In today’s world of social media, going viral is the dream for many content creators. Having a video explode in popularity and shared all over the internet can make someone an overnight celebrity.
But going viral appears to be based mostly on luck, right? Not necessarily. While an element of fortune is involved, there are certainly best practices you can follow to increase the chances of your video getting widespread exposure.
What Is A Viral Video?
A viral video is one that just suddenly blows up and gets shared all over the place. It’s like an internet sensation! No one has heard of some cute dog video; the next day, it seems everyone and their mother are passing it around on social media.
When a video goes viral, its popularity spreads rapidly like an infectious virus thanks to people Watching, liking, and sharing it like crazy across the web. Pretty wild!
Here are some tips on how to give your video the greatest likelihood of going viral.
Hook Viewers Right Away
You only have a few seconds to grab people’s attention before they move on to something else in their feed. You need to feature something eye-catching right at the start that makes them want to keep watching.
This could be showing an exciting character, a funny prank, a dramatic scene, or a surprising reveal. The goal is to arouse people’s curiosity and give them a compelling reason to stay tuned in. Video Go Viral when they immediately draw viewers in with something unique and unexpected.
Keep it Short and Snappy
People online tend to have short attention spans. For the highest chance of keeping viewers engaged from start to finish, keep your video under a few minutes long. Under 60 seconds is ideal. Quick, snackable content spreads more widely because it’s easy to consume.
If you need to make a longer video, try dividing it into sections so people feel like they’re getting multiple mini-videos rather than one long one.
Elicit Strong Emotions
What gets shared the most online? Content that powerfully plays on people’s emotions. Videos that make audiences laugh out loud gasp in shock, feel immense joy, or shed tears are prime candidates for going viral because they create strong emotional reactions that make people want to share the experience with others.
Try to capture or convey moments that genuinely resonate with viewers and get them feeling strongly.
Feature Something Current and Relevant
Videos that somehow relate to current events, recent news, or timely topics tend to gain more traction because they feel important.
Capitalizing on trends, holidays, seasons, or news events can make your video feel part of the cultural zeitgeist, which often fuels shares.
Just make sure your tying to current happenings feels natural rather than forced.
Include Animals or Babies
Science has proven that cute animals and babies capture people’s attention and trigger positive emotional responses. Incorporating adorable creatures and kids into your video gives it an advantage.
You don’t have to rely on cute factors solely, but including some huggable animals or delightful babies can help endear your video to a wide audience. Just ensure you have permission to film someone else’s pet or child.
Have a Strong Thumbnail and Title
Don’t neglect the thumbnail image and title accompanying your video on social platforms. These visuals are the first impression people will get when determining if they click to watch.
The thumbnail must be eye-catching and convey something intriguing or exciting about the video. The title also has to generate interest with natural search keywords people are likely searching for.
Getting the right Social Media Image Size is crucial if you want to make the most of your social media presence.
Promote it to Influencers
Getting your video into the hands of social media influencers in your niche can lead to a huge boost in exposure. Their existing audience provides built-in potential viewers.
Reach out to relevant influencers and offer to collaborate or have them share your video with their followers. Partnering with a mid-level or micro-influencer may work better than aiming for a top celebrity.
Pay to Promote it Strategically
While going viral appears entirely organic, most creators use some paid promotion to share their videos beyond just their followers.
Paid social ads, promoted posts, influencer shoutouts, and strategic media placements can put your video in front of many more eyeballs, increasing the chances of it spreading widely.
Focus your budget on channels and demographics likely to share and engage with your content.
Make it Interactive or Challenging
Videos involving the audience or issue a challenge tend to see high participation and sharing rates. Adding a poll, quiz, or call to action to your video gets people active rather than passive.
Issuing some challenge provides a clear reason for viewers to film themselves copying or responding to your video. This sparks a chain reaction of user-generated content.
Optimize it for Sharing
Ensure your video is in a format and style accessible for users to share across their social platforms. Include natively uploaded versions optimized for key sites like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
Encourage audiences to like, comment, reshare, and make duets or reaction videos. The more inviting you can make your video for users to engage with, the farther it will spread.
Going viral may seem like a shot in the dark, but employing the right strategy and techniques can tip the odds in your favor.
While not guaranteed, optimizing your video based on current best practices for making shareable online content will give you the most excellent chance of having it take off and spread like wildfire across the internet.
Just make sure the content brings value in some way for viewers rather than just chasing fame. With strategic planning and some luck, your creative, engaging video could be the next viral sensation.
How Does A Video Go Viral On YouTube?
Going viral on YouTube is the dream! While you can’t 100% guarantee a video blow-up, you can set it up for success. Here are a few key steps:
Step 1: Make Engaging Content
You need a super interesting, funny, shocking, or emotional video that grabs people and leaves a big impression.
Step 2: Optimize for Search
Use good titles, descriptions, and tags so your video pops up when people search-relevant keywords.
Step 3: Promote Niche Communities
Share your YouTube link where your target audience hangs out to start momentum.
Step 4: Get Shares From Influencers
A shoutout from a popular YouTuber or someone with a big social media following can skyrocket views!
Follow those steps, and your video will be primed for popping off!
What Makes A Video Go Viral On TikTok?
Going viral on TikTok takes the perfect combo of timing, trends, and luck! Here’s some tips to give your video its best shot at blowing up:
Step 1: Be Authentic
TikTok users can spot fake or staged videos a mile away. The more authentic your video is, the better its chance of connecting with viewers. Show your true personality and film videos that reflect your real life.
Step 2: Capitalize on Trends
Pay attention to TikTok’s latest viral songs, dances, memes, and challenges. If you can quickly make videos hopping on trends as they emerge, you’re more likely to get noticed on people’s For You pages.
Step 3: Use Humor
Comedy and humor are universal. If your video makes people crack up smiling or laughing, it will spread joy on TikTok. Use your sense of humor and comedic timing in your video concept.
Step 4: Engage With Your Audience
Don’t just post and walk away. Engage with your followers by responding to comments, doing live streams, and posting regularly. The more you interact, the more likely you’ll end up on someone’s FYP.
Step 5: Be Always-On
Viral hits require being in the right place at the right time. Stay active by posting multiple times daily to increase your chances of being noticed and going viral.
Step 6: Use Viral Sounds
Keep an ear out for trending sounds and songs. Use popular audio and lip-sync viral sounds to give your video a better chance of being discovered.
Step 7: Optimize Your Hashtags
Include a mix of popular and niche hashtags so your video appears in searches. But don’t overdo it with spammy tags. Research which hashtags are trending for discoverability.
Step 8: Collaborate with Others
Duet or stitch popular TikTok creators to introduce your content to their followers. Partner with influencers in your niche to tap into their audience.
Step 9: Promote Outside TikTok
Cross-promote your viral TikTok videos on other platforms like Instagram and YouTube. Redirect followers to your TikTok account to gain more visibility.
Step 10: Don’t Give Up!
Viral fame doesn’t happen overnight. Persistently post great content, increasing your chances of going viral on TikTok.
5 Tips From YouTube Experts To Make Your Video Go Viral
After analyzing advice from seasoned YouTubers and viral video experts, here are 5 essential tips to give your video the best shot at going viral.
Step 1: Make Content People Want To Watch and Share
The most fundamental part of creating a viral video is making content that captures attention. Study trending topics and Consumer interests to identify subjects that will connect with a broad audience.
Tailor your content to be entertaining, helpful, shocking, or emotional – elements that spark people to hit the share button. Keep it short, snappy, and focused.
Step 2: Optimize Title and Thumbnail
Most viewers decide whether or not to click on a video based on the title and thumbnail. Craft a clear, exciting title that urges viewers to watch.
Make customized thumbnails that pop on search pages. Use bold text, color blocks, and provocative (yet relevant) imagery.
Step 3: Promote Video Before Release
Build buzz and view momentum by promoting your video before launch. Post on your social channels, run ads and reach out to influencers and journalists. You’ll signal to YouTube’s algorithm that your content is in demand by garnering an initial viewer base.
Step 4: Interact With Viewers
Videos with high comments and viewer engagement are more likely to be promoted by YouTube.
Respond to all comments, ask viewers questions, and foster a community around your content. Hearting viewer comments also help boost engagement.
Step 5: Analyze Performance
Study the analytics to see when your views spiked and which sections held attention. Use these insights to refine your SEO and thumbnail for future content.
Viral videos are rare, but by continuously optimizing your approach, you’ll construct the perfect viral storm.
With these expert tips, you can craft contagious content primed for YouTube success. Just ensure your video offers value or entertainment for the audience, and you’ll be ready to ride the viral wave.
Final Thoughts
Going viral may seem like winning the lottery, but you can take steps to increase your odds. Make highly engaging content, optimize for discovery, promote both organically and with ads strategically, and leverage influencers.
Nothing is guaranteed, but using best practices on platforms like YouTube and TikTok gives you a fighting chance. You may score that coveted viral fame with a fantastic video and a little luck.
