People only share what touches them emotionally. Therefore, when you have an idea for the content, take your time and ask yourself: «What emotions can I / want to evoke here?»
8 universal emotions you can evoke with your content
1. NSFW: that's crazy! 😱
Internet jargon abbr. from «not safe for work» - «unsafe at work» (to open). Usually it accompanies links to pages, pictures, etc. files, to one degree or another having a vulgar / indecent character, which can serve as a reason for dismissal when looking at / reading at work.
This is probably the hardest to recognize & tap into. It's very similar to WOW - that's amazing! but with a (often weird) twist.
This was the best example I could find that didn't involve nudity or a creepy story:
2. LOL: that's so funny 😂
laughing out loud - loudly, laughing out loud
Who doesn't like to be entertained? Funny memes are a great way to add some humor to your content (and increase your chances of going viral).
You can do this regardless of your industry. Trung's content is a case study on how to masterfully use memes in a traditionally serious & formal space:
3. OHHH: *now* I get it!🧐
In a world full of fascinating but overly complicated concepts & ideas, simplying is a superpower.
This type of content is probably the hardest to produce but also the most useful & rewarding.
Not just a great way to build an audience but also a forcing function for you to sharpen your understanding of the stuff you learn:
Vadik adds: often one simple diagram / infographic puts everything on the shelves or just shows unexpected facts - and the post goes viral!
4. WOW: that's amazing! 😲
Everyone loves success stories. They can be incredibly inspiring (and sometimes even teach you something). The best part? There are tons of these in every single niche or industry:
5. AWW: that's sooo cute ☺️
For some weird biological reason, our brains can't resist cute stuff.
Depending on your niche or the type of content you create, this emotion might be hard to tap into on an ongoing basis.
But if you can, you should definitely take advantage of cute animal pics:
6. YAY: that's great news! 🥳
Finally, who doesn't like to hear good news?Especially when they're about people you care about or look up to.
When you help people every day, they start caring & celebrating your wins as if they were theirs.
So if you're being helpful, don't be shy. Share your milestones:
7. WTF: that pisses me off 🤯
WTF — «what the fuck?»
This type of content can be a double-edged sword.
It's probably the most likely to create controversy and hate.
But it's also one of the most effective.
Use it wisely (and at your own risk):
8. FINALLY: someone said it! 🤫
There's something incredibly satisfying about reading someone say what you've been thinking (or feeling) for so long. I think that's why this type of content works so well.
The tricky part is nailing the timing. Had Shaan put this out either 3 months earlier or 3 months later, this thread had probably gone no where:
Sometimes one idea can involve more than one emotion. But if your idea evokes none, then ...
Make people feel something.