Viral Content Marketing Tips for Non-Viral Businesses

[megri]

It's flu season, folks! Viral activity is high. And even if you got your flu shot and have Tamiflu stockpiled in your hall closet, I wouldn't be surprised if you or someone on your marketing team is secretly dreaming of the infographic or Gangnam Style parody vid that's going to take off faster than H1N1.

Seriously though. I'd like to think that the obsession with viral marketing campaigns is going the way of small pox. It's not a practical goal for most marketers, and if it happens once, you can go crazy trying to make it happen again.

Even if you're not looking to go viral, these tips can help your content get more clicks, opens, reads and shares – all stuff that's good for business and the reason you're doing content marketing in the first place. Because more eyes on your content = more potential leads for your business.

Write 25 Headlines

Upworthy defines “viral” as high shares per view and high clicks per share. And part of what drives people to click when they see a nugget of content in their Facebook feed or Twitter stream – especially if the source of the content isn’t familiar – is a great headline.

There are a couple of reasons that most marketing-related headlines aren’t great:

The SEO keyword thang. Us web marketers tend to be pretty focused on SEO (ya think?) so a lot of what drives our headline writing is keyword optimization. This can lead to boring, formulaic headlines.
Lack of time/effort. This one isn’t specific to the web or marketing. Everyone’s busy and the headline for an article is often an afterthought ...

[Mohit Rana]

Creating viral content can be a game-changer for any business, even those that aren't traditionally seen as "viral." Here are some tips tailored specifically for non-viral businesses:

1. Understand Your Audience: Know who your audience is, what they like, and what they're interested in. Tailor your content to resonate with them on a personal level.
2. Tell Compelling Stories: Storytelling is a powerful tool in marketing. Craft stories that evoke emotions and connect with your audience's experiences and values.
3. Be Authentic: Authenticity breeds trust and engagement. Don't try to mimic viral trends or content that doesn't align with your brand just for the sake of virality. Stay true to your brand's voice and values.
4. Provide Value: Offer something valuable to your audience, whether it's informative content, entertainment, or solutions to their problems. Useful content is more likely to be shared.
5. Focus on Quality Over Quantity: Instead of churning out numerous pieces of content, focus on creating high-quality content that stands out. One exceptional piece of content can have a more significant impact than several mediocre ones.
6. Leverage Different Content Formats: Experiment with various content formats such as videos, infographics, podcasts, and blog posts to appeal to different audience preferences.
7. Optimize for Shareability: Make it easy for people to share your content by including social sharing buttons and encouraging sharing through CTAs (calls to action).
8. Utilize Influencers and Partnerships: Collaborate with influencers or other businesses in your niche to extend your reach and tap into their existing audience.
9. Stay Current: Keep an eye on current trends and topics relevant to your industry. Capitalize on timely events or discussions to create content that's more likely to resonate with your audience.
10. Engage with Your Audience: Foster a sense of community by actively engaging with your audience through comments, messages, and social media interactions. Building relationships can lead to increased sharing and brand loyalty.
11. Measure and Learn: Track the performance of your content to understand what resonates with your audience and what doesn't. Use analytics to refine your content strategy over time.
12. Patience is Key: Viral success often comes unexpectedly, so be patient and persistent with your efforts. Keep experimenting and refining your approach based on what you learn along the way.