How to make content people want to share

Why do we share content? And what does that little act say about us?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently, especially with all the “social media isn’t social anymore” takes doing the rounds. To me, those arguments miss the mark.

What we have now is still deeply social - just asynchronously social, and often behind closed doors so we can’t see it. We share via DMs, group chats, work channels, family threads, Messenger friend circles and private WhatsApp communities.

Sometimes the message is simple:

“This made me think of you.”

Content that matches someone’s interests, beliefs, experiences, even their health or situation.

“This is so us.”

Content that reflects a shared joke, memory, or dynamic in a relationship.

We see this kind of share often with events and concert posts.

But I’d argue there’s another, perhaps more important type - one we’re also signalling something about ourselves. With that link or screenshot an act of self-presentation:

This is me. This is my sense of humour. This is what I value. This is what I think is worth noticing.

In that sense, sharing into a group chat is like a modern version of saying “Have you seen this article?” over a newspaper at the breakfast table.

Why shares are important

For starters, shares are one of the few signals that still reflect genuine intention. Likes can be easy-breezy, views passive, comments perfunctory or performative.

But sharing asks more of someone. It means choosing a person or group, imagining how they’ll receive something, and attaching your taste and judgement to it - especially in private spaces where you actually care what people think.

Secondly - and more importantly - shares allow us to access closed-off spaces.

As organisations, we can’t see or directly access private Facebook groups, work channels, DMs, or WhatsApp groups for friends, families, sports teams etc.

Content that gets shared quietly through these groups can travel further and last longer than content that briefly spikes in a public feed.

Why? Because these are trusted networks, where recommendations from members carry weight. Messages in these spaces are less likely to be dismissed offhand without at least some recognition or reflection.

What does this mean for organisations?

First, it means that our analytics won’t show you the full picture. We’ve long known there is a blind-spot here, but that blind-spot is likely a lot bigger than we thought.

Second, it means that if we want your content to travel, it can be powerful to start thinking of some content as potential personal statements. Something people feel comfortable sending to others because it says something about them, not just something about us.

People share content that helps them:

• Express identity, values, or nostalgia

• Make sense of the world or a situation

• Show care for someone

• Spark conversation

• Feel informed or “in the know”

• Look funny, cool, smart, or even annoying (‘I knew so-and-so would post this’)

Almost no one shares content to help an organisation purely to achieve its communications objectives.

So if our content is designed purely to “update the public” or “push out information”, it may do fine in a feed - but it is less likely to get picked up and carried through the private networks.

What might this look like in practice?

As a starting point, it means asking a different question during planning:

“Would anyone send this to a friend - and if so, what would it say about them?”

This is a very hard question to answer well (and honestly).

Designing for sharing means giving people a clear emotional or conversational handle. Something that makes it easy to say: this is me, this is us, this made me think of you.

• For charities and NFPs, leaning into the reasons people support - which could be defiance, solidarity or protest as much as empathy. Content people can share to say: this is what I stand for.

• For government departments, showing who benefits when systems work - especially people who are usually ignored or underestimated. Content people can share to say: this is who I care about.

• For councils, framing community work as shared history and shared future - especially when it’s under threat. Content people can share to say: this is my place, and it matters to me.

For example, if a council wants to talk about a new playground upgrade.

Version one: “Playground upgrade underway at Smith Street Reserve. Work begins Monday and is expected to finish in six weeks.”

Perfectly fine as an update, but hard to imagine anyone sending it to a friend.

Version two: “Remember how hot the old slide got in summer? This is the playground half of our town grew up on - now it’s getting some well-deserved TLC.”

Now it’s something someone can share to say: this was my childhood, this was our place, remember the time we spent here?

When content works as a personal signal, it can move via networks we can’t see or measure - family chats, flat-mate groups, football team WhatsApps, workplace channels.

It can reach people who haven’t been on ‘regular’ or public social media in years.

The opportunity is huge.

What do you reckon? Comment below or email me@seamus.nz