What’s more yummy than Facebook Candy? Okay, maybe chocolate, but this is almost as good. Facebook Candy is content that Facebook users immediately want to share with their own networks. Certain types of posts are shared, liked, and commented on at much greater frequency than others.
When your Facebook status updates get shared, you get free exposure to people beyond your Facebook friends, giving your online presence a big boost. With more exposure comes more traffic, referrals and sales!
“Social” is really all about sharing. A study done by the Journal of Market Research showed that sharing is evoked by emotion. Content that activates awe, anxiety, surprise, and interest is most sharable, while content that activates sadness is least sharable.
So how do you create content that gets shared?
12 Tips for Creating Sharable ‘Facebook Candy’:
#1: Photos – Photos on Facebook get a slightly higher EdgeRank score, which means they show up more often in the news feed. With better visibility, you have a higher chance of being seen and shared. And photos are shared often!
#2: Humor – Be funny, quirky, intriguing. Your fans want to be entertained. And they want to share entertaining posts.
#3: Graphic Quotes – We all love to share quotes that inspire, entertain, motivate, or evoke emotion. If you can create a graphic of your quote, it will be shared more often. Don’t forget to put your name or website on the graphic, so YOU benefit from the visibility.
#4: Unbelievable! – People share things that are surprising or different. Write about things that are strange, unexpected, or shocking.
#5: Keep it Short – Considering how much content overload with which we are bombarded, it makes sense that a shorter post will more likely catch your friends’ attention. Shorter posts are shared more often on Facebook.
#6: Call to Action – Interestingly enough, if you tell people to share your post, it will more likely get shared. In your status update, write something like: SHARE if you agree!
#7: REAL News – “News scoops are inherently social content. Telling people something NEW is a great strategy if you want people to share your content.” ~ BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti
#8: Exclusive – Got a special offer? Something that is only for a certain community? Post your exclusive news, and watch it get shared.
#9: Lists – Oh, how we love fun lists. Post a great list and everyone will want it on their own Facebook page. Lists like “6 Cool Apps for Your Smart Phone”, “7 Ways to Save Money on Your New Computer”…you get the idea.
#10: Interact – You’ll want to interact when people engage with your posts. Your personal engagement reminds people that there is a real person with whom to build a relationship and connect.
#11: Links – When you post a link in your status update, a graphic from that webpage shows up. This makes your post more sharable. Add a question or quote in the text box to encourage more engagement and sharing.
#12: Consistency! – Posting on a consistent, frequent basis, every day, shows your community that you have steady content for sharing. And when they see others sharing your posts, they learn to share themselves.
And after sharing all of this yummy Facebook candy, treat yourself to some chocolate – you deserve it!
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