Introduction:
We all share links—when something hits us just right. But not every article makes the cut. Below are eight types of content that thought leaders say they can’t help but share. Use these as a guide if you want your content to be worth spreading.
Data-Proven Contrarian Tactics Drive Marketing Success
What drives me to share a link is content that describes a contrarian tactic that contradicts what we have accepted as an industry best practice. Every day, I read and hear marketing tips that are cliches repeated across thousands of blogs and articles. The content that wins my share is a detailed case study, for example, about a medical practice that picked up 25 percent more patient bookings after deliberately pausing for 90 days its most expensive pay per click advertising campaign.
This is valuable information because it presents an argument that is counterintuitive, based on actual data and has an actual economic outcome. An article demonstrating how shifting a $10000 monthly ad expenditure into another channel resulted in net profit growth offers real teaching. It is the verifiable evidence of an effective contrary approach that drives me to share it with my professional network.
Chris Kirksey, CEO / SEO Specialist, Direction.com
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Debate-Sparking Content Challenges Conventional Thinking
When I'm compelled to click and share a webpage, it's usually because the content sparks a discussion or debate. The reason I value this is the fact that it pushes people to think outside of things they already know and introduces them to ideas that they would not consider if they simply engaged in a casual conversation. If something is generic or common, it doesn't really trigger much engagement. But when it defies logic, it leads to meaningful discussions.
Kira Byrd, CEO and Founder of Curl Centric
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Technical Details Make Content Worth Sharing
The type of content that I want to share is filled with details that are often difficult to find. Why do I respond to this type of content? Because people are fed up with the same surface answers. What I mean are those type of content that feels like it was just copied from somewhere else. They did not give any take to or at least expounded.
When I was doing my research about how to explain the process of Engrave Ink, I saw that most of the sites about tattoos and memorials have ignored the technical side of working with the ashes. They would claim it was safe without giving any reason. But when I came across the first writing that explained how ashes are made sterile, sifted and mixed into a form that professional artists then use without hesitation to create their work, I shared it immediately. That's because it mentioned something that not many websites put in their content. In 2025, if you are still generic, your content would not survive. So offer something others do not know.
Hailey Rodaer, Marketing Director, Engrave Ink
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Brave Insights and Honest Truths Win Shares
I choose to share content that exceeds expectations through its unexpected revelations and creative approaches and personal connections. I immediately share content that stops me in my tracks with the phrase "damn that's good" to three people while I am still reading it.
The content I share includes war stories from founders and teardowns with numerical evidence and industry criticism that exposes dishonesty because these pieces demonstrate bravery and deliver sharp insights and honest truths. People refrain from sharing content that falls below average standards because they do not find it worth sharing.
Vincent Carrié, CEO, Purple Media
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Practical Guides Prevent Costly Translation Disasters
I share content that helps companies prevent disasters that can be avoided. I found this investigation on quality standards in translation very interesting, as it focused on some systematic problems our industry is facing. The article looked at a case of a German biotech in which a patent dispute worth $12 million dollars was caused by inconsistencies in terminology in their English documentation. The journalist had interviewed legal experts on why precise technical language is crucial when it comes to international licensing agreements.
What this had in common with the previous post is that it was a practical guide that was worth sharing. The article contained a list companies could use to check translation providers when assessing them for their work on technical projects, as well as input from patent lawyers about linguistic mistakes frequently found in pharmacies' documentation. I shared this in my network as everyone should understand these quality standards, whether they are translation suppliers or companies who are working on multilingual projects. The article provided specific examples of verification processes that could avoid such situations. My clients cite the following article quite frequently during project planning because it provides them with a framework from which they can make informed decisions about their documentation requirements.
Nicola Leiper, Director & Head of Project Management, Espresso Translations
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Concrete Takeaways Earn Immediate Shares
The type of content that motivates me to share from a webpage is if it gives me a concrete takeaway to use right away. When I see something that breaks down a process in order, whether it is the format of a fact sheet for AI crawlers or prompt testing for visibility, I would feel compelled to share it because I know it could save hours of trial and error. But if it only uses an idea that is too much to grasp and does not get to the point, it does not deserve my attention at all. People usually lean more towards something they are able to digest instantly.
Adam Yong, SEO Consultant / Founder, BrandPeek
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Technical Solutions Link to Business Strategy
Articles that tell me something technical that I can immediately use on the current projects make me want to share immediately. When I come across content that describes advanced or newer schema markup techniques or server optimization methods that might solve certain problems for our clients, I forward it to our development team as the knowledge is directly usable to improve our service delivery.
Content that links technical concepts with business strategy achieves sharing behavior because it makes it easier for non technical stakeholders to understand complex SEO processes. For instance, if I come across an article that explains the mechanics of an algorithm or describes how Core Web Vitals affect user experience in a way that can be understood and acted on by my clients in their own businesses, I will send it to them.
Caleb Johnstone, SEO Director, Paperstack
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Clear Value Creates Authentic Shareable Content
The content that I will share the most is clear and is likely useful. When it makes a big idea clear or offers some kind of insight that seems actually valuable, it is useful. Shareable content is not just read, it leaves the reader with some sense of something interesting to spread.
I think it is important to be authentic. When there is value and is authentic reference and not manufactured for the sake of selling than it creates trust. Perfection is not something people share. That is why the best content typically combines and offers value while being relatable.
Sharing is at the end of the day just a form of endorsement. I really just communicate that which I think will give someone the same clarity or inspiration it provided me.
Michael Alexander, Managing Director, Tangible Digital
Conclusion:
If your content aims to be shared, make it bold, specific, and useful. Tell a story, challenge norms, back your claims with data, and give readers something they can act on. When people feel they’ve gained insight or practical value, they don’t keep it to themselves—they share it.
