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The 7 Secrets To Writing Blog Posts That ALWAYS Go Viral
I reveal the proven techniques that will skyrocket your blog post shares across social media.
Deng Xiang
April 30, 2024
If you want more traffic, leads, and sales from your blog, learning how to write posts that always get shared is crucial. But it’s not always obvious what types of content inspire people to hit that share button.
That’s why I’ve discovered the 7 secrets to writing share-worthy blog posts that are almost guaranteed to spread like wildfire across the social networks. Use these insider tactics, and you may see a huge spike in shares, links, backlinks and social influence.
Secret #1: Pose Questions Your Readers Want Answered
People are naturally curious. If you can identify questions your readers are actively searching for answers to, and then provide those answers in an engaging way, they’ll be much more inclined to share your post with others facing the same question.
Some popular types of questions to answer include:
“How to...” guides that solve common problems or achieve specific goals.
“What are...” posts that explore or compare different options.
“Why...” explanations for phenomena, opinions, or reactions.
When writing questions into your headlines and ledes, make sure they are open-ended enough to spark discussion, debate or further exploration in the comments. People love to chime in and continue the conversation.
For example, a post titled “The 7 Reasons Why Social Media Is Ruining Your Life” is more share-worthy than a declarative statement like “Social Media Negatively Impacts Users.” The questioning tone elicits emotional response and fuels the spread.
A Personal Story
I once wrote a blog post about how to balance productivity with self-care. At the time, I was struggling with burnout, so I decided to write something that could help others in a similar situation. I titled the post “How Can You Stay Productive Without Burning Out?”
When I published it, I expected it to be a decent read, but the response was overwhelming. People didn’t just comment—they engaged. They shared their personal experiences, debated different strategies, and expressed gratitude for the insight. The post spread far beyond my immediate circle, with readers tagging their friends and colleagues, some even sharing it on social media with the message: “This is exactly what I needed.”
The success of that post wasn’t due to the content alone—it was because I asked the right question. It wasn’t just about offering a solution, but about tapping into a shared experience and offering a conversation. That simple question sparked dialogue, and people felt compelled to engage and share their own struggles and solutions.
Secret #2: Reveal Surprising or Counterintuitive Facts
Our brains are hardwired to remember and pass along information that contradicts our preexisting beliefs or expectations. That’s why content revealing surprising facts, startling statistics or counterintuitive truths always blows up on social.
You can find such share-worthy nuggets of information by closely analyzing your industry or topic from a contrarian viewpoint. Consider perspectives the majority may not have considered. Or uncover little-known details that overturn conventional wisdom.
Prime examples include posts like “5 Job Interview Rules You Should Be Breaking” or “The 3 Fitness Myths Keeping You Fat.” Sharing a few examples early on hooks readers into wanting to know more surprising secrets. And including credible sources builds trust so others feel comfortable passing the information to their networks.
Secret #3: Offers Lists People Can Relate To
Nothing spreads like a good list. Especially when those lists tap into common human experiences, desires, flaws or fears that others can personally relate to and identify with.
Top 7, Top 10, and Top 15 list formats in particular seem to be irresistible crack for those precious social sharing fingers. But the topics need to resonate with a mass audience rather than niche interests for maximum virality.
Some examples of universally relatable lists include:
“The 7 Awkward First Date Mistakes Everyone Makes”
“10 Signs You Might Have an Unhealthy Relationship”
“15 Subtle Red Flags That Mean It’s Time to Quit Your Job”
By crafting lists centered on topics everyone struggles with at some point in life, it becomes easy for readers to pass along, thinking “Oh my gosh, that was totally me!” to their connections.
Facts and figures fade quickly from memory compared to emotionally impactful stories. And stories make ideas sticky by illustrating principles through engaging characters and narratives full of conflict, drama, victory or catharsis.
Aim to weave stories that elicit the deep-seated human emotions of fear, lust, jealousy, triumph over adversity or schadenfreude. Some proven story formats include:
Rags to Riches tales of remarkable comebacks and underdog triumphs.
Tragedy Plus Time perspectives that find light after darkness.
Morality tales showcasing people who screwed up big to teach a lesson.
Motivational mentor stories highlighting sages who impart priceless wisdom.
By inspiring emotions, stories energize audiences and trigger their deeply ingrained “spread good stories” instincts. They’ll share without second thought so others can experience the visceral catharsis, too.