Adding simple elements, known as “share triggers” to content makes it more shareable. The best part about these triggers is that they’re easy to create and highly effective even if you don’t have a huge following or email list.

Listed below are some popular share triggers that will instantly make content more shareable if used right.

Share trigger 1: Information gaps to spark curiosity

A research study carried out by Carnegie Mellon University revealed that information gaps act as powerful motivators for people to seek clarity about a topic. Adding information gaps to your content drives people to keep reading it and to share it with others as well.

Share trigger 2: The zig-zag method

Whit almost 2.4 million blog posts being published every day, the only way to make your content stand out in the minds of your audience is to zag when everybody zigs. In other words, using the zig-zag method creates memorable content that sticks in the minds of readers. However, be careful to do your research and have credible data when you explore a popular idea from another angle or post a piece of content that goes against popular opinion.

Share trigger 3: Great content design

When people first land on your content, they subconsciously form some micro-impressions about it. A well-designed piece of content has a certain allure that makes people want to share it. Three quick tips that will instantly improve your content design are:

● Using high-quality imagery with lots of information

● Keeping color changes to a minimum

● Designing your content for skim readers and breaking it up into smaller, bite-sized nuggets of information because nobody wants to read a wall of text.

Share trigger 4: Content utility

Content utility is all about creating content that gives readers practical advice like worksheets, step-by-step recipes, checklists, etc.

Content utility correlates strongly with content shareability because it turns content from being a regular old blog post to something that’s very helpful for the reader. The trick is to make the steps easy to follow and concise so the readers can actually benefit from them.

Share trigger 5: Social currency

Social currency works on the premise that people like sharing valuable content or good news that reinforces their beliefs and makes them look good.

The real secret to social currency is getting influencers in your industry to vouch for your brand. Because your content sources are industry heavyweights, it will reinforce the authenticity of your content with your audience and will motivate them to share it with others.

Share trigger 6: Content length

BuzzSumo examined the social shares of 100 million blog posts and found that content length is a major factor for creating shareable content. The study found that long-form content outperforms shorter content with regard to social media shares. This is because long-form content is not only more awe-inspiring, but it also provides more comprehensive answers to readers’ questions. This ultimately increases its perceived value and shareability factor.

Share trigger 7: Call-to-action

Simply asking the reader to share your post or leave a comment will give them a nudge to take the desired action. A powerfully worded CTA is a great trigger to make sure your content is shared with as many people as possible. Pointing out the value your content will bring to others is another great way to ensure that it gets shared.

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