Who doesn't want rapid exposure and popularity? We all want it, but only a handful of bloggers are able to leverage the benefits of viral content to achieve massive popularity for their blog. Remember, when I say 'Rapid', it doesn't mean in hours. If you manage to create some viral content, still it will take some time to reap the real benefits from it for long term and to be regarded as an authority in your niche. Let us try to understand 'Viral Content Creation' and its effects on our blog.What is Viral Content
In simple words, viral content is a piece of information (article, video, picture, post, animation, list) on the web, that entices the readers in such a way that they cannot resist the temptation to share it with others, which in turn do the same with their connections. This creates a snowball effect, and the content is spread across the net like a virus.
Creating viral content comes with experience and is an art. It does not require any geeky technical skills, but does require time for research and putting your imagination and creativity in a piece of work to make it viral.Building Blocks For Viral Content
1. Identifying the niche
2. Keeping up with trends
3. Researching
4. Do it in style
5. Hit the nail first
6. Trigger the sharing button
Before attempting to create any viral content, make sure you are very clear in mind about the target audience (your niche!). What works the best as viral content? Breaking news with a touch of humor or controversy, extensive resource lists, amazing pictures or videos and the likes.
Best way to get raw material for it is to subscribe to prominent company blogs related to the niche. You can set Google alerts to get the news as it breaks. Make the habit of mining the net for something interesting.
Once you get something interesting enough to be developed as viral content, do extensive research on it. If its some news, then you have to gather all the information at rapid pace, so that you can be among those handful bloggers who breaks the news first. On the other hand, if the piece of information is more of a resource category, you can devote ample time in compiling it.
Make the compilation clean, crisp and easily readable. Make sure all the links are working and are in ordered form. Include pictures, icons and graphics to make it attractive. Do not hesitate to experiment, because as I said earlier that it is an art that comes by experience. Give it a different treatment with a hint of spice that triggers the nerves of the reader.
Once your content is ready, its time to initiate the distribution process effectively. I would rather suggest to first create reasonably strong networks in social media sites, before attempting this. It will help spread your content with minimum efforts.
Make sure your content is easily available to people via permalinks, links in RSS feeds, posting on social media sites (Socialbaiting), public discussion rooms and word of mouth. If you manage to publish some breaking news first on your blog, make sure your hosting server can survive the traffic burst and do not saturate by overwhelming traffic.
If it proved successful, not only you will gain massive exposure, but also large number of incoming links to your content. This will put it in the category of 'Linkbait'. Once it becomes a huge hit, make sure you have some pillar articles in hand. Post them one after another to convert your visitors into loyal readers.
What other techniques you use for creating and distributing viral content? Does it include data mining?
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