5 Things That Make Shareable Content

It’s not enough for your business to have its own website. The Internet is infinite, unlike the mall, and there’s no guarantee people will stumble over your storefront even if they are looking for it. You need to make your business more visible (such as through SEO) and the first step is to make shareable content.
Content sharing is the online equivalent of word-of-mouth. It can be inexpensive, it happens organically, and it’s one of the best ways for people to hear about you. Because the news spreads among friends and family, it is trusted more than from any other source. Your website should have content that’s easy to read and share. It must be high-quality so people will value it and bookmark it. Later you can introduce a comment system to help your audience respond and create a community. But first focus on engaging content.

1. Appealing Headlines
The headline is the first thing your audience will read, so make it attractive. At the same time, keep it accurate. It’s one thing to emphasize the most interesting parts and another to oversell them entirely. Whatever the headline promises, the content must deliver, or it’s empty clickbait. Remember, getting people to click is the first step. You also want them to share the experience, so make it a good one. There’s always something new on the Internet, but content that’s relevant and well-written will always be in demand.

2. Useful Information
Your content must be a resource for others. It must add value in some way, even if it’s just entertainment value. Never underestimate stuff that makes people laugh. On the other hand, you don’t always need to be funny, not if you have something people need to hear. Give them the benefit of your expertise. Help them discover things. Allow them to learn from each other. Sharing knowledge leads to shared experience which leads to bonding.

3. Readable Text
Web content must be formatted properly. Fonts can’t be too large or too small, and must never be too colourful. Text should be broken into paragraphs, paragraphs should not be too long or too short, and there should be headings and subheadings to keep things organized. This is all for the sake of readability. It doesn’t matter how well-written an article is if it’s hard to digest. Proper formatting can be the difference between content that’s shared and content that’s not, and you needn’t be a graphic designer to get the basics right.

4. Relevant Images
There are only so many things you can do with text. Pretty soon you’re going to want to add photos and videos. Charts and graphs aren’t out of the question, not if they can clarify your message or present it in a different way. Telling the story in pictures and captions helps draw people in. Making sure to use alt tags does the same for search engines. Images add interest. They’re attention-grabbers especially when you’re posting on sites like Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

5. Timely Topics
Debate over current events is another thing that draws people to websites. Few things can get your audience more involved than taking a stand on something they have strong opinions about. In their rush to defend their beliefs they’ll mention your content to everyone they know. This is risky, though, and can easily blow up in your face. Don’t jump in unless you’re ready to have your website (and your business) rebranded as controversial. People will react harshly, so make sure you can support your position with solid evidence and a logical chain of thought.