The secret to engineer both virality AND conversions
The Screenshot Test
Once upon a time, Shaan Puri got 70k+ net new Twitter followers… in just 6 weeks.
His whole strategy came down to one simple question:
“Would someone screenshot this and send it to a friend?”
That’s what he’d ask himself before posting anything.
What’s interesting is - the screenshot test isn’t really about going viral.
It’s about emotion. And emotion is what makes someone share a post and what makes them click a button, reply, or buy.
Because here’s the thing:
People don’t share (or buy from) content that makes them feel nothing.
They share, reply to, and buy from content that triggers an emotional response.
Think about the last piece of content you shared with a friend. Maybe it was a meme that made you laugh. A hot take that made you go “finally, someone said it.” Or a story that blew your mind.
Whatever it was, it made you feel something.
And that feeling was strong enough that you wanted someone else to feel it too.
That’s the whole game.
So next time you want to engineer a viral-worthy LinkedIn post (or an email that actually gets people to click and buy), aim to trigger one of these 8 emotions:
1/ LOL: “That’s so funny”
Humor is one of the easiest ways to create viral-worthy content. If you make someone laugh, they want their friends to laugh too.
This doesn’t mean you need to become a comedian. Even a well-placed observation or a relatable “why does this always happen” moment can do the trick. The bar isn’t stand-up comedy. The bar is: did this make someone smile and think of a friend who’d also smile?
2/ WTF: “That pisses me off”
Outrage spreads fast. This one’s a double-edged sword, but when used right, it’s one of the most effective.
The key is channeling outrage at something your audience already agrees is frustrating. Bad industry practices. Outdated advice. Things that make their lives harder. You’re not trying to start drama. You’re articulating a shared frustration.
3/ AWW: “That’s sooo cute”
For some reason, our brains can’t resist cute stuff. If it fits your niche, use it.
This could be a heartwarming customer story, a behind-the-scenes moment with your team, or even just a genuine moment of vulnerability. People share things that make them feel warm inside.
4/ WOW: “That’s amazing”
Success stories, impressive stats, unexpected wins. Everyone loves to share something that blows their mind.
The trick here is specificity. “We grew our business” doesn’t trigger WOW. “We went from $0 to $1M in 11 months with zero paid ads” does. The more specific and surprising the detail, the more shareable it becomes.
5/ YAY: “That’s great news”
Good news gets shared. Especially when it’s about someone your audience cares about or looks up to.
This could be celebrating a customer win, highlighting someone in your community, or sharing a positive industry development. People like to spread good vibes.
6/ NSFW: “That’s crazy”
Similar to WOW but with a weird or unexpected twist. Hard to manufacture, but powerful when you nail it.
This is the “wait, what?” content. The stories that make people stop scrolling because they can’t believe what they just read. Unusual approaches, counterintuitive results, things that shouldn’t work but did.
7/ OHHH: “Now I finally get it”
Simplifying ideas is a superpower. When you help someone finally “get” something, they’ll share it.
This is some of the most valuable content you can create. Taking a complex topic and breaking it down so clearly that it clicks for people. When you do this well, people share it because they want to look smart for having found it. And they want their friends to finally understand too.
8/ FINALLY: “Someone said what I was thinking”
This one’s gold. When you put into words what your audience has been thinking but couldn’t (or wouldn’t) say themselves, they’ll share it as a form of agreement.
This is why hot takes spread. Not because people love controversy, but because when someone articulates something they’ve been feeling, sharing it feels like saying “YES, THIS.” It’s a form of identity expression.
How To Use This
Now, to be clear:
You don’t need to hit all 8 emotions. You just need to hit one.
Before you publish your next piece of content, ask yourself:
Which of these 8 emotions am I triggering?
If the answer is “none” or “I’m not sure,” you’ve got a problem. That’s a sign your content is probably informative but not emotional. It might be useful, but it won’t spread. And it will definitely not sell.
Go back and find the emotional angle.
Maybe you’re teaching something. That’s OHHH territory. Can you make the explanation so clear it finally clicks?
Maybe you’re sharing a result. That’s WOW territory. Can you add the specific detail that makes it unbelievable?
Maybe you’re making an observation. That’s FINALLY territory. Can you articulate the thing everyone’s thinking but not saying?
Find the emotion. Then lean into it.
The Prompt
Here’s a prompt to help you write content that triggers one of these 8 emotions:
