As a digital marketer looking to grow your blog, you know that viral, shareable content is the holy grail. Viral posts spread like wildfire, bringing a flood of new visitors and skyrocketing shares, links, and social buzz.
While going viral seems like a matter of luck, there are proven strategies you can use to source content ideas that have viral potential. By following these 6 sourcing tips, you'll fill your editorial calendar with engaging posts your readers will love sharing.
1) Understand Your Audience and Their Interests
To source viral content for your blog, you must first understand your target audience and their interests to develop content that speaks to them. Analyze which topics and content formats resonate most with your readers.
Research your audience's demographics, interests, and pain points. Tools like Google Analytics, social media analytics, and surveys can provide insight into your readers' behaviors and interests. Look for trends in the content they engage with and the topics they care about.
Focus on trending topics and questions in your industry. Look for content gaps that you can fill with a unique angle. Create content that sparks an emotional reaction or solves a pressing problem for your readers. That type of engaging, impactful content has the best chance of going viral.
2) Leverage Trending Topics and Newsjacking
To source viral content, stay on top of trending topics and news in your industry. When major news breaks, analyze how you can put a unique spin on the story to appeal to your target audience. Publish a blog post with your distinct perspective within 24 to 48 hours to maximize visibility.
For example, if a new technology or social media platform launches, discuss how it can benefit your readers or industry. Or, if an influencer in your space makes a controversial statement, share your thoughtful take on the issue. By closely following trends and newsjacking when the opportunity arises, you position yourself as an industry thought leader.
3) Curate and Repurpose Existing Viral Content
To find viral content for your blog, curate and repurpose existing trending content. Monitor trending hashtags and topics on social media to discover trending stories, news, and memes. Repackage the information in your own words for your audience. Add additional details and your unique perspective. Additionally, funny content will see the 2nd most investment of any content type in 2023, and 33% of social media marketers plan to use it for the first time next year.
For example, if a news story about new technology is trending, summarize the key details and discuss how it might impact your industry or area of expertise. Provide analysis and actionable insights for your readers. Curating and repurposing trending content in this way allows you to quickly create content that taps into current interests and conversations.
4) Craft Clickbait Headlines and Thumbnails
To generate viral content, you need to master the art of crafting irresistible headlines and thumbnails. Focus on using powerful words in your headlines like “secrets,” “tips,” “hacks,” or “guides.” Pose questions, build mystery, or use numbers and lists. For example, “The 7 Secrets to Cranking Out Viral Blog Posts Every Week.”
For thumbnails, use attention-grabbing images that evoke curiosity or surprise. Bright colors, close-up shots of people with exaggerated facial expressions, or images with text overlaid also tend to attract more clicks. Select thumbnail images that give readers a sense of the value or entertainment they’ll get from reading the full post.
5) Collaborate With Influencers
Partnering with influencers in your industry is an impactful way to gain exposure and credibility. Reach out to respected thought leaders, content creators, and influencers with an engaged following. 50% of millennials trust product recommendations from influencers. Suggest collaborating on a blog post where you each contribute a portion of the content.
Cross-promotion to each other’s audiences builds awareness and authority. Co-creating content, especially if you have complementary expertise, provides value to readers with a diversity of perspectives. Tagging each other when the content is published extends its reach through social sharing. Look for influencers with an overlapping audience and content theme. A warm introduction from a mutual connection increases the likelihood of a successful collaboration.
6) Experiment and Iterate to Find What Resonates
Through experimentation, you can determine what content and topics resonate most with your audience. Try different content types like lists, how-to guides, case studies, and interviews. See what performs best by analyzing metrics like pageviews, time on page, and bounce rate. You may find that your audience prefers behind-the-scenes content over product announcements or in-depth, research-backed posts over quick tips.
Iterate on high-performing content by creating refreshed versions, sequels, or series. For example, if a post on “10 Tools to Streamline Your Workflow” does well, follow up with “10 More Tools to Optimize Your Workflow.” You can also revisit evergreen content every 6-12 months to update statistics, add or refresh examples, and reframe the content for the current year.
Final Words
By focusing on the solid framework, you now have a recipe for creating blog posts with viral potential. Of course, there is an element of luck and timing involved, but by following these proven tips you greatly increase the chances of producing shareable content that resonates with your target audience.
Now get out there, find your viral story ideas, and start creating content with impact!
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