Everyone wants to publish a viral blog post, but if it were as easy as following a template, every post would be a runaway hit.
Viral blog post ideas are the unicorns of the content marketing world. But popular blog posts that readers actually want to share? That’s more realistic.
Here’s a quick guide to writing blog posts that make an impact — even if they don’t “go viral.”
You Can’t Make Viral Happen
You just can’t — and that’s not a bad thing. Viral implies tens of thousands (if not millions) of views, and you can’t control how people react to your content.
It’s also a tall order for a small business blog. Editorial blogs exist to entertain and engage because views generate ad revenue.
As a small business owner, your blog’s job is different: it should support conversions. You don’t make money from pageviews — you make money from sales.
That said, you can still borrow ideas from the editorial world to create content worth reading (and sharing).
Create Shareable Content
Scroll through Facebook or Instagram and look at what people share. Outside of news and current events, you’ll usually see:
- Recipes
- Tips and how-to posts
- Listicles
- “Isn’t that interesting?” articles
And what don’t you see? Posts like “10 Signs You Need to Hire a Chicago, IL Roofer” or “5 Benefits of Duct Cleaning.”
Those posts have a place — they’re great for SEO — but they’re rarely engaging or shareable.
If recipes, tutorials, or tips make sense for your business, consider investing in:
- Original recipe development
- High-quality photography
- Well-designed infographics
- Talented writers who can make content enjoyable to read
The return on that investment is content people intentionally visit your website to read. (The West Elm blog is a strong example of this style.)
Dig Into the Research
Editorial websites don’t publish content and hope for the best — they do keyword research.
You’re probably used to researching keywords tied to your products or services. For shareable content, you’ll take a slightly different approach:
What keywords will bring people to your site for your content — not just your services?
Example: A Beekeeper Selling Honey
Instead of only targeting “local honey,” you might research keywords related to:
- Home remedies for sore throats
- DIY honey face masks for breakouts
- Baking with honey
- Overnight oats sweetened with honey
Tools like Semrush or Ubersuggest can help you evaluate search volume and competition so you can choose blog post ideas with real potential.
What If You Have a “Less Exciting” Business?
Even businesses that aren’t visually flashy can publish highly shareable content.
If you’re an accountant, for example, listicles, guides, and informational posts can perform well — especially when they’re well-researched, clearly written, and positioned with a unique perspective.
Consider a case study comparing taxes done with software versus working with an accountant. A headline like this can spark curiosity:
Use Tax Software for Your Taxes? This Is a Must-Read.
People share what helps them make decisions — not what feels like a generic sales pitch.
Build Collaborative Relationships
One obstacle for small business blogs is traffic. And without traffic, “viral” isn’t even on the table.
One way to increase reach is collaboration. For example:
- Partner with a blogger or influencer and pay them to create content
- Have them share your post with their audience to drive traffic to your site
- Alternatively, create strong content in-house and pay influencers to share it
Borrowing attention from an established audience can help your content reach far beyond your current followers.
Look at What’s Trending
Viral content is often born on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram — especially TikTok.
Pay attention to trends and use them to inspire blog topics. When people search for those trends, your content has a better chance of being discovered.
Example: Freezing Honey
A trend on TikTok involved freezing honey. A beekeeper could use that trend as a blog topic by writing a post that includes:
- Why honey changes consistency when frozen
- Embedded clips or references to the trend
- A related recipe, like honey-sweetened popsicles
Trends can create search demand — and your blog can meet it.
Need Help Brainstorming Blog Post Ideas?
If you want help creating blog content that people actually read and share, we’d love to help.
Reach out to the bees by filling out our contact form, and we’ll help you brainstorm blog post ideas that fit your business and your audience.