Rise and Shine

Boost your Online Presence: Make your Content Viral

Photo of Chris JenkinsonDrawing more internet traffic to your website can be the boost you need for higher visibility. The hottest thing these days in internet marketing is creating viral content. Like a virus in your body, viral content can spread like a wild forest fire, with people sharing links to the content. This exponential backlink building can be created with a bit of time, effort, and creativity. These backlinks produce more traffic to your website as well as boost your standing in search engine results.

 

It is the silly, quirky and catchy things that tend to distract the typical internet visitor. Therefore, you need to examine the current viral hits on the internet today to see what similar themes emerge that you can capitalise on. For expediency, here are a few identifiers that can help in your quest to create your own viral content:

 

Appeal to the Ridiculous

Sometimes it takes just one silly character doing the absurd to capture the imagination and increase your website traffic. It is for this reason why sweet-looking babies with funny dancing and singing dogs can trigger a quick avalanche of online sharing. It is easy to go overboard, though so avoid creating a cast of characters as too much of a good thing can actually deter online visitors.

 

One does not simply meme

Going viral is much like getting struck by lightning. A lot of it has to do with luck, but you’ll improve your chances if you stand on high mountains and wear a metal hat.

 

Think in Short, Quirky Phrases

Catchy phrases and sound bytes can go viral overnight if you have the right hook. It could be a play on words or the proverbial slip of the tongue. Brainstorm a bit on what you would want people to learn about your website as well as what they might want from you. Create some headlines to showcase the essence of your website and read them aloud and to acquaintances. Would you or anyone else want to click on a link to learn more? If not, keep trying until you come up with something that catches the eye and potential ear.

 

Remain Current on the Latest Trends

Knowing what’s hot and what is not can make a big difference in your content going viral. Part of internet marketing entails taking advantage of the freshest, most innovative trends and tying into them. If you have people sharing your content, the result will be a good quantity of backlinks, creating more web traffic to your site. The more up-to-date your content is, the more likely you will find yourself on the first page of search engine results.

 

Stay on “Top” of Things

Everyone loves condensed lists that offer the “top 10” or “top 20” of something. If your website offers health supplements and dietary aids, creating web content articles that list the top anything in that category. Many people will gravitate to these condensed “top” lists to save time and effort during their web searches and will also be more likely to share the information as well.

 

There are other tricks of the trade to elevate your website status including visually appealing imagery that tells a story at a glance such as infographics or even endorsements by recognisable leaders in your particular field. Going viral can be difficult to achieve so while you find ways to set your website apart from others, don’t neglect the obvious – a well-designed, informative website along with a good search engine optimisation strategy.

 

Chris Jenkinson
Latest posts by Chris Jenkinson (see all)

6 comments

  1. Thanks for these, there is some really good tips, especially about keeping it quirky and short. With regards to the list, i completely agree that they are very useful, but don’t have a blog full of them or you’ll lose personality. 

    • I couldn’t agree more Nathan. Lists are share-able, and easy to write, but don’t meet the needs of most writers for engaging content. Most bloggers stir up more engagement when they rant, and eventually gravatate to what offers feedback. 

      Then again, my friends @thetoptenblog:twitter and @Paulbiedermann:twitter have developed some fantastic blogs out of the list post concept. When you bring in multiple authors it helps keep the content fresh, and the whole idea is that you have 10 bite sized posts every time – 10 chances to connect in the readers’ brain to trigger a share.  

      • Thanks for the shout out, @etelligence:disqus — at @12Most:disqus we think lists can be more than what you normally expect, and our readership seems to agree!

      • I agree that lists are great for sharing and for traffic generation 🙂 but as you say they are usually sound bites and snippets and don’t offer much depth of concept, but they are a great tool to make people aware of your blog/brand. Indeed ranting and being slightly controversial helps you get more engagement.

        I’ve just checked out @Paulbledermann blog re:DESIGN and I love the design and simplicity, really really good! That’s a very good point on giving yourself 10 opportunities to connect with your reader, Thanks! 

  2. Mikeparise /

    Thanks Chris. If I didn’t know any better I would swear you were talking about how to write good advertising!

  3. Dubosegary7 /

    Thanks this was just what I needed!

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