How Can Marketers Create Content That People Want to Pass Along?

 In the world of digital marketing, creating content that resonates with an audience is just the beginning. The real challenge lies in making that content something people feel compelled to share. Content sharing is one of the key drivers of virality, and marketers who can master the art of creating shareable content will see increased visibility, higher engagement rates, and a broader reach. But what exactly makes content something that people want to pass along? In this blog, we will explore several proven strategies and principles that marketers can apply to create content that people are eager to share with their networks.

1. Make It Emotionally Engaging

One of the most powerful motivators behind content sharing is the emotional response it elicits. Content that makes people feel something—whether it's joy, sadness, surprise, or awe—has a far greater chance of being shared than content that does not spark any emotion. Marketers should aim to craft content that stirs emotions and resonates with their audience on a deeper level.

Why It Works:

• Emotional connection: When people feel an emotional connection to content, they are more likely to share it with others in the hope that it will evoke a similar response. Content that makes people laugh, cry, or think deeply tends to be passed along because it’s memorable.
• Social Currency: People often share content that makes them appear more empathetic, funny, or thoughtful in front of their social circles. Emotional content helps enhance their social currency, giving them a reason to share it.
• Virality through emotion: Whether it’s through heartwarming stories, inspirational content, or hilarious moments, emotional content is more likely to be shared because it taps into universal human feelings.

How to Do It:

• Use storytelling techniques that invoke strong emotions. This could be through personal stories, customer testimonials, or powerful visual imagery.
• Create content around topics that naturally stir emotions—such as feel-good news, emotional highs and lows, or humorous and relatable experiences.
• Leverage humor and nostalgia, as both emotions tend to prompt a lot of shares.

2. Make It Informative and Useful

People love to share content that adds value to others’ lives. Whether it's a piece of useful advice, a how-to guide, or actionable insights, content that helps people solve problems or make informed decisions is often passed along. Marketers should focus on creating content that educates or empowers their audience.

Why It Works:

• Value exchange: When people come across content that is informative or useful, they feel like it’s a valuable resource. By sharing it, they provide value to their own network, strengthening their position as a helpful and knowledgeable individual.
• Problem-solving: Whether it’s a life hack, a tutorial, or a product review, people are more likely to share content that provides practical solutions to common problems. In fact, content that teaches people something new or makes their lives easier is often shared because it helps others.
• Credibility and trust: Sharing valuable content that helps others can position the sharer as a trusted source of information, which enhances their reputation.

How to Do It:

• Create tutorials, how-to videos, infographics, or listicles that teach your audience something new.
• Focus on creating content that addresses pain points or common challenges your audience faces, offering practical solutions.
• Use clear, concise, and easy-to-understand language to ensure that the value is accessible to a wide audience.

3. Use Humor to Make It Shareable

Humor is one of the most potent tools in creating content that people will want to pass along. Everyone enjoys a good laugh, and funny content has a universal appeal that makes it highly shareable. Whether it’s through clever jokes, witty observations, or viral memes, humorous content often spreads like wildfire.

Why It Works:

• Enjoyment: Laughter is a natural human response, and people are wired to share things that entertain them. Content that makes people laugh is often shared because it provides an instant positive experience that people want to relive with others.
• Relatability: Humor can make complex or dry topics more approachable. When content is funny, people are more likely to share it because it’s easy to understand and enjoy.
• Light-heartedness: Humor creates a sense of camaraderie. Sharing funny content makes people feel like they are part of a group that appreciates the same humor, leading to more social interactions.

How to Do It:

• Use clever wordplay, memes, and jokes that resonate with your target audience.
• Keep the humor relevant to the topic and appropriate for the platform to avoid alienating or offending your audience.
• Tap into trends, pop culture, or relatable experiences to create content that people will find funny and shareable.

4. Create Visually Appealing Content

Content that is visually appealing has a higher chance of being shared. Humans are naturally attracted to visuals, and well-designed content is more likely to grab attention and engage viewers. Marketers should focus on creating eye-catching graphics, videos, and images that stand out on social media feeds and encourage shares.

Why It Works:

• Instant appeal: Visual content catches the eye quickly, making it more likely to stop users from scrolling past. People are more likely to share content that immediately grabs their attention.
• Easier to digest: Visual content is easier to process and understand. Graphics, charts, and infographics simplify complex ideas, making them more shareable.
• Memorable: Studies show that visuals are remembered far more easily than text. People are more likely to remember and share content with strong visual elements.

How to Do It:

• Use high-quality images, infographics, and videos that align with your brand’s visual identity and are easy to understand.
• Experiment with different formats such as memes, GIFs, or short-form videos that are visually engaging and shareable.
• Keep it clean and clutter-free. Avoid overloading visuals with too much information that may distract from the core message.

5. Tap into the Power of Social Proof

Social proof plays a significant role in making content shareable. When people see that others have already liked, shared, or commented on content, they are more likely to follow suit. Content that has already been validated by others serves as a signal that it’s worth sharing.

Why It Works:

• Validation: People are more likely to share content that has been endorsed or appreciated by others. Social proof makes it easier for individuals to make decisions about what’s worth sharing.
• Trust: Content that has a lot of likes, comments, and shares is often seen as more trustworthy or credible. People are more likely to share it with their networks when they see others engaging with it.
• Bandwagon effect: When people see that content is going viral or getting a lot of attention, they may feel compelled to share it themselves to be a part of the trend.

How to Do It:

• Highlight user-generated content, testimonials, or reviews that demonstrate social proof and validate your message.
• Encourage your audience to engage with your content by liking, commenting, or sharing it with their own followers.
• Feature influencers or industry experts who endorse or promote your content to increase its credibility and trustworthiness.

6. Leverage Timely and Relevant Content

People are more likely to share content that is relevant to current events, trends, or cultural moments. Timeliness is a crucial factor in creating content that resonates with people and compels them to share it. Content that taps into what’s happening in the world right now has a higher chance of getting noticed and shared.

Why It Works:

• Contextual relevance: People are more likely to share content that is directly relevant to their current interests, conversations, or life events.
• Trend participation: By sharing timely content, people can join in on ongoing conversations or trends, positioning themselves as part of a larger cultural moment.
• FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): Content that’s relevant to a current event or trend can create a sense of urgency, making people want to share it before they feel left out of the conversation.

How to Do It:

• Create content that aligns with current trends, news, or events in your industry or the world at large.
• Stay on top of popular hashtags, challenges, and viral topics that are trending on social media platforms.
• Capitalize on cultural moments or special occasions like holidays, anniversaries, or significant news events to create content that taps into the moment.

Conclusion

Creating content that people want to pass along is a powerful strategy for marketers looking to increase engagement, boost brand visibility, and foster a sense of community. By tapping into emotions, providing value, using humor, and leveraging social proof, marketers can create content that not only resonates with their audience but also compels them to share it with their own networks.

The key to making content shareable lies in understanding what motivates people to pass along information—whether it’s the emotional impact, utility, relatability, or humor. By implementing these principles, marketers can significantly increase their chances of creating content that people are eager to share and help spark virality across digital platforms.