Finally, that childhood dream we had of creating social content that got shared a bazillion times is about to come true! Caveats: Bazillion might be overstating. And actually, “childhood dream” might be going back a little far, too, since most of us didn’t get the word about sharable content until this decade.
If you want to create engaging, sharable content on social media – start by making it interesting! “Interesting,” of course, is in the eye of the beholder. If you’re thinking, “what’s my story, what’s my message,” your social conversation may be a “tad bit” too focused on “me, myself and I.”
Think instead about your customer and prospect. (Duh.) Who is in your audience? Women looking for value? Seniors looking for good information? Men pursuing home improvement hobbies? Why are they your audience? What do they want to hear? What can you say to them that connects and resonates?
But don’t stop there. Think about who is in their audience. One reason people share content is because it represents what they want others to hear from them. They share this message because it says something about how they want to be seen in their community.
Sharable content covers a lot of emotional impact. Such as:
Scary – Something they need to know for their own protection. In your case as a professional, make sure it’s actually true. Don’t be a Chicken Little posting about the sky falling. You may get shares but lose credibility.
Funny – Something that would lighten their mood, good-naturedly remind them of themselves or a loved one. Or just something with cats. Remember, funny is in the eye of the beholder. Being offensive is a credibility zapper too.
Inspiring – Something that will lift their spirits, give encouragement.
Informative – This is a natural fit for contractors brimming with information about energy efficiency, innovations, improvement tips, home safety and other good things to know. You can’t go wrong here.