It’s the age-old question that haunts writers of the World Wide Web, constantly on the minds of every user around the globe: how do I get my content to go viral? While there are a plethora of resources describing the benefits of SEO, perfectly inserted keywords, and other technical aspects, the main idea remains constant – you have to get people to want to read your content. It’s that simple.
Step #1: Join the SEO Obsession
Business owners and bloggers alike have trouble writing something that people want to read, mainly due to the fact that their brand can’t seem to generate enough awareness. They may have written a piece of gold that could benefit thousands of interested readers, but how can a brand-new company achieve a massive audience right away?
The answer is through SEO. Search Engine Optimization is just that – using small traffic success factors to make your site pop up on the first page of a search engine. SEO involves using keywords to help increase site traffic, but your content also has to generate traffic on its own. SEO isn’t something that can be bought – especially after Google’s Pigeon update, which improved its algorithms to impact local search rankings. Google has since come out with other updates, all of which slightly change the landscape of SEO.
Keeping up with current SEO techniques is important in maintaining a highly visible spot on search engines. You can become SEO-savvy by reading up on what it is, how it works, and how your website can undergo its own optimization (often by investing in user experience). Boosting the number of users hitting your site is the only way to effectively increase your SEO.
This is where the common phrase “content is king” came from. Search engines look for sites with content that fills the reader’s needs and beyond. Content needs to be rich and informative while still entertaining the reader. It needs to have a clear takeaway.
Creating great content isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. Gone are the days when business was conducted by stopping by offices or making phone calls. Today, buyers undoubtedly take to the Internet first, and are expecting to find all of the information they need laid out in an attractive, cohesive, and user-friendly website. Search engines look for this in your content, and if you fail to deliver, it will hurt your SEO and ultimately limit the number of people who see your site.
Step #2: Pick up Some Tricks of the Trade
There are certain things you can do on your site that have been proven to increase site traffic. For instance, people prefer positive content to negative content. This can mean reshaping your entire blog, or simply choosing affirmative actions in lieu of negative ones: “Few people” instead of “Not many people.” Avoiding negative words can do wonders to increase the readability of your page and promote reader engagement.
Staying consistent is another tip when trying to organically increase your views. If your content is constantly on point, and you update your blog on a regular basis, your posts are sure to build attention. It may not happen immediately, but a website that wows time and time again will undoubtedly end up picking up crowds.
Linking your content to other social media platforms is another surefire way to spread awareness. The more your content is shared across social media, the more viral it will become. There are easy ways to integrate social media into your website. Not only does integration increase the number of times your content is shared, but it also proves to readers your content can be accessed through multiple channels.
You don’t have to be an expert social media marketer to effectively use popular platforms. But having a deep understanding of the audience you need to target will help you choose which platforms are best for your company. For example, if your ideal audience is 30-year-olds and younger, Instagram might be your best bet. Keep up with the demographics of social media to ensure your content is reaching the right people at the right time.
Step #3: Add Your Own Secret Ingredient
There’s no foolproof cocktail that guarantees your content will go viral, but you can optimize your chances with the right blend of following and breaking the rules. Once you understand the rules of content writing, you can bend and mold them to fit your own specific vision. Nobody wants to read the same pseudo-intellectual persona ramble on about the benefits of choosing their company. Make your brand unique by adding your own personal flair.
One company that’s reinvented the rules of content writing is Apple, which uses almost no actual writing on their website. Instead, they use beautiful imagery and short, few-word blurbs about their products. They keep their website minimal, offering only what the reader actually needs. They know what their audience is expecting and are able to deliver without unnecessary filler. What works for your website depends on the product or type of service you’re advocating.
Readers want to see personality and emotion in your content, and buyers want to feel that a company truly understands them. Mixing your own personality with your content writing is the number one way to achieve this naturally and effectively. Creating content that goes viral is in your hands – it just takes a little internet know-how, persistence, and that special something that only you have.