Last Updated on February 17, 2021

As much as people might lead you to believe otherwise, going viral has nothing to do with luck. There’s actually a reason why the same brands, celebrities and even local businesses are able to get themselves and their content shared over and over again. 

Examples range from big brands like Nike, Wendy’s, Denny’s, National Geographic, and GoPro, down to smaller groups like The Norfolk Police Department and the Cincinnati Zoo. Each might have their own spin on how to get views, but they consistently use the same strategies to find their content and create shareable moments.

3 Strategies to Getting Shared

Understanding what people will share is the most important thing you need to consider when trying to go viral. Research statistics about social media usage reveal 3 common themes that seem to emerge in most viral posts.

1. Video Outperforms Everything
   There are countless studies that support this, and you’ve probably heard that you need to incorporate video into your business – but honestly, video is more effective than anything else when it comes to getting your content shared.
   
   A study from Buffer including 777M posts, shows that posts with video get 59% more engagement than other types of posts. So, if you’re looking for exposure, likes and shares, using video is a great place to start.

2. Inspirational, Funny or Practical Posts Perform Best
   The posts that get the most traction have a lot more in common than just video. When you look at the top 500 posts on Facebook and Instagram between 2018 and 2020, you notice that people tend to share content that’s inspirational, funny or practical – because these things resonate highly with the general population. All 3 options add value to your audience, which makes them want to return that value or pass it on and share your content.
   
   If you think about it a little more, this falls in line perfectly with the concept of reciprocity, which we endorse frequently as a business strategy here on AIC. 

3. Directly Asking Accelerates Shares
   This final tactic is used by the most savvy of YouTubers and big name brands as a way to increase exposure quickly.  I’m sure you’ve seen a post that includes “like and share if…” or even more likely, you’ve heard someone say “like and share” within a video. This simple call to action can make a significant difference within your posts so try including it naturally within some of your posts.

I’m sure you’re saying “Alex, this is all well and good, but how do I actually find or create shareable content within my real estate practice?”

Look for Opportunities

First, let’s talk about how you can find content. We’ve established that you’re aiming to create video that’s inspirational, funny or practical, that matches your audience. 

So, what inspires your clients? What makes them laugh? What are some of the most helpful things you can share with them about the real estate process? (I want to be clear – this is not what you think is the most helpful tool for them.)

If you haven’t before, I’d ask some of your friends and past clients questions that get at the heart of those topics. The better job you do talking to them about what they need, the better job you’ll do finding content that they want to share.

Create Shareable Moments

Beyond finding content that resonates well with your audience, creating shareable moments will encourage people to share your content with their own audience as well. 

I’ve seen agents all over North America use a number of different things to create these “shareable moments” including:

• Personalized gifts
• Wine subscriptions
• Hiring a limo with champagne to bring clients to a closing
• Holiday or client events
• Prizes and Giveaways
• Video montages of the home someone just moved into or sold

There are so many options out there for doing something that stands out, tell us in the comments about some of the “stand-out” tactics you’ve used!

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