The Share-Check Scorecard: Score Any Post With Jonah Berger's STEPPS

The scorecard: 12 questions, 1 point each

STEPPS = Social currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical value, Stories.

• Social currency: Does sharing this make the sharer look smart, cool or in the know?

  People share what makes them look good.

• Social currency: Does it reveal something surprising or little-known?

  Remarkable things get talked about.

• Triggers: Is it tied to something people see or do often?

  Top of mind means tip of tongue.

• Triggers: Will something in their day remind them of it?

  Frequent cues bring it back.

• Emotion: Does it make people feel awe, excitement, amusement or anger?

  High-arousal emotions drive sharing.

• Emotion: Would someone react out loud while watching?

  If you feel nothing, they won't share.

• Public: Can people see others using or doing this?

  Built to show, built to grow.

• Public: Does it leave something visible behind (a result, a template, a mark)?

  Visible things get copied.

• Practical value: Will it save someone time or money?

  People share to help.

• Practical value: Would someone send it to a specific friend with 'you need this'?

  Useful info gets passed on.

• Stories: Is the idea inside a story, not just a list of facts?

  Stories carry the message.

• Stories: Can someone retell it in one sentence and still mention you?

  The brand must be part of the story.

What your score means

Worked example: one post, before and after (illustrative)

Hooks: Social currency (7)

• The [thing] most [niche] people don't know exists

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• I tested [secret method] so you don't have to

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• Only [small %/group] of [niche] do this. Here's how

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• The insider trick [experts] use for [result]

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• Rate your [skill]: are you a beginner, pro or legend?

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• [Number] signs you're better at [skill] than you think

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• The [tool/feature] nobody talks about

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

Hooks: Triggers (7)

• Every time you [daily action], do this instead

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• Your Monday [task] is costing you [result]

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• Before you hit publish today, check this

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• Next time you open [common app], look at [spot]

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• The [season/event] mistake every [niche] makes

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• When your coffee's brewing, fix this one thing

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• If you see [common sight], it means [insight]

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

Hooks: Emotion (7)

• I almost quit [thing] because of this

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• This [result] made me angry, and it should make you angry too

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• The [thing] that finally made [goal] feel easy

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• [Before] to [after]: what changed

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• Stop feeling stupid about [topic]. It's not your fault

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• The moment I realized [mistake]

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• This tiny fix gave me goosebumps

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

Hooks: Public (7)

• Look at my real [dashboard/screen] for [goal]

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• Watch me [do task] live, start to finish

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• Here's what my [setup] looks like today

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• Put this [badge/sticker/template] on yours

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• Show me your [thing] in the comments, I'll rate it

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• [Number] [niche] people tried this. Here's what they showed me

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• Copy my exact [template]. It's on screen

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

Hooks: Practical value (7)

• [Number] free tools that replace [paid tool]

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• Save this before you [task]

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• The 3-step checklist for [task]

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• Do this in 5 minutes to [result]

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• The cheapest way to [result]

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• Steal this [template/script] for [task]

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• Stop paying for [thing]. Do this instead

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

Hooks: Stories (7)

• A [type of person] did [surprising thing]. Here's what happened

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• In [year], [brand] almost went broke. Then they did this

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• My first [project] was a disaster. Here's why

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• This [small business] beat a giant by doing one thing

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• Nobody believed [person] when they said [claim]

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• How a [ordinary thing] became [big result]

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

• The story behind [famous thing] you weren't told

  Fill in the [brackets] with your topic.

3 real campaigns at a glance

The 3 campaigns, step by step (and how to copy each one)

1. Blendtec, step 1: a boring product with one remarkable fact

   Blenders are a dull category. Blendtec's fact was strength. Instead of saying 'powerful motor', Tom Dickson showed it: marbles, rakes, then an iPhone. Social currency: telling a friend 'he blended an iPhone' makes you the interesting one.

2. Blendtec, step 2: one repeatable format

   Every episode asks the same question, 'Will it blend?', with a new object. A repeatable format means every video is easy to make and easy to recognise. Berger reports sales rose around 700%; that figure comes from Blendtec and has not been independently audited.

3. Blendtec, copy it

   Find your product's one provable claim. Design a test that shows it in under 30 seconds. Repeat the format with a new 'object' each time.

4. Movember, step 1: make a private cause visible

   Supporting men's health is invisible. A moustache in November is not. Public: everyone who sees it asks why, and the cause spreads face to face.

5. Movember, step 2: a built-in trigger

   It happens every November, and the name says so. The month itself reminds people. Triggers.

6. Movember, copy it

   Give people something visible to show they use or support you: a badge, a template watermark, a public result page, a shared before/after.

7. Please Don't Tell, step 1: a secret worth telling

   A bar in New York entered through a phone booth inside a hot-dog shop. Being let in on the secret makes you an insider. Social currency.

8. Please Don't Tell, step 2: scarcity makes the story

   A small room and reservations make getting in feel special, so people tell the story of getting in.

9. Please Don't Tell, copy it

   Give a small group early or insider access: a hidden feature, a private list, a 'not on the website' resource. Let them be the ones who tell others.

5-minute fix list for posts scoring under 6

1. Add one surprising fact

   Put the most unexpected true thing in the first line. Social currency.

2. Tie it to a daily moment

   Add 'next time you [common action]…'. Triggers.

3. Name a feeling

   Say what made you excited or annoyed and why. Emotion.

4. Show it on screen

   Show the real screen, result or before/after instead of describing it. Public.

5. Add one usable step

   Give one thing they can do today. Practical value.

6. Wrap it in a 2-line story

   'I tried X. Y happened.' Then the lesson. Stories.

Common mistakes that kill shares

• Forcing all six principles into one post

  It turns into a mess. Pick the two that fit best and do them well.

• Using anger for cheap reach

  Berger's research found anger raises sharing, but outrage about your audience turns them against you. Point the anger at a problem, not at people.

• Being remarkable but forgettable as a brand

  If someone retells the story without you in it, the share does nothing for you. Make the product the plot, like Blendtec.

• Practical value that's too vague

  'Post consistently' isn't useful. A number, a step or a template is.

• Copying a viral format without your own fact

  The format helps, but people share the surprising thing inside it. Find your own.

• Judging a post on likes only

  Sends and saves are the share signal. Check them in your insights for every post you score.

Copy-paste prompt: score and fix a post

Score this post using Jonah Berger's STEPPS (Social currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical value, Stories). Use these 12 yes/no questions, 1 point each:
[paste the 12 questions from this scorecard]

For each question, answer yes or no with one short reason. Give the total out of 12. Then rewrite only the first line 3 ways, each aimed at my weakest principle. Keep my facts; don't invent results, numbers or stories.

Post:
[paste your script or caption]