The Ultimate Goal: How to Get Your Content Shared

From the dawn of the Internet, links have always been an important ranking factor when it comes to search engines. We’ve all heard that the more relevant, inbound links pointing to a Web page, the better the chances are for that page to show up in search results with targeted keywords.

Obviously, social media signals can now be an important ranking factor as well. When sharing content links through social media, it tells search engines that content is beneficial. This racks up your ranking points.

Consequently, it’s no longer good enough simply to produce content these days. Thanks to social media, the content you produce will catch more eyes and, thus, higher rankings in search engines when shared.

Hopefully now you’re feeling pumped up about the prospects that lay ahead for your content with the new tools of the Internet! But, alas, there is never any surefire way to ensure that your content will be shared. That’s why it’s important to do what we can and keep stoking the fire under our content. Here are a few tips that can increase the chances of Internet sharing:

Provide Value

Well, duh. When it comes to creating content, this may seem like the most clearly stated rule. But it’s surprising how many businesses concentrate more on quantity than quality. Think about it, what factors do you take into consideration when sharing or promoting something? People are only going to share something if they get something out of it. Is it interesting, informative, or entertaining? If nothing piques their interest, they won’t care, and they certainly won’t pass it along. Always strive to create something that “hits home.” This obviously requires research and time to dedicate to the task. But hard work always pays off in the end!

Include Share Buttons

First let me state that if blogging isn’t part of your content strategy, it should be. If you answered yes to that statement, let me ask you this: Have you installed share buttons on your blog? A great tool that I see increasingly on blogs I follow is the floating share box. It stays in the same spot on the page even as the user scrolls down as they read. Why is this so useful? Because even if the user liked the content, that person may not scroll all the way back up to the top to hit “Like.” However, if it’s right there in front of them at all times, they might be more likely to click. It’s important to keep tools simple and make it as easy as possible for someone to share the content.

Share It Yourself

Take initiative! There’s nothing wrong with getting the ball rolling on your own. Share links to your created content across your established Web network channels (link-backs, social media, e-mail newsletters, etc). Go beyond just posting links and include a brief explanation about the content and why it should be read and shared. When sharing your own content, keep in mind that it’s important to consider timing factors, such as when followers are most likely to share and re-tweet. This tactic will take some trial and error to find the right time, and industries vary greatly.

Share Work of Others

Let’s do some math: Sharing involves two parties to make a two-way street. Feel free to go beyond with multiple parties! You can’t expect others to share all of your work if you never take the time to share anyone’s work other than your own. When deciding what to share from others, the same sharing rules apply—you should only share content that you got something out of and feel confident that your followers will also appreciate. Sharing the work of others proves that you understand that the sharing facet is in essence about establishing a community.

Posted By: Bettina Johnson