According to statistics from Technorati, the number of blogs has doubled every six months for the last three years.  More content is now being produced than ever before in the history of mankind.  If you’re a content marketer, what you really want to be doing is to be producing content that gives people a reason to share it.

The New York Times just came out recently with a study on why people share content.  Some fascinating facts were revealed by the study:

• 73% share information because it helps them connect with others who share their interests.
• 49% say sharing allows them to inform others of products they care about and potentially change opinions or encourage action.
• 94% carefully consider how the information they share will be useful to the recipient.
• 68% share to give people a better sense of who they are and what they care about.
• 84% share because it is a way to support causes or issues they care about.
• 78% share information online because it lets them stay connected to people they may not otherwise stay in touch with.
• 69% share information because it allows them to feel more involved in the world

Sharing is all about our relationships with others.  It’s about introducing them to things of value that either entertain or educate.