Likeable and Shareable Content: One and the Same?

If you’ve previously heard the terms “likeable content” and “shareable content” and have assumed they were the same thing…well, you are far from in the minority. You may assume that linkable content is surely shareable, just as shareable content must be linkable. Nonetheless, this does not mean that the two don’t have their differences.Shareable ContentFirst up, shareable content is the kind of content that’s all about sharing and engagement. You may think of it as the kind of stuff you usually post on your social media accounts, which for any reason generates comments, reactions, tags and shares. For the most part, shareable content centres on the kind of content that has a lot of entertainment value. The kinds of content and posts that offer some kind of instant gratification.One example of the kind of websites that specialise in the production of shareable content is the BuzzFeed website. There content tends to be interesting, easy to consume, entertaining and enjoyable – the kinds of articles you quickly skim over. But despite the fact that this kind of content offers plenty of enjoyment and entertainment, it is comparatively rare for it to generate a great many backlinks.Linkable Content In the instance of linkable content, this can be thought of as a little more mature, perhaps more serious version of shareable content. While shareable content is mostly about quick fix gratification and entertainment, linkable content points towards a resource of some relative value. This resource might not be as entertaining, enjoyable or witty as a comparable piece of shareable content, but has the potential to bring more authority and value to the website where the link is hosted.Some of the common examples of linkable content include things like video demonstrations and tutorials, research pieces and in-depth articles, infographics and articles containing some specialist information on a given subject. They are usually targeted at a specific demographic or audience, while a piece of shareable content is targeted and shared by the masses. What is more, the best examples of linkable content are usually evergreen in nature. That means that while shareable content quickly fades as something of a fad, linkable content has a value that is significantly more long-term.Embrace BothSo as you can see, there is enough value to be had from both. Which is why the best strategy when it comes to boosting your business prowess is to try to embrace the best of both. Once you have acknowledged the core differences between the two, you could think carefully of how and when to focus on quick-fix engagement and entertainment, along with when to pay a little more attention to long-term value and authority.And if you’re not able to produce completely unique content that will tick the required boxes, there is always the option of curating content from elsewhere.