If you have a Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media page, there's a good chance you've clicked on a link to a BuzzFeed article at some point. At the very least, you see your friends and followers sharing BuzzFeed articles probably dozens of times per day. So, what has led to BuzzFeed's undeniable success? How has a website that publishes articles with titles like "25 of the Most Awkward Cat Sleeping Positions" grown to bring in more than 130 million unique visitors per year? The simple answer: they’re awesome at utilizing social media.

They’ve Got it Goin’ On

Just about all of BuzzFeed's articles tend to have a few things in common. For starters, they have an enticing title that lures readers into clicking on the link. Secondly, most BuzzFeed posts shared on social media have a photo attached that also makes users want to click. And finally, a good number of their articles end with a sort of "call to action" that encourages users to contribute something to the comments section and/or share it on social media.

So, how can you implement lessons from BuzzFeed's social media success into your own medium-sized company's social media strategy? Here are a few actionable tips that are sure to get your readers clicking and sharing.

Tip 1: Encourage User Input

Today's readers don't want to just read an article; they want to be truly engaged and involved in it. That's why, towards the end of many BuzzFeed articles, you'll read something along the lines of, "Does this list resonate with you? Share your input in the comments below!" From there, readers who post in the comments do so through their linked social media accounts. As a result, the friends and followers of that social media account see that a friend commented on a BuzzFeed article in their news feed, and are thus encouraged to read the article for themselves. If you want more users to see and share your social media content, then, make sure it encourages them to contribute!

Tip 2: Strive for Creative Marketing Content

These days, the world of content creation and social media sharing is very competitive. Therefore, when you have an idea for content that you'd like to post on your company's social media page, you've got to make sure it's 100% unique and that it hasn't been done before. Otherwise, it will likely  be overlooked.

A great way to develop unique content is to come up with list articles, such as those commonly found on BuzzFeed. For example, if you run a painting business, consider an article with a title such as, "3 House Painting Jobs That Were a Total Fail," and incorporate humorous images into the article that'll entertain readers and get them to see the value in your services.

Tip 3: Incorporate Different Forms of Media

Finally, understand that today's users don't like looking at a huge block of text. They prefer to have their articles broken up with plenty of images, headers, paragraph breaks, and even videos. Having images also makes your articles more shareable on social media, so never post any content that doesn't have corresponding images.

You may also want to consider incorporating GIFs into your content, which are basically short, animated photos. These are very popular these days and there are numerous websites, such as Giphy.com, where you can find and use GIFs for free. Just make sure to get permission and/or give attribution when using photos, videos, or GIFs. This will help you to avoid problems down the road.

Keep Up With the Times

Your business can learn a great deal from BuzzFeed's success in the social media realm. By creating content that is 100% unique, encourages sharing and user input, and incorporates different forms of media, you can use social media to drive your company's marketing. From there, you can enjoy greater success overall, no matter what industry you may find yourself in.