Every day, marketers churn out online content in the form of blogs, photos, videos, recipes, promotions and more. It’s great when these masterpieces reach your audience effectively, but it’s even better when your content is shared with your audience’s network of friends and family that aren’t already a part of your brand community online.
So, how do you know if your online content is worth sharing? People share information on their various social media feeds for the same reasons they share information in real life – to build relationships, exchange information and proclaim their individuality. Often, content is shared most when people identify with it. If your content incorporates any of the following characteristics, it will be that much more “shareable:”
It strikes an emotion.
It’s hard not to share something that carries emotional resonance, especially high energy emotions like humor or anger, according to a report from SEO Moz. Though stirring up anger among your audience might not be the best idea for your fresh produce brand, making people laugh establishes rapport and creates memorability. Another way to strike an emotion? Cause marketing. Try aligning your brand with a cause for your next promotion, or consider getting behind one of these fresh produce-centric campaigns.
It’s provocative or polarizing.
People share biased content because they agree, disagree or don’t know how they feel about it and sharing it starts a conversation that helps establish or reinforce a stance on the matter. And let’s be honest. Some people share content just to get a reaction from others. Again, you may not want to start sharing politically-fuelled posts, in fact we highly recommend NOT to, but you may consider finding ways to share your sustainability story or information on how your crops are grown in a way that stimulates conversation.
It defines people.
This is one reason memes became so popular and still dominate much of the digital space. Whenever someone shares a meme, it’s as if they’re saying “Hey, look! That’s me!” For example, as marketers, we got a kick out of the meme to the right and wanted to share it. Just like this meme does, marketers should identify truths about their audience and publish material based on those truths. Content that portrays an audience as they want to be seen helps people define themselves to the rest of the world and is more likely to be shared. Bonus points if you can strike an emotion while doing it!
It’s useful.
Infographics, research and content that provides practical value are likely to be shared among an audience that looks for actionable benefits. For fresh produce marketers, these sharers could be home chefs and food bloggers looking for recipes and product tips or fellow professionals looking for cost savings tips or thought leadership. Marketers should provide meaningful takeaways and their audience will likely pass them along (if for no other reason than to make themselves look smart).
CONTENT CREATION TIP! Find a recipe that works and keep serving it.
Take comfort in knowing that creating shareable content for the web doesn’t have to be a one-time sleep-depriving, stomach-knotting, early-aging process. As Katie Richman of ESPNW says, enough with the “build and trash it cycle.” You can share your own shareable content again and again. Start by identifying what has worked well for you in the past and tweak it and re-share. For example, if a graphic promoting how to make avo toast was shared 50+ times on Facebook, perhaps a similar one should be created for another recipe.
Need more help creating content that is epically shareable? Download our Content Trumps All content creation guide and learn how to generate material that empowers your audience and positions you as valuable resource!
