In the tumultuous realm of social media, content is king but… how to create content your audience will share more?  Content holds the key to spurring more social interactions and traffic and that tidal wave leads to better monetization opportunities. The only problem is that the process of creating, publishing, and promoting content is rather resource-intensive.  So, how to witness your profiles being hit by an avalanche of shares and likes without going out of your way?

Well, to pierce through the immense online noise, what you need is top-notch content capable of sparking and retaining attention, as well as evoking emotion. It needs to make people feel or look better. That is no small feat, but do not fret. Here is a guide on how to hit it big with your content strategy.

How to Create Content Your Audience Will Share?

Wings of desire

Social media is a vast and booming ecosystem, where content creators and publishers have a chance to make waves. The million-dollar question that preoccupies them is what makes the content shareable. Well, humans, as social beings, are susceptible to several psychological triggers that prompt them to put their mark on approval on a certain post.
Notice right away that this decision is much more than a brief move of the finger: it is an embodiment of an innate desire to express oneself and be part of something bigger.
Thus, the first sharing trigger is a want to look good in front of others. In a way, every post is a social currency people evaluate and they do not want to pass on something that does not increase personal value and image. The tricky thing is that there are many ways to hit this note— with something interesting, educative, inspirational, trendy, insightful, entertaining, etc. The common thread, though, can be traced to the allure of the “Look what I found” discovery moment.

Hitting the mark

Namely, the experience of agencies involved in professional social media marketing has shown that the majority of users prefer content that is interesting to posts that ooze importance. It seems that people deem the act of sharing interesting posts a testimony of their own compelling personality. It satisfies their utmost urge to be recognized and appreciated.
So, to gain traction, you might want to give followers something that makes them look cool. Dive deeper into lakes of data and find lesser-known statistics and obscure facts. Present authoritative numbers and uplifting quotes. Heartwarming stories, practical advice, and behind-the-scenes content also do the trick.
Another psychological factor at play is the wish to get behind a good cause. After all, sharing is, among other things, the act of giving support to people and issues one cares about and believes in. The click costs nothing, yet induces a sense of satisfaction. This is to say you need to let others know what you stand for. Find local initiatives and causes that are aligned with your brand identity, mission, and value proposition. Anticipate global campaigns that are about to come into the spotlight and show your commitment to them.
Be honest and consistent across different platforms and channels. Always take a stance and do not shy away from controversy. Sometimes, playing it too safe can be the riskiest thing to do.

Visual content stealing the show

Furthermore, note that some types of content perform better than others. In recent years, step-by-step guides, “How To” articles, and lists reign supreme. You can hardly go wrong with these content staples. Another prominent trend is the meteoric rise of visual and multimedia content. For instance, one study found that Tweets with static images attract 150% more shares than text-only counterparts. And believe it or not, social videos tend to generate 1,200% more shares than text and images combined.
This comes as a small surprise to those who know that 90% of the information our brain processes is actually visual content. Hence, the future is not just digital, but visual as well. To capitalize on this fact, start crafting high-quality videos, photos, images, and infographics. One other trend worth noting is ephemeral content, which was pioneered by Snapchat and now drives Instagram Stories. It is the form of visual content that lasts a limited period of time until disappears. This window of opportunity triggers FOMO and fosters a feeling of exclusivity and uniqueness.
The list of surefire tactics goes on, so explore all the avenues. We have just one final piece of advice before we conclude. Namely, bear in mind that social media is an insatiable beast. It needs to be constantly fed, so come up with a steady stream of posts without compromising on quality. Establish a content calendar and stick to it. Turn your viewers and readers into devoted advocates and brand ambassadors sharing your messages around.

Time to work your content magic

People these days will not share just anything. They are more cautious and discerning than ever before and you cannot sink a lot of resources into something that falls on deaf ears. The best shot you have is to focus your strategy on top-performing content and ensure the psychology of sharing works to your full advantage.
To make it happen, deliver true value in the form of uplifting, engaging, and helpful posts. Enable people to score social points and elevate themselves. Make a powerhouse name out of your brand and show the world who you really are.  May that reflection gives people a glimpse of who they want to be. Following these steps, you should be able to start swimming in social signals galore and get that snowball of traffic, revenue, and backlinks going.

See also: 10 Ideas To Promote Your Content Using Social Media Marketing