A strong online presence is important for blogs and businesses alike. One of the best ways to establish yourself in the online world is through the magic of social media. Most of the time, posting on sites like Twitter or Facebook isn’t enough to spread word about your blog, business, or website. The best way to generate interest in what you’re doing is through shares on social media.
When one of your followers shares your post, he or she shares your content to his or her own network. This allows you to reach a bigger audience. But how do you get these shares in the first place? You’ll be surprised by how easy it can be. Featured below are seven ways to get hundreds of social media shares in just a few days.
Use eye-catching graphics and illustrations
Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms allow users to include images in their links. Make sure that the featured images you use are easy on the eyes and attention-grabbing. You want to capture the interest of your followers, even for just a split second. Don’t just let them scroll past your content.
Make more list-based content
If possible, consider making more list-based content. List-based articles are naturally interesting and easy to digest. If your viewers don’t have the time, they can just skim through the headlines. This is enough to give them a general idea about what your content is about. Thoughts and points are also easier to organize in this format. Remember that any type of easy-to-digest content is very shareable.
Holding a raffle where the tickets are shares
Raffles, contests, and giveaways are tried-and-tested methods of self-promotion. Holding a raffle or contest where you randomly draw a winning number is easy. You can find plenty of tools and random number generators online. Why not make sharing one of your posts a requirement to join your contest? You can offer things like items, discounts, or cash as prizes. Big companies and websites do this all the time. Every person joining your contest is equal to one share, and each share exposes you to a bigger audience.
Staggering your posts to reach the most number of people
Remember that it’s easy for your posts to get buried in your followers’ news feeds. Chances are that you’re not the only blog or business that they’re following. Repost and tweet your content more than once. Don’t just settle with one tweet and hope that you’ll get hundreds of views from that tweet alone. Posting your content more than once guarantees that you’ll reach the most number of people, this is especially true if you’re aiming for an international audience. Use analytics to discover the peak hours when your audience is most active. Try to post your content at least thrice a day, making sure to put a few hours between each post.
Relate your content to current events and other trends
Make blog posts related to both local and global trends. Find a way to relate whatever is happening in the world with your niche and the content you produce. People are more inclined to share content that their friends and relatives can relate to. Writing about trends also helps a lot with SEO.
Simply asking your fans for a Retweet or share
If you have a loyal enough following, you shouldn’t have any problem asking people to share your content. If you have a promo or contest coming up, ask your followers to tell their friends about it. You can also give them incentives like a discount on their next purchase. You can also offer them something simpler and more sincere, like a mention on Twitter or a personal thank you message.
Asking people who create similar content to yours for a Retweet or share
Practice a bit of generosity once in a while. Like and follow people who create similar content to yours. Occasionally share some of their posts and promotions. When it’s your turn to promote something, don’t be embarrassed to reach out to ask for a share or Retweet. Because you share the same niche, their followers are more likely to check out your content, and vice versa.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter which method you use. Just remember that social media is composed of networks upon networks of people. Whenever you post something, make sure that it’s easy to digest and more importantly, easy to share. At the same time, don’t be afraid to personally ask people to share your content.
