The eBiz Blog

It seems simple. You create content. Your users share it with their networks. You get Web traffic.

Yet for many website owners, that’s not happening. They are spending hours creating content, sharing it on their social media feeds, and then watching it wither and die. It’s enough to make some business owners want to go back to sending out direct mail.

Before you start stocking up on stamps, think about your content strategy and honestly assess whether you are doing everything you can to get users to share your content. Yes, there’s a lot of information out there. But if you leverage it correctly, your content can rise to the top of the information heap. When you’re planning with your web development service to build your website, keep these rules in mind.

Rule #1: Don’t Be Boring

Again, this seems simple, but this is the most common reason content isn’t shared. Think about the posts you see going viral on your feeds and what you share with your networks. You don’t share stuff you think is boring. You share things that are funny, clever, emotional or thought-provoking. That’s what you need to create. It means moving away from strictly promotional blogs and into more interesting topics - as well as videos, infographics and photos.

Text only blogs and social media posts are almost totally ignored these days. Studies show that any post that includes some type of visual media get liked or shared up to 50% more than a post with just text alone. So always include at least an image with every post.

Rule #2: Make It Easy to Share, But Don’t Overwhelm!

When you’re building your website, you can add all the social buttons you want to make your content shareable. However, it's not necessary to give users every social network option. Ask yourself, Is it worthwhile to include buttons for every social site under the sun? Choose the social networks most relevant to your audience and your business goals and add buttons for sharing on those sites.

Rule #3: Give Your Customers What They Want

Your customers care about themselves and their interests. When developing your content strategy, focus on giving your customers what they want, not what you want them to have. They connect with you because they need information. They want to feel like they are getting exclusive deals and because they want to be a part of a community. If your content is always focused on you, they will quickly lose interest, so keep your audience at the forefront of everything you do. This means taking the time to learn who your customers are.

When people engage with your content then be sure engage with them. If they comment on your post then you add a response comment back addressed to them. Thank them for their feedback or answer their question or ask them a question to gauge their interest if further information about your product or service. When others see that you are active and available then more people will engage with likes, shares, and comments.

Rule #4: Ask for Shares

Oftentimes, people don’t share content because they don’t realize they can or should. Simply adding the words “Share this!” to the end of the post or adding a note at the end of your email newsletter asking recipients to share can give your content a major boost. If you notice a particular post or piece of content is getting a lot of attention, revise it to include links to other related posts.

Producing excellent content and getting people to share it is a surefire way to build your online authority and buzz around your business. If you follow these rules, you should see the number of “shares” increase - as well as your website traffic.