Within these digital pages, we will unravel the secrets behind making a social media viral video that possesses the unique qualities to ignite the spark and captivate audiences across the vast expanse of social platforms.
In the fast-paced and ever-evolving landscape of social media, the dream of creating a viral video on social media holds an irresistible allure for social media marketers and brands.
The ability to reach millions, capture the collective attention, and witness your creation spread like wildfire is a remarkable phenomenon that has transformed the way we consume and share content.
But before we dive into the strategies and techniques that can unleash the power of virality, let's first grasp the essence of what defines a viral video.
At its core, a social media viral video is a piece of content that resonates deeply with its audience, evokes powerful emotions, and compels individuals to share it with their social circles.
There’s a good chance you've seen this Old Spice social media video ad:
Originally published in 2010, this "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" ad has had several viral moments over the past decade.
This viral video example made a deep cultural impact at the time in an otherwise traditional advertising world.
Viral videos come in various forms, from heartwarming stories that tug at our heartstrings to hilarious moments that leave us in fits of laughter.
They can capture our attention through jaw-dropping displays of talent, surprise us with unexpected twists, or inspire us with messages of hope and empowerment.
In essence, a viral video is a digital gem that possesses the extraordinary ability to spread like wildfire, captivating the hearts and minds of those who encounter it.
This Dollar Shave Club ad is another classic example of an ad going viral:
Right after this ad, Dollar Shave Club gained 12,000 new subscribers (for its product) within one day. And in 2016, Unilever acquired this company for $1 billion.
So, it makes sense you want your videos to go viral as well.
It can literally change the fortune of your company, unlocking unimaginable growth opportunities and success.
But here’s a problem: There are no defined rules on how to go “viral”.
In fact, almost 99 percent of social media videos will never go viral.
So, the task at hand is incredibly difficult.
However, the good news is you can take cues from viral videos on social media, try to understand what worked for them, and then create videos accordingly.
Learning from others who have already succeeded is a great way to go about this; it increases your chances of getting viral.
Throughout this guide, we will equip you with the knowledge and strategies necessary to navigate the intricate world of virality.
From understanding the key elements that contribute to shareability to harnessing the power of social media algorithms, we will unveil the secrets to creating a video that stands the best chance of going viral.
Contents :
The threshold for what defines a video as "viral" can vary, as there is no specific number of views that universally determines virality.
The concept of how to make a video viral is more about the rapid spread and popularity of a video rather than a specific view count.
However, it is commonly believed that a video can be considered viral if it quickly accumulates a significant number of views, typically in the millions, within a short period.
The exact number of views required for a video to be labeled as viral may depend on factors such as the platform, content type, target audience, and the general context of the video.
It's important to remember that the true essence of virality lies in capturing the attention and engagement of a vast audience, rather than fixating solely on view count.
Here are some tips to increase social media engagement and followers organically.
While there's no guaranteed formula, there are certain strategies that can increase your chances of creating viral content.
In this blog post, we'll explore some key tactics that can help your video gain traction and potentially go viral on social media.
1. Captivating Content:
The first and foremost aspect of a viral video is captivating content. Your video should be unique, creative, and engaging, grabbing the attention of viewers within the first few seconds. Consider focusing on storytelling, humor, emotional appeal, or unexpected twists that will leave a lasting impression on your audience.
2. Know Your Target Audience:
Understanding your target audience is crucial for creating shareable content. Conduct research to identify the interests, preferences, and demographics of your intended viewers. By tailoring your video to resonate with their interests and values, you increase the likelihood of your content being shared among them.
3. Embrace Short and Snappy:
In today's fast-paced digital landscape, attention spans are shorter than ever. Aim to create videos that are concise and to the point. Shorter videos tend to perform better, so keep them under a minute whenever possible. Make sure your video delivers its message effectively and efficiently, leaving viewers wanting more.
4. Optimize for Mobile Viewing:
With the majority of social media consumption happening on mobile devices, it's crucial to optimize your videos for mobile viewing. Ensure your video is compatible with various screen sizes and orientations. Subtitles or captions are also essential, as they allow viewers to watch videos without sound, increasing the accessibility and shareability of your content.
5. Leverage Influencers and Trending Topics:
One of the answers to how to make a video viral on social media includes collaborating with influencers or leveraging trending topics can significantly boost the chances of your video going viral. Identify influencers who align with your content and brand, and consider partnering with them to amplify your message. Additionally, tapping into trending topics or viral challenges can increase your video's visibility and shareability.
6. Distribution and Promotion:
Creating an excellent video is just the beginning; you must actively promote and distribute it across social media platforms. Share your video across all relevant channels, such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, or LinkedIn, depending on your target audience. Encourage friends, family, and followers to share your video, and engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages promptly.
7. Utilize the Power of Hashtags:
Hashtags play a vital role in helping your video gain visibility on social media platforms. Research and use popular and relevant hashtags related to your video's topic or industry. This will make it easier for users to discover your content when searching for specific keywords or browsing through trending topics.
8. Spark Conversation and User Engagement:
Encourage viewers to engage with your video by posing questions, inviting comments, or running contests. Sparking conversation around your content can generate buzz and motivate people to share it with their networks. Responding to comments and engaging with your audience will also foster a sense of community and loyalty, leading to increased shares and virality.
Here are some effective social media marketing strategies you need to see.
Remember to focus on creating captivating and concise videos, understand your target audience, optimize for mobile, leverage influencers and trends, actively promote your content, utilize hashtags, and foster user engagement.
With persistence, creativity, and a bit of luck, your video might just go viral, giving you the exposure and reach you desire.
To help you get started on the right track and create your own rule book on how to make a video viral on social media, we have provided you with 11 essential ingredients that have the power to propel your content toward viral success.:
Viral videos on social media stir emotions in the audience, which results in people liking and sharing them.
However, you don’t want to trigger just any emotion.
Yes, negative media does get more impressions and clicks. But that works best in the news world. When you’re looking to build a strong brand, you want to build it around positive emotions like empathy and kindness.
A video that can make the audience feel happy, warm, excited, and surprised is more likely to get viral.
Think of the last viral video marketing from any brand that you watched.
How did it make you feel? What emotions did it stir that made you like that video?
So, make sure your social media videos have positive messaging.
The social media viral videos do great in driving traction in the first two days, which builds its “virality”, propelling its impressions and engagement.
Here’s what the Harvard Business review quips: “The more shares a video generates during the first two days after launch, the higher the viral peak and the greater the overall volume of shares.”
So the first 48 hours are very critical.
You need to create a thoughtful video launch campaign that aims to gain as many views in the first two days as possible.
This can include running paid ads, approaching influencers to share your video, and publishing press releases.
This isn’t the case with all viral videos on social media, but it is true with a majority of them.
One reason why these videos get shared more and win mainstream attention is that they are funny.
Not all of your social media videos need to be funny. And more importantly, integrating humor into your content can be a surprisingly tricky challenge.
But if you can find opportunities to make your videos fun and share a good laugh, it helps your attempt at going viral.
There’s nothing more powerful in marketing than a good relatable story. If people can relate to your message, many of them will follow your call-to-action.
Viral social media marketing videos do this exceptionally well.
They tell enticing stories that the audience can relate to. This builds a connection between that brand and the audience, leading to higher engagement and inevitable conversion.
Make sure your videos have elements of storytelling. Using animation can be very effective here. An animated social media video can often do a better job telling a visually engaging story than traditional videos.
So, connect with a renowned video production company, work with their team, and create your first social media marketing animated video that tells a great story.
Whether it’s a live-action video, animation, or a combination of both (mixed media videos), almost every viral video of a brand you will see is visually striking.
They grab attention almost instantly and keep the audience glued with their visuals primarily.
So, if you want your social media videos to go viral, one of the essentials of that is visual appeal. The video should look good and be striking in visuals. If not, chances are nothing else will work.
With an animated social media video, you can achieve this easily. Animation is usually attention-grabbing that can stand you out from the crowd visually, enhancing your chances of going viral.
Do you think every single person who watches and shares Nike’s viral videos, also purchases their products? Not likely.
Many brand-driven viral videos don’t always have a targeted approach. Instead, they are universal, aiming to appeal to even those outside their target personas. This is the reason why Nike doesn’t make videos about shoes alone; Coca-Cola doesn’t talk about soft drinks; and Dove doesn’t talk about soaps.
The viral video ads of these top brands are universal in nature with broader messaging. This allows them to gain more impressions and thereby, “virality”.
So when creating videos that you want to go viral, make sure it has a wider appeal that wows even those who aren’t necessarily your target audience.
The brand-driven viral videos on social media don't usually revolve around fantastical topics.
They tend to be grounded to reality, addressing real issues, pain points, or the circumstances of common people. This is one of the elements that build relatability.
Their topic is practical, an issue that people are aware of and understand.
As such, the core message of your social media videos shouldn’t be fictitious either. It should be reasonably in touch with reality so that people care about it and pay attention. This is important to initiate the snowball effect and gain more likes and shares from the get-go.
Many viral social media marketing videos are a result of topical marketing.
For instance, if the world is talking about Super Bowl, bridging that topic with your brand through a video can lead to the “virality” you’re looking for.
If the messaging of the video is appropriate and has entertainment or educational value, it will likely gain higher visibility and more shares.
So, get together with your team to create an integrated video and topical marketing strategy.
Make sure the video is relevant to a moment that the world is currently talking about.
Viral social media videos are usually engaging.
They are positioned as a two-way conversation with the audience.
Meaning, the protagonist of the video chats directly to the people watching it.
The audience feels like they are being listened to and understood, not just yelled at.
This approach wherein people are talked to (and not talked at) builds a rapport and a connection between them and the brand. This often translates into higher likes and shares.
So, when creating a video, make sure your message isn’t conveyed in a generic way to a broader audience. It should be aimed at individuals, as though you’re talking specifically to one person.
With many examples of brand-driven viral videos, you will notice a lack of promotion.
Even videos that talk about a certain product, you might not find a ‘buy now’ prompt at the end.
This is one of the key secrets of creating a viral video.
It’s unlikely people will like and share a sales-heavy video, unless it’s truly outstanding, as was the case with Dollar Shave Club.
They don’t want a video that’s trying to aggressively sell them something; instead, they want a piece of content that provides them an entertaining experience or utility value.
Remember, getting viral is an ideal opportunity to increase brand awareness and not exactly to sell.
Avoid over-promotional videos if you want them to go viral.
As mentioned earlier, there are no defined rules in this game.
So nobody can say for sure how and when your videos will go viral.
But when a brand's video goes viral, it's usually not their first attempt.
Chances are, they have published tens or even hundreds of videos until they finally struck gold and went viral.
This means consistency is key. Understand that your first or tenth video probably won’t go viral, and that's okay. You have to keep at it until it happens, and then keep going.
Once your brand starts getting more prominence and once you have more attention (and trust), the chances of going viral will multiply.
There’s a reason why many top brands' videos go viral; because they have more attention and trust, from steadily churning out videos on a regular basis.
In conclusion, crafting a viral video on social media is an art that combines creativity, strategy, and an understanding of audience dynamics.
Throughout this guide, we have explored the intricacies of viral content and shared eleven essential ingredients for success.
From storytelling to leveraging trends and fostering audience engagement, these strategies have the potential to propel your videos to new heights of recognition and reach.
While there are no guarantees in the realm of virality, by embracing these principles and infusing your videos with shareable qualities, you increase the chances of capturing the attention and imagination of a vast online audience.
So, let your creativity flourish, experiment with different approaches, and don't be afraid to think outside the box.
With persistence, authenticity, and a deep understanding of your target audience, you have the power to create videos that transcend boundaries, spark conversations, and truly go viral on social media.
The stage is set for your viral journey—embrace the challenge and unleash your video's potential on the digital stage.