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If content marketing isn’t already a part of your company’s marketing strategy, it needs to be. Good content can help to attract new customers towards your business and can make people who had never even considered needing your product or service want it immediately.
But it’s not just enough to create or commission content – you need to make sure it is shared too. A strong social media presence can be integral to your brand’s reputation, so it’s vital that you’re thinking about where your content is likely to be shared and by whom when devising your marketing strategy.
However, it can be a challenge to work out what kinds of content are most likely to be shared and where they should be placed online in order to capture people’s attention.
What types of content are most likely to be shared?
Net Imperative has reported on a recent study from visual marketing platform Olapic, which found that one-third (33 per cent) share content from brands via sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at least once a week. More than half (56 per cent) of respondents reported doing so once a month on average.
Millennials were found to be the demographic most likely to share content created by brands, with 43 per cent reporting that they did so at least once a week, while ten per cent of 18 to 35-year-olds admitting sharing brands’ content several times a day.
Although often – perhaps unfairly – seen as not as tech-savvy as their younger counterparts, baby boomers were also found to share brands’ content online regularly. Some 40 per cent said they did so once a week, while nine per cent revealed that they shared third-party content more than once a day typically.
Facebook was found to be the site where millennials were most likely to share visual content with others, whether it had been created by themselves or by a brand. Meanwhile, the use of Instagram to share content is growing, indicating that this is an emerging area your company should be considering when planning its marketing strategy.
It’s encouraging to see that so many people are willing to share content created and posted by brands, but what encourages them to share it with their friends or followers in the first place?
What makes people click ‘share’?
Jonathan Freeman, managing director of i2 media research ltd, which reviewed the Olapic research, explained: “Why is sharing so popular? Results of this poll demonstrate engagement is a key motivation, but more often than not, sharing is strongly influenced by the positive feelings you get when someone responds to your posts: happy, engaged, loved and accepted.”
While emotional triggers were found to be behind many people’s motivation to share content online, others liked to share photos and updates with their followers because they like to spark discussions and seek out like-minded thinkers via their social media channels.
Jose de Cabo, co-founder of Olapic, commented: “When consumers share branded content on their page or feed, brands become associated with these carefully crafted representations.
“Moreover, if the content shared sparks social media interaction, brands will become associated with feelings of self-confidence and importance among their audience and potential customers.”
With all of this in mind, your company should be carefully considering how it can tap into your target audience’s emotions in this way, as well as how it can start discussions that will raise awareness for your brand.
What’s more, you need to be thinking about where your content is going to be placed, making sure it can easily be shared via Facebook and Instagram, plus others if your market research shows they are used more often by your audience.
It’s your turn
What do you think? What makes people click ‘share’? Share your opinion in the comments box below.
© FOME