Here’s some good news: A recent study by the University of Pennsylvania delved into the archives of the NY Times and found that “positive content is more viral than negative content.” So, even in this world riddled with headlines about tsunamis, earthquakes, protests, fuel prices and yes, political misbehavior – we still prefer to spread positive news and information. Aren’t you glad to hear that?
Need more proof? Let’s turn to Facebook – where “Like” is the goal for much of what’s posted. The social media giant recently looked into major news sites with a presence there and found that “provocative” or “passionate” stories generate two to three times the engagement of other stories. Similarly, the Penn study noted that the trigger for sharing seems to be about emotional arousal more than anything. Content you can imagine someone emailing with either “Awesome!” or “WTH?!” in the subject line gets spread.
From a marketing and branding perspective, this further emphasizes the importance of unique, engaging stories, content and experiences. Awe-inspiring. Something that connects with your audience so much they’ll share with their social network.
How can you change what you’re doing to make it “Awesome!”?
