A content approach that allows a business to reach their target audiences stands as a paramount strategy for ensuring the efficacy of their SEO endeavors. Through a refined approach, businesses can ensure that the content they’re sharing is meaningful and engaging to the point that it resonates with their customers and has the chance of connecting them with adjacent audiences, further influencing a business’s prospects for success.
Content That Drives Viral Marketing
Exceptional content is a pillar of a successful SEO strategy. Exceptional content can also double as viral content, which, via widespread sharing, creates an opportunity for a business to connect with an audience beyond their own. While there aren’t any specific metrics that define a piece of content as ‘viral,’ businesses should take pride in creating impactful content that nets them significantly more shares, views, and comments compared to other content they create.
Why Should A Business Chase This Virality?
The benefits of viral marketing extend beyond merely increasing a company’s visibility. The heightened publicity and subsequent surge in website traffic contribute to improved search engine rankings. Even after the content ceases to be viral, the residual effects endure. Beyond all that, viral content can:
- Spread brand awareness
- Improve social media following
- Eliminate promotional overhead costs
- Reduce bounce rates and improve conversion rates
- Differentiate a business from its competitors
Reliably Chasing Virality
Creating a viral marketing campaign is not entirely within a marketer’s control, as audiences determine the virality of any piece of content. That said, adhering to certain guidelines can enhance the likelihood of success:
- Viral campaigns occur organically; meaning consumers dictate what goes viral, not the marketers creating the content
- Timing is critical, what’s viral today might be easily forgotten tomorrow. Stay ahead of any trend cycle.
- A viral piece of content will have a high level of sharing momentum, leading to a domino effect of sharing via existing traction
Creating Content With Viral Intent
- In order to create impactful content, a business must first understand their audience. Only then can content be created to address various pain points, buying triggers, interests, and online behavior.
- Presentation goes a long way in creating a viral piece of content. Frame content in a positive light to ensure that it’s shared more frequently.
- Elicit deep emotional connections and reactions, as content that surprises or excites can make users more likely to share.
- Providing practical advice or useful tips increases the likelihood of a user sharing a piece of content.
- Attention-grabbing content doesn’t have to be overly polarizing. Avoid anything too controversial, but still lean into unique content formats such as parodies, memes, games, and company-sponsored challenges.
Formatting For Delivery
Businesses must decide how to best format their content so that, upon delivery, it has the chance to be impactful to its readers. Typically, businesses will prioritize on-site content like blog posts that are informative and instructive, such as how-to guides or infographics as they present information in easily consumable ways.
Not Every Piece Of Content Has To Go Viral
Despite the benefits, not all viral marketing is advantageous. Chasing virality can actually be detrimental, especially if a business experiences search engine penalties as a result of excessive spam and viral messaging. Similarly, a piece of content that goes too viral may welcome a level of misinterpretation, which could lead to a tarnished reputation.
With a better understanding of the merits and potential drawbacks of viral marketing, it’s time to draft and begin your campaign. Track relevant metrics to assess results and adapt your strategy as needed. The ultimate goal is not just achieving virality but also increasing leads, conversions, and revenue—a comprehensive approach that aligns with the objectives of any SEO strategy.
Author bio: Aaron Wittersheim is Chief Operating Officer at Straight North, a digital marketing company. He helped startups, middle-market, and Fortune 500 companies improve organizational structure and grow through his expertise in process conception, task automation, technology, and internal project management.