Are you really reading this?
Why do you share a link or re-post and article on your Facebook or Twitter? People are likely to re-post links because of one or more of the following reasons: they trust the source of the content, they like the title, and/or they want to help a friend promote something. Among these reasons, quality content is not a prominent cause of shared links.
But who’s to say that these shared items are really read by people posting them? ‘Blind’ or ‘plain’ links are links with a heading or title but do not have any commentary. A social media sharing tool called AddToAny ran a study on the effects of social and personal brands that posted blind links. The study showed that the average sharer does not receive significant recognition by posting blind links. However, established users can have higher response rates by sharing blind headlines.
There is no evidence that proves blind links are unread by the person who posts it. However, there is some indication that shared links which receive thoughtful feedback are revisited by the sharer. It gives them reason to believe the content is worthy of further exploration.
Why do people post links despite not being fully aware of what they are sharing?
While many people will admit they are guilty of posting blink links, few will profess that they are sharing links to add value to their brand.
Of course the companies posting links truly care about you – their reader. They just want to expose you to quality content; they don’t have ulterior motives like hoping your brand perception improves with the more quality content they push.
Yes, it’s true, it is possible to add value to your brand by sharing links that have thought provoking and interesting content. However, you need to understand the role you play in the social spectrum. Do you have status regarding leadership and influence? Do you have a large following? Do you get a lot of feedback on your posts? If not, you need to achieve this status before you can add value to your brand by posting blind links.