5 Ways to Make Your Content Go Viral

Writing a viral article is not an easy task.

You can write about something you're passionate about and then boost it—and still not get the number of views or shares you hoped for.

While there is no surefire formula for generating thousands or millions of shares, there are many techniques that will almost always yield better results than simply sharing your posts on social media and hoping for the best.

If this is the case, why not try some tried-and-true internet marketing strategies our SEO marketing experts use to create irresistibly shareable articles?

To help you become a web sensation, here are seven things you probably didn't know that can help increase the number of views and shares your articles receive.

1. Create thoroughly researched long-form content.

Although it may appear obvious, there are many different definitions of long-form content. Some content marketers consider articles longer than 700 words to be long-form. In contrast, others believe articles must be longer than 1,800 words. For the sake of argument, let us assume that long-form content refers to articles of 1,200 words or more.

Ultimately, creating long-form content will get you more of what you want:

• More online visibility (social shares, backlinks, views)
• More evidence of your authority and industry expertise.
• More material for community building and engagement.

If you want to create long-form content, you need to take note of the following:

• Outline your goals: Your goals will define how you execute the project and hold you accountable for its success or failure. ‍
• Choose between gated and ungated access: Gated content requires people to provide an email address (or other information) to download your content, whereas ungated content is freely accessible. Our Florida SEO marketing experts always vote for ungated content because the long-term value of having something open and sharable outweighs a few email addresses. ‍
• Select your topic wisely: Consider your keywords and search queries, as well as your existing analytics, target audience, and competition. ‍
• Do it yourself or hire a professional: Quality will make your content shine whether you do it in-house or hire a freelancer. High-quality articles may come at a high cost. But readable, expert content can mean the difference between content that converts and content that pushes readers away from a brand.

2. Make a catchy headline and a compelling story.

The headline is one of the most critical aspects of your content because it can make or break a story. To ensure that your readers stick with you from beginning to end, craft a headline that will pique their interest and persuade them to continue reading.

If you don't have time to develop great ideas for each blog post, or if you need some inspiration, try making a headline swipe file. These websites have dozens of awesome blog post title templates and even a blog topic generator:

• Kickass Headline Generator: When you arrive at this generator, you are presented with five different headline categories from which to choose. Each category has a unique set of inputs to help you create an informative blog title that fits your blogging goals.
• Hubspot Blog Ideas Generator: You can enter up to five nouns at once, and HubSpot will generate new blog titles for you to use. It does, however, give you less control over the titles and how they are generated. ‍
• Portent Content Idea Generator: This is another powerful blog idea generator that you can use right away. Simply enter your keyword, and the generator will provide you with an almost infinite supply of blog titles. ‍
• Topic Blog Idea Generator: Unlike the other generators, this tool generates each blog title using GPT-3. For those unfamiliar with GPT-3, it is an API that uses deep learning to generate text that appears to have been written by a human. ‍
• How Engaging Is Your Headline: Instead of generating blog titles, this tool assigns a score to your blog title based on 300 different variables. In addition to the score, they suggest making your blog title more appealing or engaging.

3. Use powerful words to evoke emotions.

In today's world, content that evokes positive emotions such as awe, laughter, and amusement is far more popular than content that evokes sadness.

According to an unprecedented study conducted by social psychologist Jonah Berger, news stories that evoke “high-arousal emotions” (e.g., anxiety, joy) are always shared more than ones that evoke "low-arousal emotions” (e.g., sadness).

Berger concluded that viral content elicits six emotions:

• awe
• anger
• surprise
• anxiety/fear
• joy
• lust

RELATED: 244 Insanely Powerful Words That Sell in Emotional Marketing

4. Increase audience engagement by using eye-catching visuals.

It usually only takes a few seconds for someone to decide whether they want to continue browsing your site or move on. What is essential is the first impression, which is heavily influenced by the visual elements you use.

Aside from selecting a color palette and font combination that best communicates your message, your color scheme can account for up to 60% of your site's approval rating. It's also critical to break up text-heavy content with images, infographics, and videos.

However, simply adding a visual is insufficient. It must be relevant and meaningful to your brand and audience. And it must dazzle—or at the very least impress—your audience.

Our Florida SEO marketing experts recommend the following types of visuals for your content:

• Static visuals: Audiences are swamped with a lot of info and data. Bite-sized visual/text combos, such as cards or infographics, will catch their attention.
• Explainer videos: Short videos are helpful for explaining a single concept. They allow for more information to be received in less time than an all-text explanation.
• Authentic images: Overly polished, plastic visuals dominate some social feeds. Make a statement with images that depict real-life situations and emotions. Your target demographic will be more likely to identify with your brand. ‍
• Photo and video collages: Collages are compelling because they are simple to create and draw attention. If you’re not sure where to start with these, you can create a new visual by combining images or videos that you already have (or have access to.)

5. Get influencers to promote your content.

Having someone share or retweet your content is a quick way to increase your views. Simply ask them for a quote to use in your article or link to a piece they wrote on your topic of interest to involve them in creating your content.

Reaching out to these social media heavyweights—possibly even interviewing them—increases the likelihood that they will retweet or share content created by them.

RELATED: How to Find the Best Micro-Influencers for Your Business

Want to Learn More About Making Your Content Go Viral?

There isn't a magic formula for creating viral content. However, you can increase your chances of going viral by first researching your target audience. Determine what motivates them and what makes your article or piece of content "shareable."

Examine examples of viral content from your industry's creators and determine what made them so famous. What can you learn from previous successful campaigns, and how can you improve on them?

Don't let the process of creating content overwhelm you.

Check out Digital Resource's Florida SEO marketing services if you're having trouble finding inspiration or need help setting clear marketing goals.

Contact us today for a free consultation.