How to Get More Social Media Shares on Your Articles
Getting more social media shares on your articles requires a strategic combination of compelling content, optimized social elements, and active engagement tactics. The most effective approach involves creating share-worthy content, implementing social sharing tools, optimizing headlines and visuals, and building relationships with your audience across platforms.
In 2025, successful content creators and publishers are seeing 3-5x more social shares by focusing on emotional engagement, visual storytelling, and platform-specific optimization strategies. The key is understanding what motivates people to share content with their networks.
Table of Contents
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Understanding the Psychology of Social Sharing
- Why People Share Content
- Emotional Triggers That Drive Shares
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Creating Inherently Shareable Content
- Content Types That Get Shared Most
- Writing Techniques for Viral Content
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Optimizing Headlines and Visuals for Maximum Impact
- Headline Formulas That Drive Clicks
- Visual Content Best Practices
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Technical Optimization for Social Sharing
- Social Media Meta Tags
- Share Button Placement and Design
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Platform-Specific Sharing Strategies
- Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram Tactics
- Emerging Platforms and Trends
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Content Amplification and Outreach Tactics
- Influencer Collaboration
- Community Building
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How-To: Implement a Social Sharing Strategy
- 7-Step Implementation Process
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Common Social Sharing Challenges
Understanding the Psychology of Social Sharing
Why People Share Content
People share content to express their identity, provide value to others, and strengthen social connections. Understanding these core motivations is essential for creating content that naturally encourages sharing.
Research from the New York Times Customer Insight Group identified five primary motivations for social sharing:
Core Sharing Motivations
- Self-Expression: 68% share to give others a better sense of who they are and what they care about
- Social Connection: 78% share because it helps them stay connected to people they might not see regularly
- Altruism: 84% share because it's a way to support causes or issues they care about
- Validation: 69% share to feel more involved in the world and get feedback from others
- Information Sharing: 94% share to inform and educate others about topics they find valuable
Emotional Triggers That Drive Shares
Content that evokes strong emotions gets shared significantly more than neutral content. The most shareable emotions include:
| Emotion | Share Rate Impact | Content Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Awe/Wonder | +30% shares | Breakthrough discoveries, incredible achievements, stunning visuals |
| Anger/Outrage | +34% shares | Injustice stories, controversial topics, call-to-action pieces |
| Joy/Happiness | +25% shares | Success stories, uplifting news, humor, celebrations |
| Surprise | +23% shares | Unexpected findings, plot twists, counter-intuitive insights |
| Fear/Anxiety | +20% shares | Warning articles, crisis coverage, urgent issues |
Publishers using advanced analytics can track which emotional triggers resonate most with their specific audience. Mirabel's Marketing Manager helps publishers analyze content performance and reader engagement patterns, enabling data-driven decisions about which emotional angles drive the most social sharing for their particular audience segments.
Optimizing Headlines and Visuals for Maximum Impact
Headline Formulas That Drive Clicks
Headlines with 6-10 words and specific numbers generate 21% more social shares than generic headlines. The most effective headlines combine emotional triggers with clear value propositions.
| Headline Formula | Example | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Number + Adjective + Keyword + Promise | "7 Proven Ways to Double Your Blog Traffic" | Specific, actionable, and promises clear value |
| Question + Unexpected Answer | "Why Do Top Marketers Ignore Social Media?" | Creates curiosity and challenges assumptions |
| Secret/Unknown + Benefit | "The Hidden Strategy Behind Viral Content" | Appeals to desire for insider knowledge |
| Mistake/Warning + Solution | "Stop Making These 5 SEO Mistakes" | Fear-based motivation with clear solution |
Visual Content Best Practices
Visual elements are crucial for social media sharing, with posts containing images receiving 650% more engagement than text-only posts.
Visual Optimization Guidelines
- Image Dimensions: Use 1200x630 pixels for optimal display across all platforms
- Text Overlay: Keep text under 20% of image area to avoid Facebook restrictions
- Brand Consistency: Include subtle branding elements without overwhelming the content
- High Quality: Use crisp, professional images that look good at any size
- Emotional Appeal: Choose images that evoke the same emotion as your content
- Color Psychology: Use colors that align with your message (blue for trust, red for urgency)
Technical Optimization for Social Sharing
Social Media Meta Tags
Properly configured Open Graph and Twitter Card meta tags can increase click-through rates by up to 40%. These tags control how your content appears when shared on social platforms.
Essential Meta Tags for Social Sharing
- og:title: Compelling headline (different from page title if needed)
- og:description: Engaging 155-character description
- og:image: High-quality 1200x630 pixel image
- og:url: Canonical URL of the page
- twitter:card: Summary_large_image for maximum impact
- twitter:site: Your Twitter handle for attribution
Share Button Placement and Design
Strategic placement of social sharing buttons can increase shares by 700%. The most effective approach combines multiple placement strategies:
| Placement Location | Share Rate Increase | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Floating Sidebar | +45% | Long-form content, desktop users |
| Top of Article | +25% | Breaking news, trending topics |
| Bottom of Article | +35% | Evergreen content, engaged readers |
| Inline Within Content | +20% | Data points, key insights |
| Mobile Sticky Bar | +30% | Mobile-optimized content |
Platform-Specific Sharing Strategies
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram Tactics
Each social platform has unique audience behaviors and algorithm preferences that affect sharing patterns. Optimizing for platform-specific characteristics can double your share rates.
Facebook Optimization
- Use native video content for 135% more organic reach
- Post when your audience is most active (8-10 PM)
- Create discussion-worthy content with questions
- Leverage Facebook Groups for community sharing
- Use Facebook Live for real-time engagement
Twitter/X Strategy
- Optimize for retweets with engaging visuals
- Use trending hashtags strategically (1-2 per post)
- Tweet at peak times (12-3 PM, 5-6 PM)
- Create Twitter threads for complex topics
- Engage with influencers and industry leaders
LinkedIn Approach
- Share professional insights and industry news
- Use LinkedIn's native document feature
- Post during business hours (8 AM-6 PM)
- Write thoughtful commentary with shares
- Engage in relevant LinkedIn Groups
Emerging Platforms and Trends
Staying ahead of platform trends can provide early-mover advantages for content distribution:
2025 Platform Trends
- TikTok for Publishers: Short-form video content driving 20x more engagement
- Instagram Stories: Behind-the-scenes content with 70% higher share rates
- Pinterest for B2B: Infographics and data visualizations gaining traction
- YouTube Shorts: Quick tutorials and tips performing exceptionally well
- Audio Content: Twitter Spaces and Clubhouse-style discussions
Content Amplification and Outreach Tactics
Influencer Collaboration
Partnering with micro-influencers (1K-100K followers) generates 60% higher engagement rates than macro-influencer partnerships. The key is finding influencers whose audiences align with your content themes.
Influencer Outreach Strategy
- Research Phase: Identify influencers who regularly share content in your niche
- Engagement First: Build relationships by commenting and sharing their content
- Value Proposition: Offer exclusive content, early access, or collaboration opportunities
- Easy Sharing: Provide pre-written social copy and optimized visuals
- Follow-Up: Thank influencers and track the results of their shares
Community Building
Building an engaged community around your content creates a natural amplification network. Publishers who invest in community building see 4x higher organic reach.
For publishers managing multiple content channels and community outreach efforts, Magazine Manager and Newspaper Manager provide integrated CRM functionality to track influencer relationships, manage outreach campaigns, and measure the impact of different amplification strategies across various platforms.
How-To: Implement a Social Sharing Strategy
Review your top-performing content to understand what resonates with your audience. Look for patterns in headlines, topics, formats, and emotional triggers that drive the most shares.
Ensure your content displays beautifully when shared by implementing proper social media meta tags and testing them across platforms.
Apply proven headline formulas and create visually appealing images that make people want to click and share your content.
Implement share buttons in multiple strategic locations to make it easy for readers to share your content at any point in their reading experience.
Adapt your content for each platform's unique audience and algorithm preferences to maximize sharing potential.
Build genuine relationships with influencers who can amplify your content to their engaged audiences.
Regularly analyze your social sharing performance and refine your strategy based on what's working best for your audience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Focus on 3-5 major platforms where your audience is most active. Too many options can create decision paralysis. Include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn for B2B content, and add Instagram or TikTok for younger demographics. Quality over quantity is key.
Optimal posting times vary by platform and audience. Generally, weekday mornings (8-10 AM) and evenings (7-9 PM) perform well. Use your analytics to identify when your specific audience is most active and engaged.
Yes, but do it strategically. Include natural calls-to-action like "Share this with someone who needs to see it" or "Tag a friend who would find this helpful." Make the ask feel valuable rather than self-serving.
Track metrics like share count, click-through rates from social platforms, traffic referrals, and engagement rates. Set benchmarks based on your current performance and aim for gradual improvement rather than dramatic overnight changes.
While social shares aren't a direct ranking factor, they indirectly benefit SEO by increasing visibility, driving traffic, and potentially earning backlinks. Focus on shares as a way to amplify your content's reach rather than just for SEO benefits.
High-quality, visually striking images with minimal text overlay perform best. Infographics, behind-the-scenes photos, user-generated content, and images that evoke emotion tend to get shared more than stock photos or promotional graphics.
Include prominent share buttons in your email newsletters, create exclusive content that's worth sharing, and explicitly ask subscribers to share with their networks. Consider creating referral incentives for readers who share your content successfully.
Paid promotion can be effective for amplifying already-performing content, but organic sharing is generally more valuable. Use paid promotion strategically to boost content that's already gaining traction organically rather than trying to force poor content to go viral.
