Social media is the best way to get news about your company to spread like wildfire. However, with so much shareable content out there, it can be hard to get site visitors to want to share your post. These tips will help demystify the process of sharing. Use them as you design your site or next post to boost social media shares. Content may be king, but in the click-through world of the internet, design is going to be paramount to increasing your shares.
Keep it simple.
Your visitor should immediately identify the product or service you're selling. Don't have too many gimmicks like audio or animation - this is not only distracting, but it slows loading time. Nearly half of consumers expect a web page to load in 2 seconds or less and 40% of consumers will actually leave that website if it takes more than 3 seconds. You've got to keep your audience captive, and do it quickly before they move on or click through without considering your product. They can't share what they haven't seen so keep away the frills and get to the point.
Make it visual.
A picture really does mean a thousand words, especially when people are used to clicking through websites in milliseconds. Research shows that using images can increase interaction rate by 35% on Twitter and a whopping 85% on Facebook. Use infographics, quote graphics, and/or photos that fit your overall design aesthetic.
Be consistent.
It doesn't matter if you're going for the millennial minimalist look or a bold colorful aesthetic. Whatever you choose, stick to it. You want the look of everything you produce to be so consistent that the overall aesthetic operates like a logo. The added bonus here is that you'll be able to deliver better designs faster. Ideally, you want to get to a point where your look is so identifiable that if a user sees a glimpse of your content anywhere, they immediately recognize it as coming from your brand.
Be "skimmable."
Make that content super easy to digest. One way to use less text while saying more is by creating infographics. Infographics are a visually appetizing way to get a lot of information out there while telling a story. Bring your audience from point A to point B without losing them in a jumble of words.
Use high quality, traceable images.
Anything that is shared is a reflection of your company. If you're using stock images, make sure that they have a high resolution and are ready for commercial use. If you've taken the time to create an original graphic, make sure it's traceable by adding a subtle watermark. If the graphic goes viral, you want everyone to know it came from you.
Have a prominent "share" button.
This should be very obvious, and yet it bears repeating. Too many websites have a "share" button all the way at the bottom of a page, even after the author's bio. Make it easy to find and hard to miss.
Keep it fresh.
Remember when you're competing for shares, you're not just trying to edge out websites for other companies in your industry. You're trying to convince your audience that your page is worth sharing over all other pages out there. So offer something new, be it incredible content, tantalizing new graphics, or hopefully a combination of the two.
Make it interactive.
Everyone wants to feel important. Ask for people's opinions. Some of the most engaging content online involve games, quizzes or contests. Use these to draw your audience in. If they've had fun on your site or taken the time to write a thoughtful response, they will be much more likely to share it on other networks.
Give solutions.
In order to get more shares, you need to not only convince your audience that your site is awesome, but also that they're gaining something by sharing. This can be as simple as giving your visitor "how to" advice - this gives them access to life solutions which are both engaging and worthwhile to share with friends.
Incentivize the share.
Find ways to design an aura of coolness around the act of sharing. Make the share button not only prominent but attractive, and if possible, show the payoffs of being a sharer. The Skimm, a daily newsletter, incentivizes shares by welcoming their best audience members into an exclusive community of "skimm'bassadors." They've made it cool to click the button "share that sh*t" by naming skimm'bassadors in their daily emails and offering them exclusive deals.