viral contentYou write great content and you want the world to know.

It’s easy to assume that your online content goes viral just because it’s visible. Post it, and they will come. WRONG! “Going viral” does not happen on its own. Here are five tips to help make it possible.

  1. Create good content. You want your content to be shared. You want people feel so strongly about it, that they will want everyone they know to see it. Ask yourself if people will react to your content on an emotional level. It doesn’t matter if they react positively or negatively, but it must spark a reaction that will in turn ensure that it will be shared.
  2. Shortness is crucial. The point you are making should be quickly conveyed without needing extra explanation. It doesn’t matter if you’re posting a video or writing a blog post.
  3. Look for your inspiration to what’s happening in the world – specifically your audience’s world. Content that reflects their interests will entertain discussion – and possibly ensure that what you share  is shared.
  4. Keep it relevant. If an event happened months ago, it’s likely that the online audience has moved on.
  5. Make it easy to find. Focus on the keywords, hashtags and phrases that drive search engine optimization. Post on platforms that get the most hits: Twitter, Facebook, Digg, Tumblr, Pinterest, Reddit, and others. New social sharing sites are constantly being added, so keep up on the ones where your audience will be found.

Even if all of these steps are taken, it doesn’t mean your content is destined to go viral. You’re dealing with people – and people are unpredictable. Your main focus should be to share good content, whether it goes viral or not.

Try it and let me know what you think…