With so many social networks and blogging opportunities today, it comes as no surprise that more and more content creators are seeking ways in which to further distribute their content to the masses. Whether you are a part-time blogger or the manager of an entire social media operation for a large brand, it is vital that your content receives exposure – and what better way for that to occur than through sharing? In the following article, we will discuss several ways that you can encourage your followers, subscribers and visitors to share your content with friends, family and virtually anyone else with whom they are connected online.

Utilize Email

Several studies have shown that a brand’s most loyal customers and subscribers can be found via that brand’s mailing lists. Email continues to prove itself as a valuable form of communication: not only do more people pay attention to emails than social media alerts, but they are also more likely to share them with friends and family. Many of these individuals will already feel a sense of trust with your brand, so it is much easier to convince them to share content than it would be a casual visitor or social network subscriber. Much like pinging for SEO involves selecting the appropriate audiences, any content sharing strategy should always begin with your most loyal set of supporters – and they can be found in your mailing lists.

Build Networks

Through various outlets like social media, content creators can directly interact with their followers in order to further build bonds of trust and stimulate discussion on various topics. While much of this conversation can ultimately take place via your social media pages, many content creators will proactively seek out their followers and attempt to initiate direct dialogue with them. As you engage in this sort of behavior, users will feel more inclined to share or comment on various forms of content that you publish.

Reach Out to Your Stars

Every successful blogging venture or social media campaign will have a small number of people who are your “stars”; usually comprising just a couple percent of the total number of engaged users, these individuals are proactive on commenting and sharing – when asked. Anyone who wishes to gain traction and have their content shared with the world will be well-advised to identify these individuals early on and create incentives for their participation. A common way to do this via social media is to create a private group for these individuals, where the broader mission or topic of the brand can be discussed (while also providing a sense of exclusivity and appreciation to those who fit this category).

Conclusion

If you are creating valuable content, pinging for SEO and sharing said content via social media, then you are on the right path. Those who wish to further propagate their content, however, will need to network with existing followers, make strong appeals to those who have subscribed via email and reach out to those who have proven themselves to be actively involved with your brand. Little by little, these efforts add up to create a scenario in which all of your content – whether it be blog posts, infographics or video – is shared with more people than you could have ever imagined.