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Part 2: Contagious Content in 6 Simple STEPPS

3 More juicy ways to make your content more enticing and contagious : )

In part I we covered the first 3 STEPPS of creating contagious content, today we will be focused on the last 3 parts that make this a great formula that will help you create content that had contrast and weight!

4.) Public : Built to show and grow

When you are aiming to create contagious content, make sure that it is built to show and grow. Make it as easy as possible to share your content and don’t require many extra steps in order to do so. A good tip is to use social sharing buttons on your website, and accompany your content with interesting videos or graphics that make it more appealing. When people see that there’s a significant number of other people in their industry sharing your content, and being socially rewarded, they are also very likely to share it. The easier you make it, the better your results. Don’t make them think! Make it so easy that a 5 year old could do it. A good example of this in practice is Mashable, since they are a trusted source, and they have plenty of social proof, a lot of their content goes viral. It also helps that they consistently publish content from well-know authors and influential bloggers across many industries. Their platform is ever-growing, and they continuously stay top of mind by releasing fresh content daily.

The more people that share their content, the more credibility and reach they build over time. We live in a “monkey see monkey do society” so if it’s easy to share, people will have a natural tendency to do so. Convince them that they will look good, keep it simple, and the rest will take care of itself. Making your content publicly available, and easy to share through your platform will help you reach a wider audience and build up your readership over time. The good part is that you don’t have to be Mashable in order to be successful, there is plenty of opportunity to be the authority without necessarily being the big fish in the pond.

5.) Practical  Value: Keep it relevant Your content is much more likely to be shared or liked, commented, shared, and get significant interaction when it truly delivers value to the end-user. For example using lists, or creating infographics and how-to videos that educate, entertain, or inform is a great idea. In order to do this, you need to really know your audience and what type of questions they have, as well as where they hang out and where they go to seek advice. Make your content something that end-users can easily or quickly apply, and keep it short by delivering bite-size information, then leading them to a place where they can get further help. If you create content that inspires them to take action, try it themselves, and see results quickly, it will have higher value and be shared more.

This is why it’s a good idea to offer white papers, guides, how-to videos, audio files, books, PowerPoint’s, checklists, printables, and other type of content that will somehow make  life easier. Being relevant and helpful will never go out of style, and people will reward your generosity through engagement and shares. An example of this at play was when I recently shared a blot post on Facebook and said “This is the only dating advice you will ever need.” Since a lot of my friends are single, they found the information useful and relevant. They also shared it on their walls, and the piece got significant exposure because it was real-world advice that was well written, valuable, and entertaining. The post was a very interesting read, the guy shared great advice for men and women, so it was easier to spread.

6.) Stories : Create a conversation A story creates conversation, gives us something to talk about,  and something to remember. Mr. Berger’s advice encourages us to stop selling and to start storytelling in order to craft our message in a unique way that makes our message memorable and easy to share. Give people a reason to share the story while looking good. Make them the hero of the story, not your company, and they are much more likely to actually share it. It’s very important to use tie-ins to make your product or service a key detail of the story without actually making it seem like everything is built around it. This may take special skill and a little bit of strategizing but overall if you can craft a story that makes them the hero through the use of your product or service and creates deep emotions, it’s much more likely that they’re going to be sharing the story with their social circle.

Yup, Proof that peanuts can be be the center of an interesting story A good example of this is a company that sells peanuts. At first peanuts may seem plain, kind of boring, and you may ask “How do I make peanuts interesting?” Well my friend I have quick story that may illustrate this for you. When Barbara and Ben were 20, they met at a new year’s party. Ben playfully gave Barbara a handful of peanuts and said “I wish these were pearls.” They dated, got to know each other, and went on to get married and have 2 kids.  After they were happily married for 60 years, and Ben was on his death bed, he gave Barbara a handful of pearls and said “I wish these were peanuts.” “Me too!” she said. The End. Bam!

Did you see how peanuts instantly became much more interesting to you after reading that story? This part is where you can have fun, be creative, and find uncommon ways to tie in your offer while making it easy to remember. Whew! So those are the 6 steps to crafting contagious content. Here are some more resources in case you want to read more examples, and find out what other people are saying, and how they are leveraging this for their content and marketing efforts. Useful further Reading and Information : )  1.)  Here’s a quick video of Marie Forleo interviewing Mr.Berger, a quick watch and fast to digest about viral marketing. 2.)  If you’re an avid Lynda.com user check out this course titled Viral Marketing : Crafting Shareable Content, it’s about an hour long, but totally worth it. 3.)  If you are a book worm and would really like to dig in much deeper and further strengthen your content marketing skills I encourage you to buy Jonah Berger’s Book : Contagious : Why Things Catch On]]>

Tell them what to do with a bold, clear, and single call to action

A good looking WordPress website does not guarantee results . . .

No matter how fabulous your website is and how fantastic it looks, if you don’t give people a clear call to action they will not do anything! Surprisingly enough, people like and want to be told what to do! Even on the Internet we need a bit of a pull that encourages us to take action and we like to be pointed in the right direction. So I highly recommend that you focus on a clear, very prominent and easy call to action! Make it something that they can’t miss. Make it completely obvious, and super simple, and don’t make people think! If they have to think and “figure it out” more than likely you will not get a good response.  Do your absolute best to make it simple, and realize that even then, some people will still miss it!

Basic human psychology applied to your website

People will go to further distance to avoid pain than to gain pleasure. So make sure to highlight the pain it would cause them to not have your product or service.  Make them feel it and visualize it and experience that unwanted pain.  Don’t just go on and on about how great your product or service is,  tell them what it can do for them and show them exactly what they need to do to get it! It is very important to have a single and definite purpose on each of your pages. Ask them to do one thing, and one thing only. Don’t create confusion or give people too many choices. Some people are indecisive and won’t make a choice when they feel overwhelmed or on the spot. Oh and remember to tell them what will happen afterwards. Sometimes people don’t take action because they don’t know what to expect next, if you take away that fear of the “unknown” it will make it much easier to move forward.

People already have a short attention span so don’t distract them!

Usually having ads, sliders, and other distractions and moving graphics will drive people away from your intended result. Even social media icons can be somewhat distracting and send people away from you instead of inviting them to stay on your site longer. The more “stuff” there is to click on, the more likely they will not give you their undivided attention. Give people one thing to do and highlight their pains and tell them how you can help them avoid them. Encourage them to take action by giving them specific instructions, while also creating a sense of urgency. People usually seek instant gratification on the internet so providing easy access to information that they are hungry for and not having a lot of clutter around is something they will be thankful for. A good example would be: Click Here to instantly download your copy of “Title of Book Goes Here” Now! Keep it simple. Don’t complicate it or over think it. One possible approach could be a choice, choices empower people make them feel like they are in control. If you have the ability to give your visitors a choice and single themselves out from a bigger crowd this will make them like feel like they actually belong there and you know how they feel and who they are. You will not have their attention for very long so be clear and tell them exactly what they need to do to take action. It’s ok to break it down into steps like:

  • Step 1: (Who? – You! ) Click Here
  • Step 2: ( What? – Download ) Download your copy
  • Step 3: ( When? Do it now!) NOW!

Remember to have big, bold, and clear call to actions, people can’t read your mind! Tell them to buy, or subscribe, or comment, or like, or follow. Make sure that there is no confusion about what they should do, and get a five year old to go to your site to see if they can figure it out, best usability testing ever! Simplicity matters. : )

 Be the boss! That’s right, just tell it like it is. In a clear and direct way, feel confident that your directions will be followed. Keep it simple and make it on purpose!