All right, let's look at the Facebook boosted post. I'll give you some comments along the way.

About the Post

I created this post on March 21 as I was flying back from Medellín, Colombia to Boston, MA.

The COVID-19 lockdowns were just getting underway and airports were beginning to close all over the world. I didn't want to be separated from my family in the U.S. because I didn't know how long the crisis would last.

In my post, I wanted to provide comfort for people who were feeling anxious. This is responding to a need and providing an inspirational solution.

Remember also that this is targeted to a very specific audience that responds to this type of content.

Content

This post has all of the content right on the post. No need to click away. This allows people to engage right on Facebook which typically increases interaction.

Other posts which I boosted did not do as well as this one. This one touched a nerve and WENT VIRAL so to speak.

There is a lot of teaching right in this post. Lots to digest. Finally, the emotional payoff comes at the end (if you doubt whether God cares...), followed by a personal touch relevant to the situation:

"Stay safe everyone."

Audience / Relevance

The audience for this post is obviously Christian. The post is using a familiar and beloved Psalm to speak to what was happening in that moment.

Essentially, if you are anxious, don't forget that we have a shepherd who cares.

The point is not that I was using religious language. The point is that the words, image, concepts and exhortation ARE DIRECTLY RELEVANT to that audience.

Image and Story

The image on a post is probably the most important element. It needs to be compelling AND it needs to connect with the content.

Finally, there should be some kind of story element built into the image.

Admittedly, this is easier to do if you are tapping into narratives that are already well known, and that have an emotion built in.

Psalm 23, and the divine shepherd, are part of our culture, even for those who are not religious. For those, whose faith is an important part of life, Psalm 23 is probably one of the most well known parts of scripture.

This goes back to audience / relevance again.

In the next lesson, we'll look at the stats for this boosted post.