Creating viral blog content
You know how it goes. You get an idea for the next great blog. You know, the one that everyone will follow, linger over, talk about, share and share again. Before long, you’re going to be the next internet sensation. Hell, it’ll be talked about in words of reverence uttered in whispered tones.
With that plan, you whack it together then settle with a cool Yenda Pale Ale to watch your data escalate and binge a full season of Stranger Things at the same time. You hit publish and settle back, buoyed by a sense of self-satisfaction, confident in the knowledge that you have just launched your journey to blogging success and glory. And yet, nothing happens – again.
Here’s the thing. There is probably no silver bullet in this space – all blogs are different and few, if any, ever reach hallowed ground status. Just the same, here are some tips to help your blog spread.
Don’t reinvent the blog wheel
According to content manager app, Hootsuite starting from scratch for each new blog is pointless. If your blog is not your first attempt at social media stardom then go back, learn from your past mistakes.
Headlines that rock
When it comes to headlines, it is active verbs that hit the spot. And be personal rather than corporate. That is, show some yourself.
Image by Karen Roe
Shameless self-promotion
or saying you're best
It’s interesting to consider a range of single blogs and see why the successful ones actually worked. Luckily, the International Journal of Wine Business Research did just that. They sorted out the most popular wine critic blogs and looked for common characteristics beyond just talking about wine. Beyond a whole bunch of non-professional critics talking about wines having a nose, and a certain flavour complexity, each blogger shamelessly self-promoted in every post.
While each critiqued wine, each blogger wanted to be seen as the community leader, to be the voice of authority. That meant bus-loads of self-promotion in each post.
Build Social Capital
Forbes has a great article about building social capital but the upshot is social capital is about networking and that means audience reach. The message is to give to others too.
Two key rules for blog battles
If self-promotion establishes why anyone would want to read you, then the question is why you, why now?
Your blog needs to be very specific to the reader.
·The story may not be new but the way it is presented should be significantly different to the point that it will make me want to give up time to read it.
Why not be kind to your friends and share this post. It’s what they need, isn’t it?
Oh, and you might also share your stories with me.
