I share because I care – about me.

Mashable recently reported about the future of sharing with a new infographic from digital agency Beyond, prepared especially for Social Media Week. The infographic reacts to 2,000 social media users in the U.S. and UK, between ages 16 and 40. The participants are active on either Twitter, Facebook or Google+. 98% of the participants were active on Facebook, 60% of whom log in several times daily.

The infographic reveals interesting statistics, including:

  • Mobile shares grew 6x in 2011. This is huge for local marketing and local search, which account for most of mobile searches.
  • Facebook made up 51% of sharing in 2011.
  • While the concept of sharing to selective lists like Google+ circles appeals to 62% of users, only 40% said they have actually grouped their friends this way.

The infographic includes predictions, such as the potential for sharing to eventually plateau and the imminent need for marketers to incentive sharing in order to circumvent that trend. They seem to suggest that brands should offer deals and discounts. They do this by sharing the statistic that 60% of people say they’d share a deal or discount from a brand. Seems valid. But the opportunity that stands out to me is the 43% of people who say they would share personal accomplishments.

My question or challenge to content marketers like myself is this: How can we include the consumer more and make them feel a part of the content or message? That to me is the future of shareable content.

People don’t inherently like talking about brands on social media, they like talking about themselves. How can what you’re offering feel like an accomplishment or a special discovery? This is a more innovative approach to marketing than simply pumping out Tweets of discount codes. Because if we all do that, Beyond’s prediction is correct: sharing will plateau. It will all be noise, and consumers will only notice and share something else that stands out.

I personally want to be that something else.

What brands do you seen igniting that sense of accomplishment in their content? Let us know in the comments!

Your headline is your first impression for your content. Here are 10 examples of highly shareable headlines.

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