💓 How to make people FEEL your content

Read time: 5 minutes

Viral posts have something in common - they trigger strong emotions in users, like joy, sadness, or anger. Of course, many more factors influence how our content ultimately performs, such as its context. Yet, we can prep it for an emotional reaction from our audience.

Today, we'll investigate how to make our content more engaging in our audiences' eyes (or thumbs!) at the emotional level.

How the emotional response works

In his book Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things, Don A. Norman explains how the principles of human psychology apply to the design of new technologies and products.

Norman breaks people’s emotional responses into visceral, behavioural, and reflective levels.

We can use this distinction in the social media context, too:

• The visceral level is about the first impression when we see a post. We decide (instantly and subconsciously) whether we like it or not.

• The behavioural level focuses on how the content performs for viewers. Is it useful? Can viewers apply the knowledge or skills they gained from it?

• At the reflective level, users consider what their interaction with the content says about them. This response is more intellectual.

These levels build on each other, and the best social media content touches upon at least two.

Let's take a closer look at it.

It’s all about the first impression

While scrolling through their feeds, users make instant judgments about what they see.

They decide in a flash if something is good or bad, pretty or ugly, interesting or boring.

These initial reactions are called visceral reactions, and they happen so quickly that we don’t even notice them.

Here are a couple of tips on how you can tap into these reactions to make your posts thumb-stoppers:

• Use visually appealing, high-quality images and videos that catch the eye.

• Use customised thumbnails in your videos instead of random frames! Thumbnails are often the first thing viewers see and can significantly impact their decision to click and watch.

• People are naturally drawn to faces and bodies. (We're social creatures, after all!) So, incorporate a human element into your content strategy. Whether featuring your team members' faces or showcasing people your audience can relate to, it can help grab attention and trigger those visceral reactions.

Is your content useful?

At the behavioural level, users assess if your content helps them achieve their goals and how easily. That means your content aligns with your audience's needs and preferences.

Some tips on how you can apply it in practice:

• Think of new users who don't know you yet. Users now see more and more content tailored to their interests. That means they can come across your content without knowing you. You need to include some introductory content in your calendar regularly. Answer questions like: What are you offering? How can it benefit them? That way, you'll ensure newcomers can easily grasp who you are and what you do.

  

  This is a good example of perennial content explaining the United Nations.

• Your loyal followers already know your organisation well, so keeping them in the loop with the latest news is important. Many people follow your organisation because they want to stay informed. Meet their expectations by sharing updates and insights that keep them engaged and excited about the difference you make.

“What does it say about me?“

When a post evokes thoughts and emotions that connect with personal experiences, it taps into the reflective level. This is when users ask themselves, "What does this post say about me?".

It's a deeper, conscious process in which users assess whether the content aligns with their values and identity. The more a post resonates, the more likely users will engage with it.

Some tips on how you can leverage it:

• Use nostalgia. It's a powerful way of triggering reflections. From time to time, share content that takes your audience back in time and brings positive memories.

• Highlight shared values. By showcasing these values in your content, you tap into a sense of alignment with your audience, making them more likely to connect with, comment on, or share your posts.

Wrap-up

Quality content goes beyond just posting a pretty image or video. It’s much more than that. While working on your next piece, remember about three levels of emotional response and make sure your post hits the mark in at least two of them.

👇 Before you go… A big thank you!

When I started this newsletter, my goal was simple: to go beyond the snappy LinkedIn posts and share something deeper - personal notes, reflections, and learnings that could provide real value to other communicators and social media managers.

Six months in, I consider this a great success:

• Over 300 subscribers have joined this community.

• A 72% open rate - an incredible milestone!

• So many conversations coming from your feedback. (Have a question or comment? Just hit reply - I’d love to hear from you!)

Thank you for trusting me with this space in your inbox.

See you next month! Stay curious!
— Kasia

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I’m now booking projects for the year ahead, including:

• crafting an impactful social media strategy tailored to your organisation,

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