In today’s world, it’s fairly common to find marketing materials filled with boring ad copy, mundane graphics, and subpar information. Companies are obsessed with producing content, without much regard for what the content actually entails. Don’t go on Facebook and see what brands find passable for “content.” Creating great content (content marketing) takes time and may not be quite as cheap as curating content from other sites. However, original content can be great for your business, as content that is quite sharable and interesting can easily gain traction on social media. [quote]Creating good copy isn’t so much of a science as it is an art.[/quote] While at its core, the best advertising might be subjective, there are certain things marketers and copywriters can do to make their copy and content objectively better. So, how can your business craft interesting content, content that potentially may go viral? Here are some of our Florida marketing agency’s favorite tips for creating great, shareable content:

Tell a Story!

A story can be a great lead-in to a bigger and more valid point (think of the essays by Malcom Gladwell, for instance). A story can help create an emotional connection with the reader, and for many companies, a brand is only as good as its story. This isn’t necessarily limited to story in the literal sense… companies can tell brilliant stories using images and limited text, as this Oreo case study shows.

Make It a List!

Why are there so many lists making rounds on the internet these days? Well, the primary reason is that the list format makes things easy for readers to digest. Lists are tremendously sharable, so often times the most shared items are lists of content paired with compelling visuals. When thinking of what kinds of lists might benefit your brand, think of new takes on topics that have already been covered, or think about throwing a topical bent into a funny premise.

Make It Pretty!

People are more emotionally attached to images than they are to text alone. If you have a great story idea, finding a compelling photo or creating a great infographic to go along with it can be an easy way to make your content even more sharable. [quote] BIGEYE created some rockin’ content for an Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children donorship event. Check it out! [/quote]

Make it Funny!

Some of the most sharable content on the internet is humorous content. Humor is a great way to connect with audiences, and media companies such as College Humor, Funny Or Die, Cracked and Buzzfeed have found numerous ways to tap into a culture that shares content they think is funny or interesting. Humorous or uplifting content is typically more widely shared than negative or controversial, though I’m sure you can think of plenty of exceptions. For a great summary of what types of things people find sharable on Facebook, check out this awesome white paper from Marketo called Contagious Content. Then, contact our Florida marketing agency for tips on how you can put your new content strategy in action!