Even though there isn’t one single formula for what makes content go viral on social media, it’s crucial for content creators to understand which type of content tends to work well online and therefore, should be pushed across their social channels.
We had the opportunity to discuss the idea of getting viral with the creators of ‘Most Amazing Videos On The Internet’, the page has garnered over 2.2M likes since 2014. It is one of the hottest viral pages out there. It reaches millions of people weekly.
Here are some tips from them to all the creators out there trying to make it big in the viral game:
Get to Know Your Audience
Going viral isn’t just about getting your content in front of people, it’s about getting it in front of the right people. When Dove created its Real Beauty Sketches campaign, the brand had a specific demographic it wanted to reach. The Beauty Sketches campaign featured a forensic artist trained by the FBI drawing sketches of real women, not paid actresses or models, based on their descriptions of themselves. Then, the artist drew pictures of the same women based on the description a stranger gave him.
Make an Emotional Connection
Emotion is what compels people to take action. Some people eat when they’re sad. Some people go to the gym after watching a motivational sports movie. The feelings that you get after seeing, hearing or reading something that strikes an emotional chord influences your behavior. And there’s science to back it.
Get Your Audience to Create User Generated Content
Engagement is key for making content go viral on social media. User generated content takes engagement beyond just sharing and makes it interactive.
Instead of just Tweeting out a link to a graphic that your company made, users are Tweeting content that they made while promoting your campaign at the same time. Once their friends and social media followers start seeing what they’re sharing, they’ll naturally want to participate too.
Make Your Content Useful Enough to Share
Creating highly relevant and useful content is an easy way to increase the chances of going viral.
If you can create a piece of content that’s actionable and has practical use, you’ll be far ahead of the game.
In order to time your content to go viral, you have to be up to date on all of the latest events and trending topics. Whether it’s pop culture, world news or sports, being active on social media and seeing what’s popular at the moment will give you the fuel you need to craft your next piece of viral content.
After that initial foundation is built, you’ll notice that you’ll probably be on their radar already and they may start to share your content without even being asked. But if not, you can reach out to them and ask for a share now without looking like a taker.
Not every piece of content you create will go viral. In fact, most content doesn’t. But by taking these tips into consideration and implementing the strategies, you’ll increase the amount that your content gets shared and have a much better chance of going viral.
Have you ever had a piece of content go viral? Let us know what worked best for you in the comments.
