Our team had the chance to stop by Toronto’s DX3 conference on March 5 for Eric Harris’ keynote speech. The EVP of Business Operations at BuzzFeed shared some of the site’s secrets to viral success. While science plays a big part in it (tracking analytics and making predictions) there’s a fine art behind content too.
People are more likely to share content if it has:
Inspiration
People are more likely to share inspiring content than embarrassing. Check out “A Love Story in 22 Pictures.”
Identity
Even though a small majority of your audience might fit into a certain identity, you should still publish content that resonates with those who have a unique identity. Think of people who are left-handed—they’re going to share humorous posts because it communicates who they are. Check out “14 Reasons School is Basically Torture for Left-Handed People.”
Humour
People share content that’s funny because it makes you look good plus it’s a great way to share a laugh with a friend or colleague.
Cute animals
They deserve respect and if you don’t laugh at Basset Hounds running or cute kittens, you’re not human. No one’s embarrassed to share this content either—it can be shared with anyone.
Nostalgia
People love to be brought back to a simpler time and be reminded of their childhood. Nostalgia is a great way to communicate and share memories with people on your Facebook page (who have probably been with you for a long time).
BONUS:
Intelligent articles
Anything that makes you look smart.
Mobile
Don’t ignore mobile. Most people sleep with their phone and check it when they go to bed and when they wake up.
-Brittany Mahaney
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