When you start writing online, you’re going to hear terms thrown around that may confuse you. Some people will talk about eBooks as “reports” but when it comes to true report size (shorter than a fully fleshed out eBook), there are three types – viral, opt-in, and bonus reports.
We’ve already discussed bonuses when talking about what to provide your buyers with when they purchase an eBook course from you. But now we have to go into the viral report lesson because this kind of online tool can significantly help your profits.
The Purpose of a Viral Report Online
A viral report is not something you sell. You want to get it into the hands of as many people as possible – and to achieve that goal, free is the best price tag you can put on it.
A viral report is attractive because of its price tag, but it’s not always valuable if the content in it isn’t worthy of sharing. That’s the most important factor in writing a good viral report for your niche.
Viral reports are part teasers, part informative creations. You want it to have good tips so that your readers pass it along, but you don’t want to be so thorough that the reader has no reason to click through on your links and invest in a full course.
A good viral report will explain the premise of the problem, take a look at the options out there, and make a suggestion to the reader. It entices them to click based on creating a sense of empathy.
The author understands were the reader is at in their journey and wants to help them find solutions that work. Once the reader feels understood, it creates a sense of trust in the creator of the report, so they’re more likely to respond to a call to action.
Target Length of a Viral Report
The length of a viral report can be anything you like. Basically, it’s a good idea to go with at least 5 pages minimum. Some people do full eBooks as their viral report, and that’s okay too, depending on how large the main topic is.
Don’t focus so much on length of a viral report as you do the quality of the content. You want to whet the appetite of the person reason and make them want to dive right into the full product it’s talking about.
Learn How to Focus on Problems and Offer Solutions
With a viral report, you really want to hit a homerun with your readers by letting them relate to the message completely. Talk about their situation, how you understand what they’re going through – the feelings they’re having, the frustrations, the hopes they carry with them.
If possible, let them know you understand because you were once in the same boat. Don’t lie – if that doesn’t apply to you, then leave that part out. Replace it with a generic “many people have been in your situation” commentary.
You can mention the product that you’re trying to promote throughout your viral report – and hyperlink to it as well.
Your viral report might even be a complete product review, if you want to go in-depth about it showcase your own findings after putting a product to use. But don’t give away all of the secrets within the product because then there’s no reason for someone to buy.
Where to Distribute Viral Reports for Increased Exposure
When it comes to giving away your viral report and setting it loose on the Internet, you have a variety of options:
- Send it to your list as a nice freebie.
- Post it to your Google Plus account so that people can share it.
- Tweet the URL for the download file and ask that every ReTweet it.
- Share it on your Facebook Fan Page and ask your fans to share it, too.
- Contact people in the same niche and allow them to give it to their subscribers.
- Post it on your blog as a gift for your readers.
Wherever you release it online, make sure that the audience knows they have your permission to share the file with others as long as they leave it intact. You don’t want them using your content and putting their links in it.
