Content comes in many forms today- from words on your webpage, to videos, to podcasts. Sharing content has seen a resurgence with the web. Reading took a backseat to visual content like videos on television, but with digital natives, the reverse is true today. Although social media is popular online, so is reading content. How popular, is a question which AOL and AC Nielsen decided to ask.
Majority of Time Online Spent on Content
53% of the time people spend online is on content. Even on social media, 23% of the messages have links to published content. If messages specifically relate to an industry, people are more likely to share content.
Sharing content is not age or gender specific. People are sharing content everywhere- on blogs, email, instant messages, and social media. Email is still the most popular way of sharing, with two thirds of the respondents preferring it to other means.
Social Media is a Content Sharing Enabler
It’s easier to share content now, with the rise of social media. More people admit to sharing content online now, compared to the amount they shared a couple of years ago. People prefer to share content with their friends and family, rather than colleagues or public.
38% of respondents want to share information that someone they trust has shared with them. This could explain why traditional media bigwigs like New York Times are also so popular on the web. 60% of the time, content is shared using link- backs to URLs of published content.
How Brands Can Capitalize on Content Sharing
Brands need to be where the conversation is happening, then attempt to direct traffic to their websites. They can do so by using display ads on the sites where the viewers go to see the published content.
Branded videos in embedded content on social networking sites ensures that viewers get to see your message there without needing to even click once more and visit yet another site. This way, you can target users who prefer to stay on the platform where the content was shared.
Depending on the Content, the Sharing Method Varies
There will be minor differences in the way content is shared across industries. For instance, finance is a topic most users have an opinion on, but few choose to publicly share their personal finances. They may share details on email, and comment on the general economy on Facebook or Twitter.
Automobiles on the other hand, are a passion, which users discuss on social media. Identifying how users feel about the sector you belong to will shape your interactive digital marketing strategies. If you create media with a potential of going viral, you should brand it to ensure that your message does not get lost.
Content is still king, as is seen by the number of subjects it has in the digital world. It generates conversations and keeps them informed. Being where the content is will ensure that you get noticed by your potential consumer.
