Growth hacking.

It’s the hot new trend that every business wants to leverage to skyrocket their growth.

But what exactly is it? And how can you use it to grow your own business or platform?

That’s what we’ll uncover today.

What is Growth Hacking?

Growth hacking is a mindset and strategic approach to business growth that prioritizes rapid experimentation and iteration above all else.

The goal is to identify the most efficient channels for acquiring and retaining users or customers, and then aggressively scale those channels.

Growth hackers have an analytical, creative, and scrappy approach. They are data-driven and relentless in their pursuit of growth.

Some common growth hacking tactics include:

• Viral marketing campaigns
• Referral programs
• Optimizing sign-up/onboarding flows
• Creating content optimized for sharing & SEO
• Partnerships & cohort marketing
• Leveraging influencers
• Targeted ads

But growth hacking is not just about tactics. It’s about instilling a culture of testing and optimization across your entire customer journey.

So, What is Content Hacking?

Content hacking is applying the growth hacking mindset specifically to content marketing and content creation.

It’s about creating content that’s engineered for rapid growth vs content that simply informs or entertains.

Content hackers obsess over creating content that gets attention and spreads quickly. Their goal is to build an audience and generate growth, not just inform.

Some core principles of content hacking include:

Craft compelling headlines

Headlines are one of the most important parts of your content. A great headline grabs attention and pulls readers in.

Analyze high-performing headlines in your niche. Use tools like CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer to A/B test headlines.

Structure content for skimming

Use section headers, bullet points, images, and quotes to break up walls of text.

Content should be easy to glance at and skim read.

Optimize for shares

Make it easy and compelling for readers to share your content.

Include relevant hashtags and work them naturally into the text.

Close each post with a call to action to share.

Interlink content pillars

Link relevant articles together so readers click through your content ecosystem.

This improves time on site, and organic search, and surfaces more of your content.

Promote content relentlessly

Don’t just publish and pray. Have a promotion plan for each piece of content.

Repurpose content across social channels, enlist your email list for shares, pitch relevant influencers, run ads.

Be relentless.

Why You Should Adopt a Content-Hacking Mindset

Content marketing is becoming increasingly competitive. Rising above the noise requires a new approach.

Here are some key benefits of adopting a “growth hacker” mindset with your content:

Build an audience quickly

The fastest way to build an audience is through viral content and word of mouth.

Content hacking focuses on creating content optimized to spread rapidly. If you hit on something that resonates, you can experience exponential growth.

Improves conversion rates

Content hacking improves your lead capture and conversion rates by optimizing content for your customer’s journey.

For example, crafting specific content for each stage of the funnel or using content upgrades.

Compounds organic growth

Optimize content for organic search and you can keep acquiring new readers for free through SEO long after publication.

Provides valuable data

You can use metrics on how content performs to inform future content strategies.

See what resonates and double down on more of that type of content.

Boosts brand authority

Publishing amazing, viral content positions you as an authority in your space, building brand trust and loyalty.

Content hacking focuses on consistent quality and distribution.

Key Elements of a Content-Hacking Strategy

Here are some core elements to include in your own content-hacking strategy:

1. Define your goals

Be crystal clear on what your content is meant to achieve. Do you want leads, social shares, backlinks, or brand awareness?

Align goals with topics and distribution strategies. Track the right metrics.

2. Audit existing content

Analyze what’s currently working and not working. Look for gaps or opportunities in topics, formats, etc.

Figure out what resonates with your audience to inform future initiatives.

3. Map out your content pillars

Define the key content pillars and categories you’ll focus on, aligned to audience needs.

For a SaaS startup, this might be “product tutorials,” “case studies,” or “thought leadership”.

4. Identify amplification channels

How will you get content in front of your audience? Email lists, social media, SEO, ads, influencers, Slack groups?

Prioritize promotion across the highest potential channels.

5. Set a publishing cadence

Consistency is critical for SEO and audience building.

Figure out a consistent publishing schedule and stick to it.

6. Make it visual

Posts with images/videos get more shares and attention. Prioritize visual storytelling.

7. Monitor and optimize

Pay attention to metrics and continuously refine and improve.

What content gets the most shares and backlinks? How can you recreate it?

Growth Hacking Content Ideas

Here are some content formats perfect for rapid growth:

List posts / Roundups

Lists like “10 Business Books Every Founder Must Read” perform incredibly well because they are ultra-skimmable and shareable.

Controversial / Contrarian opinions

Thoughtful hot takes and counterintuitive angles spark discussion.

Case studies

Show how you helped a customer. Fuel success stories.

Interviews with industry leaders

Tap into the follower base of key influencers via interviews.

Memes

Bite-sized, humorous memes can spread virally on social when executed correctly.

Compilations of quotes

Curate lists of motivational quotes from top entrepreneurs. Quick to consume and share.

How-to tutorials

Teach a skill related to your niche via step-by-step guides. Useful for lead gen.

Infographics

Visually display data in an engaging graphic. Images tend to get more social traction.

Behind the scenes

Give an authentic inside look into your startup journey.

Tools to Boost Content Growth Hacks

Leverage tools to maximize the impact of your content hacking initiatives:

Headline analyzers

Test headline variations to identify the highest click-through rates. Try CoSchedule Headline Analyzer or Hubspot’s Blog Topic Generator.

Click-worthy formatting

Make eye-catching social share images with Canva and implement click “triggers” like numbered lists or how-to steps.

Hashtag research

Discover trending hashtags to integrate into your content using tools like RiteTag.

Content amplification

Use services like Skyscraper Technique and Buzzsumo to identify opportunities to get your content in front of new audiences by reaching out to relevant sites/influencers.

Key Takeaways

• Growth hacking is a data-driven approach to business growth that relies on rapid testing and iteration.
• Content hacking applies this mindset specifically to content creation and promotion.
• The goal is to engineer and distribute content optimized for explosive growth.
• Useful tactics include viral headlines, thoughtful controversy, visual formats, and promotion through influencers and ads.
• Consistently measure, analyze, and refine your efforts based on performance data.

Ready to think like a growth hacker with your content marketing? By creating content engineered for high-impact growth vs just general utility, you can elevate your business to the next level.

What growth-hacking content strategies seem most promising to you?