How Will You Get Someone To Share Your Link?

I want this blog post to go viral and I will need your help. Perhaps after reading this you will feel inspired to help me, for that is what book marketing is all about – making connections, asking for help, and aiding one another. Just tell me what I need to do in exchange for your help.

Everyone is trying to use social media to launch their books.  But what is the secret sauce for getting others to willingly be soldiers in your war? What will motivate others to retweet, post, or share our messages and links with their pool of followers, friends, family, and fans? Why should they go out on a limb for you, especially if you are a stranger? Why would they waste their time or risk looking stupid for sharing something that may not go over well with others? How will you even get them to look at, let alone be interested in, your blog posts, videos, or podcasts?

Even though it is relatively quick and effortless to forward a link to others -- and it costs nothing – the sender’s reputation is on the line. You are not sending political content to a distribution list that includes your boss or business colleagues, are you? You won’t send porn to people who also attend church with you, right?  You have to filter out what you like and then what you think is appropriate to share.

Most people will do something when they believe it is in their best interests. Do you have enough of an incentive to get them to share your link? What currency will speak to them and win them over?

Consider the following:

·         Will you pay them?

·         Will you trade something of value with them?

·         Will you beg them and hope they act out of pity?

·         Do you think you can guilt them into sending it out?

·         Do they owe you a favor?

·         Are they invested in wanting to impress you?

You certainly have to have great content and it needs to be sent to people who: a) would appreciate it and b) would have the right people to send it to.  You will have to ask people – implore them – to post and share your stuff. You will need to tell them why they have an incentive to share it and you must convince them it is worthy of being shared. Determine what benefit people will gain by viewing your links or content and then express it to the people you are sending it to. Let them know they will laugh their ass off or that they will be shocked or that they will learn a secret, discover a truth, or just get to gawk at photos or videos of attractive people, famous people, or newsmakers. There must be a prize in your box of Cracker Jacks – otherwise you are just left with stale candy.

What else will get others to share your stuff?

·         They may actually believe in your message and want to support your cause. They are altruistic.

·         It’s a family member or friend and you make them feel obligated to share it.

·         It is a business colleague and you tell them it is in their best interest to share it.

·         Someone finds the content really moving, funny, rewarding, informative, etc.

·         You declare the content to be  of  the utmost importance.

·         It is timely and relevant to what is in the news.

·         Tell them the content ties into what that person loves, believes in, or does for a living.

·         They find the visuals so arresting or the words so poetic.

·         They want to make fun of it or you.

·         You blackmailed them.

·         You lied to them, mislead them, or did a bait and switch.

·         They hate your message and want to argue against it.

·         They are convinced you are a somebody heading off to become a viral king and want to buy in early and feel first or special by sharing it.

·         Your content has a strong emotional pull on them.

·         It features push-button content: religion, politics, sex, celebrities.

Still, people won’t share something if they think it:

·         Conflicts with their careers.

·         Disagrees with their core values.

·         Is not put together well.

·         Will embarrass them if they share it.

·         Contains language that is profane and inappropriate for their followers.

·         Showcases images that are too graphic and filled with violence, racism, or something deemed offensive by the recipient.

·         Violates the law in some way.

So  I  pose the question to you: What will it take to share this blog post with others and to tell them about my blog? Please share this with others (beg) – you’ll feel good for doing it (guilt) – and it will come back to benefit you (may be bullshit, but why not appeal to the greed within you)?  I promise that by sharing this you will make a lot of money (lie, maybe).

Tweet it, post it, blog it, Facebook it, share it… Why? Because I said so. Oh, wait, that only works with my two young kids. Sometimes.

Have You Seen This Past Week’s Posts?

21 Reasons Why People might Buy Your Book 

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/do-you-know-why-people-buy-your-book.html

You Can Use Crowdfunding On Your Next Book -- Turn Your Idea Into A Business

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/crowdfunding-your-next-book.html

Using Video To Market An Author, Book, Or Publisher

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/should-you-use-videostto-market-your.html

How Promoters, Authors & Publishers Get Others to Say YES

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/how-to-get-yes-out-of-others.html

The Necessity Of Fiction

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/when-fiction-is-our-reality.html

The Appeal & Importance Of Audiobooks http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/listen-up-audiobooks-speak-louder-than.html

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person.