Facebook's most shared articles of 2011 revealed
Posted: Tuesday 06 December, 2011
Emilie Legrand
Sharing photos, videos, surveys and articles on Facebook has continued to be one of the key features users have engaged with throughout 2011 and something that is sure to be at the heart of the Facebook user experience as we head into 2012. As 2011 draws to a close, we are starting to see more and more end-of-year lists, the latest of which released by Facebook last week highlights the top 40 most shared articles in the US in 2011. Ranging from news stories to advice, from the cute to the bizarre, the top 40 articles really do make for some interesting reads.
The article that topped the list, 'Satellite Photos of Japan, Before and After the Quake and Tsunami', has been shared over 600,000 times on Facebook as well as being featured in The New York Times in March. A compelling read, the article displays a large number of aerial photographs showing Japan before and after the earthquake and tsunami struck. The images feature an interactive slider that enables the reader to see the same aerial shot before and after the disaster. It is an incredible and equally terrifying article, and clear to see why it featured at the top of the Facebook list.
Other trending topics and titles in the top 40 include 'You'll freak when you see the new Facebook', 'The Most Typical Face On The Planet', and 'Things Babies Born in 2011 Will Never Know'.
In many ways, the list acts as a reminder of the speed and extent to which stories can be spread on Facebook, something that continues to change the way in which content, news and media is consumed and shared. When looking at this from a brand perspective, essentially, the potential reach that an engaging and interactive piece of content can have if shared is something that cannot be ignored. A great example of this came with the 'Old Spice Guy' marketing campaign, a series of videos that quickly spread around networking sites at an astonishing rate earlier in the year. Additionally, the fact that many more news stories are breaking first via social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and now Google+ really does show the extent to which social media continues to change the way brands should approach traditional PR and marketing.
I wonder what the social media viral story of 2012 is going to be?
