When fans share your blog posts on social media, it can drive more traffic to your website, helping to boost your stats and grow your audience. However, social shares aren’t easy to earn — most people share only a small number of the blog posts (and other content) they encounter.
So, how can you increase the chances of fans sharing your blog posts to their social channels? Here are five ways to write more shareable content.
1. Choose the right topics
First and foremost, the topic of your blog posts will play a big part in determining whether people want to share them. You can use Google Trends to identify trending topics or Buzzsumo to find topics that have performed well on social media. You can also analyze your own website statistics to see what articles have performed well historically.
You’ll want to consider the emotional reaction your fans will have to the content, as well. Research from Promo found that social users are more likely to share content that makes them laugh or that inspires awe. To this end, a funny or inspirational story will garner more shares than a sad one.
2. Use shareable formats
There are a number of content formats commonly used for blog posts, including lists, how-to pieces, infographics, and so on. However, some formats are more likely to be shared than others.
Promo’s research identified that infographics get the highest average number of shares, followed closely by listicles. Notably, “why” posts — those that explain or offer context for various topics — ranked third. By using these formats as you write blog posts, you can increase their likelihood of being shared on social media.
3. Consider your industry
Further, certain article formats perform better in specific industries, according to Convince & Convert.
For example, long-form listicle articles work well for tech or home blogs, whereas how-to articles get shared the most in the food and hospitality sector. These findings show that you should keep industry trends in mind as you plan your content calendar.
4. Write a good headline
Your headlines are just as important as your content, and as such, it’s important to take time to craft compelling titles. After all, people typically decide whether or not to click on an article based on the headline — and if they don’t click, they won’t share.
With that in mind, here are some tips on writing better headlines:
- Include numbers or data in the title
- Grab people’s attention by being unique, urgent, and/or useful
- Use “power words” — words that pack an emotional punch
- Avoid confusing words and phrasing
5. Include images and video
High-quality, relevant visuals can make your blog posts more appealing for social sharing. Most social media sites pull your blog post’s main photo to use as a thumbnail, so you’ll want this image to be engaging.
Additionally, video content is increasingly popular among social media users. Promo notes that 85 percent of the top-shared Facebook posts in 2017 were videos. Bottom line? If you’re trying to create shareable content, video is a safe bet.
When you follow these tips, you’ll increase the likelihood that visitors will share your content on their social media, helping to get your website in front of more potential fans.
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