You’ve seen those viral videos. They get posted, and suddenly everyone is watching them and talking about them. Why? Because they’re funny, interesting or just plain weird. But why do some videos go viral while others languish in obscurity? It’s a question researchers have been asking for years, and no one has found a definitive answer yet. But there are several theories…
Not every video can go viral, but some can be engineered to
This is true for any content that you might think of as having the potential to go “viral,” from songs to internet memes to political movements. If a video goes viral, it means that it spreads widely and quickly, so this is something you might want to deliberately try and do if you’re trying to promote your content and your brand.
But how do you know if your video will go viral? Are there any telltale signs that indicate whether or not it’s likely?
There are no foolproof ways of knowing for certain if your video has the potential for success or failure, but there are some things you can look out for.
Here are five things you can try to make your videos “go viral”:
1. Make something that people want to share their opinions about
People love to share opinions. Not only that, they love being the first to share an opinion that is different from the majority.
People also tend to rely on, not just one opinion, but several, when they view videos or post their own on social media.
2. Be polarising
You can make your video go viral by making people feel strongly about it.
If you want to get people to share a video, make them feel like they have to. People often share things that move, shock or amuse them. The reason? They want others to see what they saw and may even want their opinions on it.
If you go this route, it’s essential that your videos are actually polarising. So make content that some people love and others hate. This way they are likely to share it more if you create an emotional response with both opposing views in mind.
Just make sure it doesn’t damage your brand.
3. Pick something ridiculous and run with it
A good way to go about this is by using the example of popular memes. If you’ve ever shared a meme with your friends, then you know that they are often absurd and sometimes downright silly. But they also reflect something relatable and familiar, which makes them easy to pass on from person to person.
If you can tap into something that people find ridiculous, or even just funny enough to want to share with their friends, your video will have an increased chance of going viral.
4. Hedge your bets
If you’re unsure about a video, make it anyway (provided it doesn’t cast you or your brand in a negative light). A video could still be useful for your channel or brand, even if it doesn’t go viral. And if it does go viral, the payoff will be even bigger.
5. Other factors that might help you get your video to go viral
- Make sure the video is good quality. Make sure it’s not blurry or grainy, and keep in mind that it needs to be easily legible on a small screen.
- Make sure the content is interesting and engaging. If your audience doesn’t like what they see/hear, they won’t share it with anyone else!
- Make content that’s relevant to your audience. Don’t post videos about things that are unrelatable to them. For example, if you’re an animal rescue group, post a video about how much fun the puppies up for adoption are having at the beach. You could film them having fun playing in the water with their adorable puppy friends at sunset. As opposed to posting a comprehensive video guide on how to take care of roses.
- Also, refrain from posting too much, i.e. don’t repeat yourself too often or post something every day just because it’s “content.” Viewers will quickly get bored if there’s no variety when scrolling through their feeds. This goes for all social media platforms! Remember: moderation is key!
Conclusion
We hope this guide has given you some ideas on how to help make your videos go viral. If you’re still having trouble, don’t worry too much about it. There are many factors that go into making a video go viral, but the most important thing is to keep trying new things and have fun making videos.
