So You Want To Break the Internet? It Takes STEPPS To Get There!

So you've created an awesome new campaign, and couldn't be more excited to launch it online. The smell of viral success is in the air! You click the publish button and sit tight in anticipation.

And then you wait...a few likes appear... and then a re-tweet or two.

Crickets.

But that content was poised for internet fame, you think, where did we go wrong? 

For those of you that haven't been fortunate enough yet to read Jonah Berger's fascinating book, "Contagious" (if you haven't, run, don't walk, to go buy it today), in order for content to catch on, or to produce highly shareable content, you need to employ the STEPPS framework. 

The STEPPS frameworks consists of six key factors that can make or break your content share-worthiness. 

1. Social currency: Berger describes social currency as the idea that "people share things that make them look good to others." He used the examples of Please Don't Tell, a speakeasy style bar in New York City that relies completely on word-of-mouth advertising and yet has been one of the most sought after drink reservations in the city. Berger suggests asking if talking about your product or brand makes people look good and/or feel like insiders. 

2. Triggers: Berger argues that despite intuition, interesting products DO NOT get talked more about than boring ones. He believes that triggers are important because "top of mind equals tip of tongue", which leads to action. He suggests asking what cues make people think about your product or idea. 

3. Emotion: Berger believes that "when we care, we share". How do we get consumers to CARE about our products or services? We utilize the power of awe, which Berger explains "expands one's frame of reference and drives self-transcendence..." and, "is a complex emotion and frequently involves a sense of surprise, unexpectedness, or mystery". Awe, Berger argues, boosts sharing, as it strengthened relationships and connects us to one another. 

4. Public: We all know the value of social proof in marketing, but Berger takes it a step further and argues that in order for consumers to imitate others, your product needs to be publicly visible. He points to brands like Louboutin, Apple, and Pringles that rely on the "power of observability" to self advertise. Berger also tackles a concept known as "behavioural residue", which he describes as, "the physical traces or remnants that most actions or behaviours leave in their wake", like trophies, voting stickers, and Lululemon with their reusable shopping bags. 

5. Practical Value: Berger describes practical value as "news you can use". He argues that human beings have a natural desire to help one another, and are likely to share information that they feel would benefit others. Most social media platforms seem to have this human behaviour satisfied with their ability to tag others when you share content from the web to your news feed. 

6. Stories: Lastly, Berger sites the story of the Trojan Horse and argues that information is most consumable when it is transmitted in a carrier narrative, and suggests that if you want to smuggle your brand into everyday discourse, you need to create an emotional story that connects people to your brand. 

Have you read Contagious? Leave your thoughts below!