How to Create a Content Sharing Funnel

It’s a well-known fact that different audiences respond to different types of content. If you want to create a content sharing funnel with your website, it’s important to create content in varying formats. Posting in different ways can help engage multiple segments of your audience.

In this post, we’ll cover what you need to know to create content that resonates with the various types of visitors to your website and gets them to spread the word about your brand.

Create content worth sharing

Good content starts with creating quality information in different types of posts. Content sharing starts with good, high-value information. Carve out a niche with what you publish. Instead of posting random types of content, your blog or website should focus on a certain topic area that’s an authority on that subject.

Then, establish a rhythm for posting. Publishing content on a regular schedule can help visitors connect more. Research shows that there’s a relationship between how often a company posts and its website traffic.

Key types of content

Once you have a good idea of the type of information you want to publish and with what frequency, the goal is to create content sharing options.

Create content using a variety of content types to engage your audience. You can even use and reuse information in multiple content types.

Key types of content include:

• Listicles are a good way to drive traffic to a website. Headlines such as “7 Ways to Create Great Content” will drive users to click through and learn more. Listicles include a short opening and information in a numbered list.
• How-to posts engage users that want more information on a specific topic. This content should be easy to read and provide detailed instructions about something. This content type includes short paragraphs, often in a bulleted format.
• Interview-style content is a deep dive into a subject or person and usually feels exclusive. It can be a content sharing gold mine with the right interviews. Interview content often includes plenty of quotes and paragraph-style storytelling.
• Longform content will keep users on a website for the longest period of time. Superior longform content such as ebooks or white papers can be valuable enough that users will provide an email address to access them. This content type includes long blocks of copy.
• Checklists are designed for the DIY-minded user. Checklists often include a short introduction and then a bulleted list of items to check off.
• Video is one of the best ways to get information out on social media. However, some of your audience might not listen to sound or watch to the end. Motion graphics and sound might be the most powerful combination when it comes to content sharing. Search Engine Journal reports that by 2020, more than 80 percent of all web traffic will include video content. Make the most of video by pairing it with a transcript or text highlights so that users can see or read the content.
• Infographics feature a few key data points in a visual format, and they can be highly engaging. The key to a solid infographic is providing relevant information in a visual and digestible way.

Choose the right type of content

Which type of content is best? That all depends on who you’re trying to reach.

While there’s no magic formula, certain types of content appeal to some audiences more than others.

• New users: listicles, how-to posts, video
• Content sharing links: video, infographics, checklists, listicles
• Loyal users: interview-style content, long-form, listicles
• Visitors looking for deeper information: how-to posts, long-form, interview-style content, infographics, video

Once you’ve created the right type of content for a specific audience, don’t forget to make it easy to share. Customize your blog’s sharing options in My Site > Sharing. The sharing option includes buttons for the most popular social networks.

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