Contrary to popular belief, going viral is more than just the luck of the draw. And while you may see the seemingly low effort videos that do go viral and think it’s easy, the reality is it’s anything but.
Compounding the difficulty is the fact that there is just so much competition with 34 million videos posted every day to TikTok alone.
But, while it is difficult, there are strategies you can follow to give your content the best chance of going viral. Our guide will explain exactly what you need to know.
What does it mean to go viral?
Virality is just one metric you can measure to evaluate the success of a campaign, but what exactly does going viral mean?
For content to “go viral” it means that it has rapidly gained widespread attention and popularity, typically through platforms like social media. When content goes viral, it is shared and viewed by a large number of people in a short period of time, spreading quickly across various channels.
People often ask how many views does it take to go viral? This is up for debate and there is no set number of views. However, most agencies determine virality as more than 5 million views in less than a week.
How hard is it to go viral?
To say that going viral is difficult would certainly be an understatement. A study by Stanford university has concluded that your chances of going viral are in fact 1 in a million.
However, there are certainly a number of strategies you can use to give yourself the best possible chance of going viral. In fact, by using these strategies, CEEK was able to gain 5.5 million views, 575k likes, and 17k followers in one week for a single client. Read the full Mogu Mogu case study to learn more.
1) Give ‘em what they want
Know your audience.
Consider what is going on in the world right now and what is already trending on social media. Use this as inspiration for your content but don’t make it a carbon copy.
You want to develop on the subject or show a different perspective. A new spin on something they have proven to want.
2) Timing is everything
Post when your audience is active.
Utilise scheduling and listening tools that will give you insights into your audience such as, what time are they most active on social media.
The reason this is so important is that traditionally social media feeds have favoured new content, however, an evolution of this has seen the algorithm favouring engagement. Don’t be fooled, it is still engagement within a time frame.
Your post will be released to a limited audience and depending on how they engage with your content, it will then be pushed out to a wider group or halted.
If you don’t know where to begin, then why not try working with the UK’s best content creation agency.
3) Start a conversation
Ignite a discussion amongst the audience.
As we mentioned, engagement is an incredibly important element of social media algorithms. The more your audience engages with a post, the greater the potential for virality. And perhaps the easiest way to create engagement is by starting a conversation that people just need to continue.
And you don’t need to be subtle, directly ask questions to your audience and ensure you have a clear call to action instructing your audience to comment. This can be as simple as an emoji or as open as “tell us your views”.
4) Sharing is caring
Consider what would make someone send your content to their friends.
Ask yourself, would you send this to someone you know? If the answer is no, then why should anybody else?
When users share content it is a great way to increase the reach and size of the audience. However, it is also an important engagement metric in the eyes of the algorithm.
Similar to the comment section, the number of share button hits tells the algorithm that people think your content is interesting and that it should be shared to a wider audience.
A great way to incentivise your audience to share your content is by being relatable. Content that refers to “that friend” or “we all know one person who” is really effective.
5) Partnerships and influencers
Collaborating with brands and influencers is a brilliant way to increase your chances of virality.
Choosing the right partner is key. You want to partner with someone relevant right now but who also positively represents your brand.
By collaborating with influencers and brands you are expanding your reach by tapping into their audience as well as your own.
6) Short and sweet
As attention spans get shorter and the competition for attention gets stronger, it’s so important to get your point across quickly. With video, that means delivering your message within the first couple seconds.
If your content is highly informative, you will need a catchy first line that entices viewers to keep watching. Using a shocking statistic or an enticing question is a great way to capitalise on your audience’s attention.
Summary
Ultimately, there are so many factors that will determine whether your content goes viral. And even following these steps exactly won’t guarantee success. Building a robust and effective content strategy will not only improve your chances of going viral but will ensure sustainable success too.
If you are looking for your viral moment, or to build a content strategy that best serves your business, then get in touch with CEEK marketing today.