The best content that you can create is content that elicits a strong emotion in the reader and it has the strongest impact when they actually feel something as they read it. Not only does this create a strong bond between a brand and their readers, but it leads to viral sharing, which is the ultimate dream of all website owners and marketers.
Keep It Positive
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that positive content gets shared more than negative content. This is the type of content which is humorous or awe-inspiring. Content that gives us hope, such as a powerful image, is a lot more likely to be shared than something that is negative or pessimistic. Joy, amusement, surprise, a sense of belonging, excitement, and affection are some of the most engaging emotions.
The Case for Negativity
However, there is a case to be made for negative emotions as well. Although negativity doesn’t go over as well as positive content does, sometimes a frightening or very sad piece of content will go viral. The reason for this is because it triggers very strong emotions of concern or empathy.
Justifiable Anger
Some studies have shown that anger is a good emotion for content. Of course, you shouldn’t make your audience angry at you. Rather, it can be very powerful to share content that causes controversy and gets a discussion going. You’ll see this often with news networks and can be to encourage people to rally behind a cause or engage in a debate about an important topic.
What’s This All About?
Finally, curiosity is a great emotion use in your writing as well. When there is content that makes people say, “What’s that all about?” it’s sure to get some interest and sharing. This is also the case for the titles for written content that pique curiosity.
Which emotions your content elicits all depend on your messaging and your target market. The better you know their feelings and opinions, the easier it is to give them content that is both valuable and will also stir their emotions.
