media update’s Aisling McCarthy looks at what makes content shareable, and how to give your content the best chance at appearing on the primary Facebook newsfeed, when the split newsfeed feature goes live.

Facebook’s split newsfeed could pose an issue for publishers, as their content will no longer appear on people’s main newsfeed. However, any content that is shared by users on their personal pages will appear in that main newsfeed. To increase brand exposure on Facebook, publishers need to create content that users want to share.

Here are four ways you can create more shareable content:

1. Find out what’s trending

Creating content that people will want to share with their Facebook community starts with how interesting it is. Not sure what your readers are interested in? See what’s ‘trending’ on social media for inspiration.

Trending topics are ones that are being talked about most at a particular point in time. By creating content that is related to trending topics, you can quickly generate more shares.


Websites like BuzzSumo allow you to search for specific topics and track what content has been created, and what content has been shared the most. The site also offers a ‘Trending’ section, where you can see which content is being shared the most on a daily, or even hourly, basis. The ‘Most Shared’ section keeps you up to date with the highest performing content in any industry.

Sharing content related to topics that are trending can inspire discussion and debate amongst users, which might lead them to share it on their Facebook newsfeed.

2. Create useful content

Creating content with real, practical value can help generate shares. If readers find value in your content, they will want to share that information with their friends, family, and colleagues.

When writing your content, consider what reader question you are trying to answer and ensure that you do just that.

Keep an eye on what the most frequently asked questions are within your industry, and try to answer those questions within your article. For example, a “How-to” piece of content can specifically addresses those questions.

3. Write clear headlines

Few things will generate more shares than a unique, enticing headline. The headline is your first impression, and it is imperative that you make it a good one.

Remember that a poor headline will render your article invisible. A dull headline will generate fewer clicks and shares, regardless of how good the content is. Your headline has to make people want to click on your content.

Ensure that your headline encapsulates what your article is about, while gathering interest in your content. If your headline is ‘How to create shareable content for Facebook’, but your article discusses creating blog posts, your readers will be confused and thus, unlikely to share it with their online communities.


4. Choose easy-to-read content types

To get people to share content, you first need to get them to read it.

Choose content types that make it easy for readers to interpret the information. Long form content without any paragraphs or images can be tiresome to read, making it less likely that people will get through all your content.

Lists, how to’s, and headlines that include a question word, such as ‘how’ or ‘why’, can help to garner interest. These types of content are largely popular because they can easily be skimmed through.

It can also help to include revelant images throughout your articles, as this can make the text look less overwhelming. This can make it easier to read, and more likely to be shared.

A 2017 study by OkDork.com found that lists and infographics are the most shareable content types.


When Facebook goes with the newsfeed split, you now have a few ways to fight back and get your content shared.
With Facebook working on new features, read up on their plans to eliminate the spread of false information. Read more in our article, How effective is Facebook’s fight against fake news?