No one can guarantee that content will go viral. But content that spreads widely across Zimbabwean WhatsApp groups, Facebook and TikTok tends to share certain qualities. Build those into your content and you increase the odds of it being shared, and of that sharing benefiting your business.
What makes content shareable
- Emotion: content that makes people laugh, feel proud, feel inspired or feel surprised gets shared far more than neutral content.
- Relatability: situations everyone recognises, from kombi rides and load-shedding to family WhatsApp groups and school runs.
- Usefulness: practical tips, checklists and how-tos people want to save or pass on.
- Identity: content people share because it says something about who they are or what they believe.
- Timeliness: reacting quickly and sensibly to trends, events and conversations.
How to create more shareable content
- Hook immediately. The first line or first two seconds of video must grab attention.
- Keep it short. Short videos and simple graphics are easier to consume and share.
- Make it native. Create content suited to each platform rather than posting the same thing everywhere.
- Use local language and humour where it fits your brand.
- Make sharing easy. Add WhatsApp share buttons to your website and invite people to tag friends.
- Collaborate. Partner with local creators whose audiences trust them.
- Post consistently. Viral moments usually come to accounts that publish regularly.
Make virality work for your business
Views alone do not pay. Make sure viral content is clearly connected to your brand, include a simple next step, such as following, visiting your website or messaging you, and have your website and WhatsApp ready to handle a surge of interest.
A word of caution
Avoid controversy, insensitive jokes or misleading claims for the sake of attention. Negative virality can damage a reputation that took years to build.
Need help with this in Zimbabwe?
Web Entangled has been helping Zimbabwean businesses grow online since 2002. Explore our social media content services, or request a free quotation and we will get back to you with a clear, itemised proposal.