10 Ways to Make Your Social Media Content Go Viral

Devising original, informative, relevant, and unique online content (e.g., blog posts, photos, updates, and videos) is always a challenge for marketers.  However, creating content people will respond to and share is an important part of becoming successful as a brand on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

How you create content that is both engaging and brand-appropriate is up to you. But understanding what tends to go viral may help.   Voltier Digital came up with a clever and informative infographic on “Understanding Viral Content Marketing.”  Among other useful tips were 10 reasons why people share content online.  The types of content that gets shared has one or more of these characteristics…

1. It’s funny.

2. It’s stunningly unbelievable or incredible.

3. It strikes an emotional chord.

4. It reflects a mutually shared opinion.

5. It’s thought-provoking.

6. It’s newsworthy, but wasn’t covered by the mainstream media.

7. It’s positive, upbeat, or heartwarming. It will make someone smile.

8. It’s intense.  There is an element of drama to it.

9. It’s embarrassing.

10. It’s sexually risque (but not over-the-top).

Do these observations inform the way you plan to share content for your business or nonprofit in 2011?  What success tips can you share?