It’s official.

You keep hearing “content is king,” but where do you start? This guide provides rules to help you create better, more shareable content.

First, ask yourself these questions:

What inspires you to share content online?
What do you share? Blog posts, videos, or slideshows?
How do you find content that you want to share?
How easy is it to share content you like?
How long do you give content a chance?

The path toward shareable content may already be clearer.

Let’s delve deeper into these points and learn how to use them to generate targeted web traffic for your website.

Create Content That Feels Good

You’re not seeing things. Those cat videos on YouTube have hundreds of millions of views.

People can’t get enough of watching cats open refrigerators because it makes them feel good.

In the The Science of Sharing and the Sharing of Science study, Wharton School researchers found that people share content that speaks to them emotionally. However, they’re most likely to share content that makes them feel good.

Moreover, the same study found that people share positive content because it bodes well for their digital footprint.

A Buzzsumo study broke down the top emotions people feel when sharing content. According to their research, social sharing corresponds most to the following emotions:

Awe – 25%
Laughter – 17%
Amusement – 15%
Joy – 14%
Empathy – 6%
Anger – 6%
Surprised – 2%
Sadness – 1%

The New York Times elaborates on the motivations behind content sharing in their Psychology of Sharing survey. The publication surveyed 2,500 of their own readers and discovered the following motivations:

NYT readers share articles they feel will add value or entertainment to their network.

Readers want to define themselves, so they share articles that most represent their beliefs or lifestyle.

Sharing content is a way of connecting with your network, therefore, NYT readers share articles they feel best connects them to their family, friends, and colleagues.

Readers share content that makes them feel more involved in the world, such as politics or human rights.

Consider the science behind social sharing when brainstorming. This ensures your content is valuable enough to be shared.

The SEMrush content tool helps you find popular topics in your niche. If you are not a member already, they have a free trial available.

Drive Targeted Website Traffic with SEO

Possible questions may include:
From these questions, you can create the following SEO keywords to focus your content on:
Consider these content titles:

Adding value to yourself and others’ lives was a key discovery in the New York Times study. What’s more valuable than finding a fulfilling answer to a question?

Ask yourself: why do you, along with 93% of online users, start with search engines? To find an answer, right?

It doesn’t matter if it’s movie times, restaurant menus, scholarships, or vacation planning advice. An honest answer is extremely valuable.

That’s why search engine optimization (SEO) is so important for shareable content.

How do you create content that both humans AND search engines will love?

Let’s start with this example: Suppose you run an organic pet food store online. What questions would a potential customer ask to find a website like yours?

Possible questions may include:

What are the best brands of organic pet food?
What are the benefits of organic pet food?
Where can I buy organic pet food online?
What ingredients are in organic pet food?

From these questions, you can create the following SEO keywords to focus your content on:

Organic pet food brands
Organic pet food benefits
Buy organic pet food online
Organic pet food ingredients

Now that you have a few questions (keywords), it’s your job to create content that answers those questions, and then some!

Consider these content titles:

7 Organic Pet Food Brands You Have to Try Now
14 Organic Pet Food Benefits To Improve Quality of Life
Save 40% When You Buy Organic Pet Food Online
9 Amazing Organic Pet Food Ingredients Your Dog is Missing

SEO also makes the content creation process easier. Check out our SEO guide for beginners for more!

The more relevant questions (keywords) you have, the more search-friendly content you can generate.

Improve Formatting and Function

Don’t leave your blog out to dry.

Your website visitors must be able to do the following with ease:
To do this, follow these simple formatting tips:
That’s why having your articles load as quickly as possible with accessible social media sharing buttons is just as important as the content itself.

Your website visitors must be able to do the following with ease:

Read and scan content
View images, videos, slideshows, or other media in posts
Share content with accessible sharing options

People are more distracted online, so they scan content more than they read it. That’s why shareable content must be structured for scannability.

To do this, follow these simple formatting tips:

Use short paragraphs with no more than three sentences each.

Break up your articles into sections, with no less than three sections each.

Start each section with a sub-heading.

Use bullet points and numbered lists.

Let the eyes rest with even amounts of white space.

Break up content with multimedia: images, video, and slideshows all work.

List-style articles, or “listicles,” are popular because they match how the brain absorbs and processes information.

Lists “hit an attentional sweet spot.” This makes information easier to remember and pass on to others—a key ingredient for shareable content.

A consistent theme here is accommodation of the reader. The less your visitors have to work to understand, retain, and share your content, the better.

That’s why having your articles load as quickly as possible with accessible social media sharing buttons is just as important as the content itself.

Anything less than three seconds will make your website visitors run for the hills. In fact, 44% may even relay their bad experience to friends.

Improve your content’s functionality so you don’t miss out on those valuable re-shares.

You know why content is king, but now you know how to achieve it!

Don’t let your content sit and collect dust. Use it to your advantage to drive lucrative targeted website traffic to your business.

Create fulfilling content that adds value. Focus on search-friendly questions. Use a functional format to ensure your content is readable, scannable, and shareable each time.