In this digital era, almost everyone has the access to worldwide news and information through the internet. We all know that millennials get information through social media. This not only could be a benefit, but also a challenge for a writer or a young journalist to build up an audience since everyone reacts differently to online articles and printed stories.
So, how to make your online writings get viral? Based on the World Press Freedom Day 2017 Workshop, here are some tips to make your online writings stand out and get popular:
1. Write your piece with a KISS (Keep it Simple and Stupid)
In order to engage more people to read your piece, try to make it simple and easy to understand. Use easy and effective sentences and write your ideas like you’re talking to your friends. Don’t choose a difficult vocabulary; don’t make them wonder about the meaning of the words that you wrote. People who read through the internet are instant readers; they want to get the information as fast as they can. So, they need the pieces which are easy to comprehend.
2. Write your ideas from different angles
More often than not, one media to the other has the same pattern of reporting the information. Thus, you should find perspectives or points of view which are different from the way common people think; look for angles which have never been blown out by the public. Your content doesn’t have to be controversial, but it has to be unique. Be brave enough to write something with combining some facts, opinions, but also your personal values; be authentic with your piece.
3. Write something familiar to the readers
Your content will be viral if only the readers share it through their social media accounts; your ultimate goal is to create a snowball effect. Finding everyday issues is the simplest way to write something familiar with a big chance to go viral. Familiar content will be easy to understand by the readers because they will find your content is relatable with their personal lives. The familiar content will also be the trigger for creating an emotional bond to your readers and it will make them want to read more your previous articles.
4. Use a catchy title without being click bait
The title or the headline is one of the most important things to make your piece goes viral. The challenge here is to make your headline interesting and catchy, but not cheesy like click bait at the same time. This is something tricky, but the more you write, the more you know how to make a good headline. More often than not, people will click the article with an effective headline; short and simple, but interesting at the same time.
5. Give a meaningful message to your story
A strong identity and reader’s curiosity are two things that will enhance your piece. Write your piece like you want to tell something important to others; don’t forget your own goal on why you want to write the piece itself. What’s your message? What ideas do you want people to understand? Try to know and measure your impacts from your piece. Creating a message within your piece will make people acknowledge that your piece is meaningful and worth being shared with others.
Your goal is to make your piece go viral without forgetting your own personal value and authenticity.
Always remember that in this digital era where everyone can access any information, people want to read something different. At the end of the day, a strong piece is a combination between what you want and what other people want; it’s important to both the writer and the reader.
Featured image via Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
