What is the big deal about going viral? Why are we all craving this rush? Me? I want more traffic to my website, more engagement, and more revenue. Why do you want to create viral content? And do you know how to do it?
If I create viral content, it’ll be viewed by gazillions of people. Yep, a whole lot of eyeballs.
But, how’s it done? Because there’s no better way to learn than to look at those who’ve already succeeded, I’ve studied viral content from some big brands. And boy did it work for them!
I’d like to share what I’ve learned but – I won’t lie – there’s no magic formula. Just because it worked once, doesn’t mean it’ll work every time. But there are things you can do that’ll hugely increase your chances.
Why we share content
Before starting, you need to understand why people engage with content, why they share. We all do it – whether it’s a photo of our lunch, a cutesy cat pic, a rant about politics. Here’s why we share:
- If I share this piece of content, everyone will think I’m soooo cool
- This will improve my credibility
- I want to make people laugh
- I want to share my feeling about a product, movie, etc., that I love
- I’m not happy and I want to rage about a product, movie, etc., that has failed me
- I want to promote my brand, products, self, blog
What does going viral mean?
Viral content lasts. It can continue for hours, even days. It can also gain momentum over time. Whether content can be considered viral, is relevant to the person posting it. For instance, what’s viral for me, would be considered a drop in the ocean for Donald Trump.
We can use Talkwalker’s virality map to demonstrate a tweet from Trump, going seriously viral. Take a look at the full post and you can see how it spread rapidly round the globe.
How to create viral content
Know your audience
You must speak the same language as your audience. Adopt the same tone of voice, points of reference. Personal care brand, Dove, presented a great example of this with its #RealWomen campaign – the virality score was through the roof.
Another campaign from the brand also went viral, but it missed the mark disastrously.
Share your opinion
Not for the faint-hearted – there could be consequences. If you’re posting controversial content, the chance to go viral is high. You need to be prepared to fight your corner.
Jump on what’s trending
Monitor what’s trending – music events, sports games, etc. If you can find a way in, you’re onto a winner. Oreo nailed this during the 2013 Super Bowl.
Reach for the stars
If you get a celebrity sharing your content, you can’t fail. It’s a long shot, but worth a try. Create content that mentions a celeb, and you never know, they might just jump on board. Be ready to take a supersonic ride on the viral express!
Audience participation
We like to participate and share our take on jokes. Dove struck lucky again when consumers took control of bottle designs.
Wow, didn’t expect that!
Guy walking down the street looking at his phone, falls down a hole – make us laugh. We’re gonna share that good feeling. Remember Chewbacca Mom? Yep, virality at its best.
If you’d like more detailed information about how to create viral content, click on over to the full post.
