You know how important it is for your Facebook fans to hit the \u201cshare\u201d button, but how can you make them do it? If you understand their motivations for sharing content with their friends, you\u2019ll have a better shot at appealing to them. Here are some of the most common motivations for content-sharing.
\nEntertainment<\/p>\n
One of the most popular reasons that people share content is that it\u2019s entertaining. When they see something that really amuses them, they want to tell their friends about it. They want their friends to share in their amusement. It\u2019s the same as when you hear a really funny joke: What good is it if you don\u2019t tell it to anyone else? Entertaining content spreads quickly on Facebook, especially when it\u2019s entertainment that appeals to a wide variety of people and personalities.
\nValue<\/p>\n
Another of the most popular reasons that people share content on Facebook is that it\u2019s valuable. They read or see something that is useful or offers some type of value to them, and they want their friends to benefit from it, too. Truly valuable content will get you the most reach. People usually have like-minded friends, so if something is valuable to them, it will be valuable to their friends, too, and so they\u2019ll share it. Your fans are motivated to enhance the lives or knowledge-base of their friends in the same way they\u2019ve experienced.
\nSelf-Definition<\/p>\n
Perhaps it\u2019s quite apparent on social networks like Facebook: People are very into themselves. Nothing matters more to a person than their own life, and Facebook gives everyone a platform to share their lives and thoughts with others. If you offer content that people feel reflects their personalities or lives, they\u2019ll share it with others. At our core, we all want to be understood. If people find content that may help their friends more understand their values, opinions, personalities, or lives, they\u2019ll share it.
\nCauses<\/p>\n
A great deal of the content that\u2019s shared on Facebook relates to different causes. Political causes, humanitarian causes, religious causes, civil rights causes \u2014 just about any subject that people care about strongly can produce content that gets shared. When people feel a sense of responsibility for or personal connection to a cause, they\u2019ll share content with their friends if they think it will spread awareness or information about their cause. People feel like they\u2019re contributing to a cause if they share content that\u2019s related to it; they want to enlighten or embolden their friends about it, too.
\nRelationships<\/p>\n
Facebook is meant to be all about our personal connections. It\u2019s a place where we can connect with our friends and family, and we can maintain and strengthen our relationships. If people see content, such as a quote or article, that they think could have a positive impact on any of their relationships, they\u2019ll share it so the people they care about will see it. There is the potential for a lot of benefit for either one or both of the parties in the relationship \u2014 whether it is with a significant other, family member, or friend.<\/p>\n