Don’t you love it when people read your content, or better yet when they share it? In an article for Entrepreneur, Brian Sutter (@SmallBizBrian) explains why many marketers are turning their focus to shares. It’s a surefire way to know if that article or image is having an impact. Despite being the goal of many companies, statistics by BuzzSumo and Moz show that only half of all articles posted get only 8 shares or less.

1. Only publish content that’s worth sharing.

We’ve all heard this before, but it is worth being reminded of. If you are not creating useful, informative and engaging content, promoting your content won’t help. According to Sutter, it might hurt. If you promote your content and get it out there, people will read it, leaving a bad impression in their minds about your brand. Even though it will take longer to produce quality content, by all means take the time to write it.

2. Use images

Human beings are highly visual, and social media is a forum where marketers can take advantage of this trait. Facebook posts with images receive 2 to 3 times more hits than those without. Match your written content with at least one standout image. The next level is publishing standalone content, an infographic related to your industry, for instance.    

3. Use social sharing plugins

Here at Near Me, we publish our blog on Hubspot and share it on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter and personal social media accounts. Once you’ve got a feel for these, experiment with different tools as the right plugins can make a huge difference in how many shares you land.   

4. Ask people to share

You might be thinking, people won’t share content simply because I asked them too! You will be pleasantly surprised when they do.

5. Mention people by name in your content

Once you know who the influencers in your industry are, it becomes natural to mention their names in your social media posts. Quoting experts will boost your credibility.

6. Write great headlines

Let’s face it, many people won’t read your post completely but they will share it if it has a great headline.

With so much content out there today, what makes yours stand out from the crowd? Following these 6 easy steps is a simple yet effective way to make sure your content gets shared.

Read source article here