--- title: "Why People Share: The Psychology of Social Media" description: "Why People Share: The Psychology of Social Media 5 reasons people share online content: to entertain, to define themselves, to build relationships, for self-fulfillment or to support a cause." image: https://www.jonespr.net/hubfs/Why%20People%20Share_%20The%20Psychology%20of%20Social%20Media.jpg --- [![](https://www.jonespr.net/hubfs/Why%20People%20Share_%20The%20Psychology%20of%20Social%20Media.jpg) ](https://www.jonespr.net/eight-arms-blog/why-people-share-the-psychology-of-social-media) # Why People Share: The Psychology of Social Media BY:   [ Kristin Jones ](https://www.jonespr.net/eight-arms-blog/author/kristin-jones) ![Why People Share_ The Psychology of Social Media](https://www.jonespr.net/hubfs/Why%20People%20Share_%20The%20Psychology%20of%20Social%20Media.jpg) Your social media posts are written to engage followers and hopefully link them back to your website. But the true power is not simply in your original posts (which may only be seen by a small percentage of followers), but when those posts are shared. When your followers and other members of your social media audience not only see, but share, your content, that is when you benefit from the ripple effect of reaching wider circles. Not only do more people see that shared content, but the social media algorithms also key in on the popularity of your content, thereby showing it to more people overall. And people trust their friends (who are sharing things) more than they do companies. So, are you thinking about what gets shared, and why people share, as you create your blog posts, videos, infographics and other social media and website content? [CoSchedule outlines 5 key reasons people share in this infographic](https://coschedule.com/blog/social-media-marketing-tips/). Are you creating content that motivates readers to share it? Learn more about creating great content in these other posts on the Inbound Accelerator: - [10 Secrets To Blockbuster Blog Content](https://www.jonespr.net/inboundaccelerator/10-secrets-to-blockbuster-blog-content-8-words-actionable-keywords-clear-definitive) - [5 Criteria For Great Marketing Videos & Infographics](https://www.jonespr.net/inboundaccelerator/5-criteria-for-great-marketing-videos-infographics) - [Grade Your Marketing Agency’s Content Creation Performance (quiz)](https://www.jonespr.net/inboundaccelerator/grade-your-marketing-agencys-content-creation-performance-quiz) Or download the [JONES Social Media Solution](https://www.jonespr.net/social-media-the-jones-solution) for more on our approach to facilitating social media sharing, reach and inbound marketing. ![social-sharing](https://www.jonespr.net/hs-fs/hubfs/social-sharing.jpg?width=1043&name=social-sharing.jpg)   ## 6 Steps To Creating Enviable Brands Download our guide 6 Steps to Creating Enviable Brands to learn the crucial steps you should follow to create an enviable brand for your company. 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Meet up with me when I’m in your city. Where will I be next? [Meet Kristin](https://www.jonespr.net/meetings/kristinjones/networking-call-with-kristin-jones) ## Subscribe to Eight Arms Subscribe to the Eight Arms blog to get our most recent content. 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