Create Viral Content
Can you keep a secret? I think we should kick SEO to the curb. Shhh…don't tell my partner, okay?
And actually, that's not totally true. And I'm not just saying that because we develop laser-focused SEO strategies for businesses to move up Google search results pages as quickly as possible. Truly, there's a time and a place for SEO; after all, you certainly do want your content to move to the top of as many peoples' search engine results pages as possible, right? With that in mind, there's just one small catch. SEO is a constantly moving target, a field that changes so regularly that if you don't have the time to keep up with it, the strategies you took the time to learn a year or a month ago could actually be hurting you if you haven't stayed current in the field. But here's the thing – when it comes to creating content that truly goes viral, it's not about the SEO at all. It's not about keywords. And it's not about trying to outsmart Panda or Penguin, either. It's about the quality of your content. It's about creating content that is so dang compelling that people are looking to share it on their social networks before they even get to the bottom of the post. (That doesn't mean you can get lazy at the end of your article, incidentally.)Forbes recently ran an article that said something similar, though they specifically listed copywriting as the only essential skill you need for success online. I'm going to have to disagree with that opinion. I think copywriting is critical. But in order to be an excellent copywriter, you need to be a strong writer first. Here's my argument against copywriting alone being the most essential skill: Without being a strong writer, you can't write copy. But even more importantly, without being a great writer outside of the genre of copywriting no one will stick around and read your website long enough to be persuaded to plunk down their hard earned cash for your widget or service. If all you can do is produce stellar copy, chances are, the rest of your content will be oriented toward a message of sell, sell, sell. And honestly, today's consumers are savvy enough to see through content that's just a thinly veiled sales page. In my mind, the only essential skill you need to succeed online is writing itself. And if you have it, you have the ability to create content time and again that people just can't help sharing; content that goes viral. Now for the record, I'm not saying that every single piece you create using these principles *will* go viral. If someone promises you that, please don't buy whatever they're selling, because no one can reasonably make that promise. But what I can tell you is that these are the elements that are seen in nearly all viral content. So if you include them, the chances of people wanting to share your killer content are just that much stronger. 1.Be yourselfWrite with personality. Be yourself. This isn't a high school English essay; this is content by real people and for real people. No one will read, much less share, content that is devoid of all personality. 2.Be boldWhile I'm getting tired of the saying, "go big or go home," there's something to be said for the willingness to make an audacious claim online, if you have research, experience, or a well reasoned opinion to back it up. For instance – I have no clue if anyone from Forbes will see my comment above that I disagree with their article on copywriting. And yes – it feels a smidge audacious to disagree with a piece in a publication of that stature. And knowing that I expressed well thought out (and well written) reasons for my disagreement, I'm okay with being bold. It makes for much more interesting reading!Here's some examples of bold content: •Hot topics•Controversial issues or opinions•Lists•Encouragement/inspirational3.Write killer headlinesSome people do this at the beginning of the writing process, others do it at the end. But as is the case with many tasks, this isn't everyone's natural gift, though it's a skill that can be learned and improved. Your headlines need to be clear, engaging, and deliver some kind of promise to your reader, so he or she knows exactly why reading your article is worth the time it takes. It's not the time to be creative if you lose clarity. And if this isn't a skill you have, start looking for tutorials, or find a way to outsource. Remember – the purpose of your headline isn't to be creative. It's not even to tell your readers what your article is about (though it should be related to your content of course). The number one job of your headline is to get your reader to read the next sentence. And the purpose of that sentence is to keep your reader reading. Every sentence has the purpose of keeping your reader moving along and not deciding to quit reading mid article. Many great writers – especially copywriters – use the 4 U's to write an amazing headline – make it unique, ultra-specific, useful, and/or urgent. The more U's you can get into your headline, the better. Write with the aim of creating viral worthy content every single time, and I guarantee – your SEO will pretty much take care of itself. What part of creating viral worthy content is hardest for you? Leave a question in the comments below – we'd love to help.
