[tweetthis url=”http://goo.gl/lZD2Jl”]Ask yourself if the content you create is something that might connect people with others.[/tweetthis]

One study suggests that about 78% of people who share content do so as a way of connecting with their friends.

You can see how this works if you give it some thought. On social media, people aren’t having one-on-one conversations with all the contacts in their friends list. So they post something thought-provoking, something controversial, or something that otherwise will engage others.

So maybe the other people will just “like” the content. Better yet, perhaps the others will discuss it with the person who shared it. That’s a great way to connect or re-connect with friends.

• They can laugh about that cute cat video together.
• They can share some outrage over what some celebrity said about someone else.
• They can discuss an important social issue, which grows respect and even bonds the two people if they share the same view.

Of course, sometimes people don’t even know all the “friends” on their contact list. In that case, this sort of connection can become very valuable. Someone might lurk for months without ever commenting on another’s content. And then one day an issue touches them so deeply that they join a discussion, which connects them with everyone else who’s joined the same discussion.

When you’re thinking about what kind of content to create, ask yourself if this is something that might connect people with others.