Nov 13, 2022 | Digital Marketing, Social Media
Why Do Bad Social Media Posts Go Viral and Good Social Media Posts Get Crickets
We’ve all been there. You spend hours crafting the perfect social media post, choosing just the right image and writing copy that’s both clever and informative. And then you hit publish…and crickets. Meanwhile, someone else posts something that’s rife with errors, and it somehow manages to take off like wildfire. WTF?
Is Social Media Thankless?
Social media is a platform for people to share their ideas, thoughts, and views with the world. It’s also a platform for people to make fools of themselves. We’ve all seen those social media posts that are full of errors, but for some reason, they always seem to go viral. On the other hand, good social media posts often get no engagement. Why is this?
Well, there are a few theories. First, it could be that people just enjoy seeing others fail. We all Some people like to see other people trip and fall, and social media posts that are full of errors are the online equivalent of that scenario. Second, it could be that we’re more likely to share something if it’s controversial or provocative. Finally, it could be that we’re just too lazy to proofread our own social media posts before hitting publish. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that social media isn’t always a level playing field. Sometimes, the worst posts get the most engagement. WTF indeed.
Reason’s Bad Social Media Posts go Viral
The Schadenfreude Factor: Let’s face it: some people like to see others trip and fall. It’s human nature. Seeing someone make a fool of themselves gives us a sense of schadenfreude, which is “enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others.” We (not you) take pleasure in seeing other people fail because it makes us feel better about ourselves. In a way, it’s a way of measuring our own successes and failures against those of others. And when we see someone screw up on social media, it’s the perfect opportunity to do just that…
The Controversial Factor: Another reason why bad social media posts go viral is that they’re controversial or provocative. People are more likely to share something if it gets them worked up or incites strong emotions in them—positive or negative. This controversial shit needs to go viral! That’s why you’re more likely to see a bad social media post making the rounds than a good one.
The “I’m Too Lazy To Proofread” Factor: Let’s not forget the most obvious reason why bad social media posts go viral: we’re just too lazy to proofread our graphics before finalizing them. We’ve become accustomed to sending out quick thoughts without giving them much thought or consideration. As a result, we’ve become sloppy when it comes to grammar and spelling—and that sloppiness often carries over into our social media posts. Who the eff cares that there are 7 spelling errors on that graphic?! FYI… I DO! It’s the reason I drink wine early.
It seems like the only thing that goes viral these days is typos, grammatical errors, and general stupidity. Is the world really that obsessed with schadenfreude? Maybe we’re just bored out of our minds and desperate for anything that will give us a good laugh. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that social media isn’t exactly breeding a generation of critical thinkers.
How to Get More Engagement on Your Social Media Posts
We all want more engagement on our social media posts. But what does that really mean? And how can you get it? Engagement is defined as the level of interaction between you and your audience. It’s the back-and-forth, the likes and comments, the Shares and Reposts. In short, engagement is what makes social media so social.
But why should you care about engagement? Because the more engaged your audience is, the better. Engaged audiences are more likely to convert into paying customers. They’re also more likely to stick around for the long haul. So how do you get more engagement on your social media posts? Keep reading to find out.
- Create Content That’s Relevant to Your Audience: If you want people to engage with your content, it needs to be relevant to them. That means creating content that appeals to their interests, needs, and wants. Take some time to understand your audience and what they’re looking for on social media, then create content accordingly.
- Make It Easy for People to Engage: Don’t make people search for a way to engage with your content—make it obvious. Include calls to action in every post, such as “Like if you agree!” or “Tag a friend who needs to see this!” The easier you make it for people to engage with your content, the more likely they are to actually do it.
- Post at the Right Time: You can have the best content in the world, but if you’re posting it at 2 am when everyone’s asleep, you’re not going to get much engagement. Pay attention to when your audience is most active on social media, then adjust your posting schedule accordingly.
Getting more engagement on your social media posts is essential if you want to build a strong relationship with your audience. Luckily, it’s not difficult—it just takes a little bit of effort. By creating relevant content, making it easy for people to engage, and posting at the right time, you’ll be well on your way to increasing those likes, comments, Shares, and Retweets in no time!
Nov 13, 2022 | SEO, Digital Marketing
How Many Words Should My Landing Pages Be
If you’re hoping to improve your website’s SEO, you’re probably wondering about the ideal word count for content on each page. After all, the more content you have, the more keywords you can include, which should theoretically lead to more traffic.
However, it’s not quite that simple. The truth is, there is no magic number when it comes to the ideal word count for landing page content. It depends on a number of factors, including your industry, your target audience, and your goals for the page.
Experts Agree to Disagree: The Ideal Word Count for Your Landing Page SEO Content Is …
First, let’s just say that nobody can agree on the answer to this question. Nobody. I have clients who want a maximum of 400 words on each page, and I have clients who think they need 2,000 words to get to that coveted #1 spot on the search engines results pages (SERP).
There are some general guidelines you can follow when it comes to landing page content. In general, shorter landing pages that are high quality are better than longer ones that are junk.
Want to Improve Your Website’s SEO – A General Guideline to Word Count
A good rule of thumb is to aim for around a minimum of 400 words per page. This may seem like a relatively small amount, but remember that you don’t need to include fluff just to hit a certain word count. Your goal should be to include only the most relevant and helpful information for your audience.
Of course, there will be times when you need to deviate from this general guideline. For example, if you’re in a highly technical industry or if your target audience is particularly sophisticated, you may need to include more information on your landing pages to ensure that they rank well in search results.
Similarly, if you’re targeting a global audience, you may need to provide translations of your content so that people from different countries can understand and engage with it. Ultimately, the best thing you can do is test different word counts and see what works best for your particular situation.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to the ideal word count for landing page content, shorter pages are generally better than longer ones.
Aim for around 500 words per page, and remember to focus on quality over quantity. With well-written and relevant content, you’ll be well on your way to improving your website’s SEO.
Aug 11, 2018 | Cheeky Thoughts
Growing up in a tiny Northern New York town, kids get creative. Scratch that. Innovative. My friends and I – we took the cake.
Or so we thought.
It was late October, senior year, and we were feeling innovative. The air was unseasonably warm that night: perfect to venture out and go on one of our famous-to-us missions. My friend Kim had a beat up old, thrice-passed-down, blue station wagon that had served us well since sophomore year. As we drove through town that night in The Beast, selectively shopping for pumpkins from the home porches of neighbors, teachers, fellow students’ families and random townspeople, we hadn’t yet decided the fate of our backseat garden. So, we waited; we decided to venture out the next evening to expand our collection.
Little did we know, we hadn’t been as sly as we’d previously thought in our egotistical, overconfident minds. We’d been caught… orange-handed. Mrs. Pecore, a friend of a friend’s mother, called us out on our pre-Halloween thievery. That darn Darcy was recognized! And ohhh, that curmudgeon Mrs. Pecore was bitter. She gave Darcy’s parents an earful, who in turn, grounded Darcy, who by the way, did not rat us out.
Of course, we had to retaliate. Mrs. Pecore couldn’t get away with her attempt at nailing us mid-mission. In the words of The Outsiders, we had to do it for Darcy.
We parked The Beast around the corner. We waited. And waited. It was the night before Halloween, not to mention a school night; surely it was time for porch lights to turn off. Forty-five minutes in, her house went dark. Game on. One by one, we delivered each pumpkin to Mrs. Pecore’s front lawn. Crouched down, each of us perfecting our tiptoe run—like the characters in a 1980s cartoon—we ran from tree to tree to car in the street, ensuring no one saw us.
There were five of us and it took almost 30 minutes; we had no idea how many pumpkins had been collected. In the end, we capped it off with a homemade sign in her yard that stated, “Prickly Pecore’s Pumpkin Patch. $1 Each.”
Game over. We won.
The next afternoon, on our way home from school, in full arrogance, we drove past our masterpiece. And wouldn’t you know, Prickly Pecore was out front selling those pumpkins.
Aug 3, 2018 | Cheeky Thoughts
I so badly wanna take that midnight train goin’ anywhere. I think I’d go alone. Yes, alone.
For the ride, I’d bring a Walkman. Not an iPod – a Walkman. When I want to hear that certain song, I must work for it and be patient through the fast forward. Be happily forced to revel in my solitude and take that moment to appreciate the abyss of black trees blurring by as I wait to hear that chosen tune—my night’s anthem.
My backpack would be one of those army green—not camouflage—canvas rucksack types. Torn in all the obvious places. Yes. Let my fellow travelers know I’m a wanderer. A weekend hobo.
I’d bring one book. That book. The one I’ve been trying to read but it’s complicated, arduous, and because I’m me, always loses to the latest about-to-be-made-into-a-movie, chick-lit novel. You know the chick-lit type: you don’t have to think when you’re reading it. You don’t even have to create the characters in your mind because Sandy B and Ryan G have taken care of it for you.
I don’t care where the train takes me; in fact, I don’t want to know my journey’s end. It’s not about the destination. It’s about the ride, the people along the way—molding me, affecting me—forever changing my life through their very presence.
My drink for the ride? Coffee. Black. Strong. Enveloping. I love to wrap both hands tightly around a cup of coffee, even on the hottest of days. I want to feel and breathe in that cozy, steamy cup of life—like the cup itself is hugging me. In that one breath, I’m taken to a secluded spot in my imagination. I’m in the Adirondacks, just before sunrise and in the distance, pink sky.
At that moment, nothing matters – nothing, but the cricket chirps peppering my ear.
I’d bring a notebook – paper – no keyboards on this trip. I’d write down everything—what I heard, what I saw, what I thought—but just my sane thoughts. I’d have conversations with myself. We’d laugh. We’d bicker. We’d cry. We’d get to know each other. I’d write my first novel about it. I’d call it Conversations with Kate.
I’d meet people… happy, sad, crazy, scared. Loners, lovers, thieves, characters. I’d imagine us, friends. I’d share my sacred cup of coffee with them. I’d watch them – see if they close their eyes too and breathe it in. I’d look for that same emotion that passes through me each time I take that adulated sip.
I’d wonder if I made the right decision in sharing myself with them. I’d wonder if we’d ever see each other after this trip. I’d wonder if anyone would notice that I was gone. I’d wonder why I didn’t bring that chick-lit novel. If I took that midnight train goin’ anywhere, I wouldn’t do anything else… but wonder.
