The secret metric that proves your posts matter

In 2015, a team at Stanford studied online content sharing and identified a simple truth: people mostly reshare when they believe doing so boosts their own reputation or adds clear value to their network. They called it the “self-presentation model.” This flips the focus from your ego as a creator to your audience’s motivations as sharers.

Imagine you scroll past thousands of posts daily. Which ones make you look smart, caring, or well-informed when you reshare them? Maybe a mind-blowing statistic, a succinct how-to, or a heartwarming image. That’s the key: your content must serve your audience’s own social goals.

By running a quick “reshare test” before you post—asking yourself if your audience would be willing to amplify your message—you align your strategy with intrinsic behavioral drivers. You’re no longer hoping for likes; you’re designing for reshares.

This metric becomes your north star, guiding everything from headline selection to visual design. It’s a measurable, audience-centered filter that beats vanity metrics like impressions or raw like counts.

You start by mentally running the reshare test on each draft: would someone risk sharing this to boost their own online credibility? Then you craft two headline options that highlight clear value and choose the one you’d personally reshare. Finally, you watch 24 hours of metrics to see which posts caught on—and lean into those elements next time. Give the reshare test a spin on your next post.