I’ve been taking notes on Going Viral by Brent Coker, and one of the core principles that immediately stands out is the psychology behind why content gets passed along: you have to create a reason to share.
Content rarely goes viral purely by accident. It succeeds because it gives the audience an active purpose or incentive to hit the share button.
Sharing Is a Want
At our core, humans are driven by a deep desire to express their wants, wishes, and aspirations to others. Coker highlights that sharing is fundamentally an act of identity projection:
- Identity & Status: People naturally want to inform their network about what they desire, where they want to go, or what they aspire to achieve. Telling others about our wants helps define who we are in our social circles.
- Emotional Connection: Expressing a wish creates an immediate bond with like-minded individuals who share those same goals or values.
- The Practical Shift for Marketers: When creating content, ask yourself: Does this give people a way to express a personal goal, wish, or value? If your content acts as a vessel for someone else's personal ambitions or tastes, sharing it becomes second nature.