Special-interest digital publishers have shown us how inspirational, uplifting content that sparks emotion in audiences can inspire super-sharing. How can publishers across all verticals appeal to core emotions in their readers, to engender interaction and build loyalty? How can content creators put a positive spin on hard news to better engage readers?

1. Emotion and Audience Building
WhipSmart, June 2017
Kevin Lowe, NewsWhip

2. In 2017, engaging content themes
on social media are changing.
There are less clickbait headlines,
more appeals to emotion.

3. Why?
• More timely updates are being favored in the Facebook news
feed.
• There has been a clampdown on viral publishers and clickbait in
news feeds - but political sites are thriving.
• Social media users are more likely to react to emotional content,
and to therefore see repeated posts from that source.

4. Leverage Emotions
On Social Media
• Experiment with content that inspires, educates and informs.
• Do not withhold information, manipulate or create misleading
expectations, with your headlines, stories and videos.
• Successful stories need to be conversational, timely and
appeal to peoples’ emotions.