10 tips to make your blog content and video go viral

There is an art to creating brilliant blog content and video, but the real mastery lies in ensuring that content goes viral.

These insights from Jon Steinberg over at Buzzfeed offer a great starting point, so we decided to share the love.

1. Keep it short

To create viral video – think 30 seconds good, 90 seconds bad. Any longer than that and people won’t reach the end, let alone share.

2. Offer an interpersonal, human angle

People only share what they know and feel a connection with.

3. Create rough content that feels authentic

Avoid over-produced content – people prefer a behind-the-scenes feel to a slick, edited product.

4. Make it something that people can engage with

People want to engage with content, not passively consume it. Include options to upload images, create quizzes or games.

5. Offer a platform for reactions/comments

The best business blogs offer a comment system, which you should aim to build into a community with viral potential.

6. Use lists and images

Why? Simple: people love them. Try creating blog posts that are lists and make it clear in your headline (it works for us!). Images are also highly shareable.

7. Limit page views

The more pages people have to scroll through, the less likely they are to share.

8. Make your headline compelling – use calls to action and lists

In the era of Twitter, RSS and Facebook – titles matter.

9. Consider your users’ reputations as well as yours

If your tweet or blog content is potentially embarrassing, nobody’s likely to share it.

10. Tweet appropriately

Leave some spaces in your tweet rather than using all 140 characters, and be sure to place a re-tweet button prominently near your blog content to drive shares.

Source: Tips adapted from businessinsider.com