Marketer and professor Jonah Berger, in his book Contagious: Why Things Catch On, identified six key principles that make content inherently shareable. Together they form the acronym STEPPS:
Social Currency: People share things that make them look good or “in the know.” We all like to feel smart, trendy, or like an insider. If your content gives people social currency – tidbits of knowledge, elite access, or cool status – they’ll share it to enhance their own image. Example: Think of a little-known hack or a behind-the-scenes fact. Sharing it makes the sharer feel savvy. Create content that offers this value (e.g. “5 Secret Instagram Features Power Users Know”) so your audience wants to show off that they know it.
Triggers: Top-of-mind means tip-of-tongue. Triggers are everyday cues that remind people of your content or product, prompting them to share or talk about it. For instance, a catchy song about Fridays might naturally surge each Friday as people are triggered to think of it. You can build triggers by tying your content to common experiences or timely events. Seasonal content, cultural references, or repeating themes help here. When something in the environment “triggers” the memory of your content, it keeps spreading. Example: The classic “Got Milk?” campaign linked milk to mealtime rituals, becoming a phrase people would repeat often – effectively a viral trigger.
Emotion: As discussed, going viral is all about feelings. Berger’s research found that content evoking high-arousal emotions is far more likely to go viral. Awe-inspiring stories, hilarious comedy, or anger-inducing exposes all provoke a need to share. Aim to stir genuine emotion in your audience. Inspire them, make them laugh, make them tear up – just don’t leave them bored. Positive emotions generally perform best (few people enthusiastically share something that’s just depressing), so even if covering a serious topic, you might frame it in a hopeful or empowering way. As Berger put it, people share what they care about. Check your content’s emotional pulse: does it make your viewer feel something strongly enough to hit Share?
Public: “Make your content public,” Berger advises – meaning design content that is easily observable and shareable in the open. If something is built to show, it’s built to grow. This principle is why visual content (videos, images, memes) tends to spread widely; it’s immediately digestible and shareable in public feeds. Also, behaviors or challenges that people do in public (think wearing a Livestrong bracelet or doing a TikTok dance in a crowd) have a multiplier effect. For your content, consider visibility: can people see others engaging with it? One tip is to include social proof elements. For example, showing a share count or featuring user-generated responses makes new viewers think “everyone’s sharing this, I should too.” Also, avoid content that people might hesitate to share publicly. If it’s too embarrassing, polarizing, or NSFW, folks might enjoy it privately but hesitate to repost. Make sure your audience can proudly share your content on their feeds.
Practical Value: Useful things get passed on. Practical value means your content provides real utility – tips, how-tos, life hacks, or valuable insights that others would benefit from. Think about why “recipe videos” or DIY tutorials often go viral; people share them because they know friends will appreciate the knowledge. When crafting content, ask: Does this help someone solve a problem or improve their life? It could be as simple as a cooking tip or as significant as financial advice – if it’s actionable and helpful, it’s inherently shareable. Lists, cheat sheets, and step-by-step guides are great formats here. And don’t forget to highlight the value upfront with a strong headline (e.g. “How to Double Your Reading Speed in 10 Minutes”). If viewers realize “This could help me (and others) save time or money,” they’ll gladly pass it on.
Stories: Humans are wired for stories. We don’t share facts, we share narratives. A great story wraps your message in an engaging package, making it far more likely to spread. When content is embedded in a story, people become invested and remember it better. As Berger notes, stories have the power to change how we think and feel – it’s science, literally. So rather than just promoting a product or idea directly, craft a relatable narrative around it. Hero’s journeys, personal anecdotes, case studies – these give your content “legs.” Also, a compelling story encourages retelling. If your audience can retell your story around the dinner table or on group chat, you’ve achieved virality. Ensure the story naturally carries your message or brand (your “Trojan Horse” for the idea). Example: Instead of just stating a fact or tip, share a quick story of how you learned it or how it helped someone – narrative hooks draw readers in and travel farther.
These STEPPS elements are often found, in some combination, in every viral hit. To use them, you don’t necessarily need all six at once, but the more you can incorporate, the better your odds of contagious success. Summary of STEPPS: Make content that gives people social cred, tie it to triggers, evoke emotion, make it publicly visible, offer practical value, and tell it through stories. It’s a recipe many successful campaigns have followed. Viral content may sometimes seem like random luck, but usually, when you look closer, these principles are at work behind the scenes.