Like the proverbial tree falling in the forest, content might as well not exist if there's no one to acknowledge it. Every time you "Like" that cute cat video, tweet the latest controversial current event, or share an awesome deal with a friend, you validate the existence of that content. If it's shared, it matters, has value and is impactful. Luckily for content publishers – be it a media conglomerate or just that kid who wants you to share a YouTube video of him reenacting Britney's "Oops!…I Did It Again" – you're also engaging in a behavior that's hard-wired as a basic human impulse. We love to share, but we're a selective bunch.

So how do web publishers compel us to share and what makes certain content irresistible? And how do brands tap into the immense power of sharing? We'll dive into examples of hyper-shareable content and examine how sharing provides insight into broader human behavioral patterns. Finally, we'll discuss how sharing is radically democratizing the way we think about spheres of influence. With sharing, everyone is important in the sharing economy. So instead of one person sharing with 1,000 friends, it’s more important that 1,000 people share just once. Virality doesn’t matter because everyone is an influencer.