The Art of Social Media Warfare
When the gushing torrential water tosses stones pushing boulders, it is because of the force of its momentum. When the ferocious strike of an eagle, breaks the body of its prey, it is because of the timing of the strike. Thus the forces and momentum of the adept in warfare are so overwhelming and ferocious and his timing of engagement is precise and swift.
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
With the sheer volume of content posted online, it takes a combination of skill, luck, and strategy in order for your own content to be noticed and approved of. While one can feign ignorance, and argue that “good” content is bound for success no matter the odds, it is important to know the dynamics and forces at play when you press the share button online.
First, when you share is just as important as what you share. Ideally, you want to share your content when your network is at its peak of engagement. This is typically late into the afternoon on weekdays, and around noon during the weekends, however this varies depending on the social network and what you’re sharing. <http://coschedule.com/blog/best-times-to-post-on-social-media/>
The reason for sharing when your network is most active is to build momentum for your post. A few early likes or comments is sometimes all it takes to create a cascade, where each successive user is more likely to engage if someone else has first. To this end, some may find it beneficial to artificially “seed” their post by asking friends and family to like it, as it may convince others to do the same. If one does not seed their post, or their post does not draw attention early in its lifespan, it risks being buried and forgotten in the torrents of content posted each day.
Achieving and sustaining momentum is arguably the most important factor in ensuring that your post is successful online. As a post accumulates more and more attention, it attracts more and more eyeballs, who in turn, may decide to like and share the content to their friends. This chain of reactions is also known as the “rich-get-richer” process, which describes how a post’s popularity grows exponentially over a period of time. By taking advantage of this effect, one can boost their post’s visibility in other’s feeds.
Knowing when and how to share on social media is an important skill, and ensures that your content doesn’t go unnoticed. Whether it’s sharing an insightful status, or simply your latest selfie, choosing when to stage your battles is key to successfully posting content online.