There is no denying it. Social media can help make or break a business, especially a small-business startup. And one of the keys to success with social media is to get other people to share your content.
In fact, according to a study by Shareaholic, in 2014, social media shares drove more traffic to websites than did search engines.
Here are some tips on making your content sharable:
New York-based digital brand strategist Thierry Augustin advises clients to focus on three key factors when crafting their content experience. ?Sharing happens when content is cohesive, consistent and compelling. Every touch point that serves as an extension of your business should have a unifier, usually found in the brand voice. Whether you’re communicating primarily via text, images or video, each platform should share a common thread,? says Augustin.
Share it yourself. Get the work out first yourself and others will follow your lead. Also, ask your readers/followers to share.
Make your content alluring by using strong headlines and images. And keep it short and simple. ?If you want people to pass along items from your website or your web address itself, make sure that you keep the site short and to the point. Attention spans are short and people think and act on ?content? bites. You don?t want to ?overload? your website visitor with TMI (too much information),? advises Alan N. Canton, managing partner of NewMedia Create which creates websites.
Also, know who you are trying to reach with your content. ?The success of social media is due to the ability to build trust remotely. Pushing a cohesive message at a regular pace keeps you available for customer interaction. And lastly, it should be compelling. If you’ve taken the time to create a target profile across the social networks your business engages in, then the marketing assets should resonate with a specific person. It should speak to their particular demographic, values and motivations. The more targeted, the increased likelihood of it being shared. There is also a greater chance of your site influencing a decision (for the sharer or someone else who may see the content) at the point of purchase. If you’ve kept these factors in mind when brainstorming, producing, scheduling and releasing content, revenue will be an organic byproduct,? Augustin points out.
You can get your content shared if you give people a reason to share. So ?increase the pay off,? advises Rod Brown, COO of Oncelogix and Creator of the #LeadorLose Series. You do this, he says, by offering such incentives as discounts, specials and contests. ?Include your customers. Let them feel that they’re a part of what you?re doing and they will share it,? suggests Brown.
Make sure to update your content regularly, And one way to do so is to feature posts by guest bloggers.? Have evergreen content as well. ?Create content that lives longer than a week… keep your message consistent and precise,? says Brown.
It?s also a good idea to let your followers know you appreciate them. Recognize your followers. ?Give your customers personal shout outs, ask questions and create genuine dialogue,? says Brown.
Besides getting more exposure, having your content shared could lead to increased revenue as it could generate more customers.
