadays to produce viral content.
Closing thoughts...
Getting people to like, comment on and link to your content is no easy feat! But by creating rich, valuable content that is backed by research, well-written and written with your audience at the forefront of your mind, your content will be far more likely to go the extra mile!
How can we help?
Here at 8 Ways Media we know all about the importance of producing compelling, traffic-generating content - in all its formats. If you're feeling stuck and need some inspiration, get in touch and let our team of experts guide you through our many available services.
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