Contrary to popular belief, going viral is a skill that can be learned. That's what YouTube sensation MrBeast claims in this famous interview with Lex Fridman.
Now, we know what you’re thinking: That doesn't apply to small YouTube channels, let alone one that doesn't have 181 million subscribers.
But what if we told you it absolutely can work? What if we told you that viral YouTube videos aren't all that mysterious?
Read more: 3 Ways to Discover Viral YouTube Video Ideas
Viral videos gain popularity through internet sharing, typically on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter. In fact, Harvard Business Review reported that videos reach their viral peak faster when shared within the first 48 hours. Videos are considered 'viral' when they reach 2 million views (or more) in just a few days.
Let's return to the HBR article to answer this question. In the post, HBR shares interesting data from Unruly, a marketing technology company that has studied 430 billion video views. The findings suggested that super sharers — a small group of people who share videos in the first 48 hours — kick start the viral process.
But why do they do this? Unruly noticed 10 motivators for sharing videos online.
Source: Harvard Business Review
Viral videos evoke strong emotions which compel viewers to share them with their own networks. They have the potential to reach a massive audience within hours or even minutes after being posted!
But viral content doesn't need to have a specific 'look' to attract views. Oftentimes, this is what a viral video looks like on YouTube:
The important thing to notice here is the sheer difference between views and subscribers related to this video. This disparity means that the audience chose to watch the video for its content and not just the person behind it.
Creating a viral video takes more than luck, as YouTube educator Sean Cannell has explained. It's more like cooking. Some ingredients are nice to have, but you can only mimic a dish when you have the main ingredients.
The first step to creating a viral video is to ensure that it is compelling and shareable. People are more likely to share content that evokes strong emotions, etc such as laughter, awe, or surprise. So, try to be entertaining, informative, or thought-provoking while keeping the video short and concise to maintain viewers' attention.
What this typically comes down to is telling a good story. Make viewers feel giggly, happy, or sad, but no matter what, make them feel something. You can even surprise them with plot twists and cliff-hangers.
Social media platforms play a crucial role in making videos go viral. With billions of users worldwide, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter offer a vast audience for your videos to be seen and shared.
To leverage social media platforms effectively, consider the following tips:
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a key aspect of virality. Optimizing your videos for search engines can increase their visibility and improve their chances of going viral. If you've been putting a lot of effort into your videos, but they aren't seeing the big numbers, you could be lacking in SEO.
To optimize your video SEO, consider the following tips:
The final strategy for making your videos go viral is analyzing their performance and iterating on future content. By analyzing data such as views, engagement rates, and shares, you learn what works and what doesn't.
To analyze and iterate effectively, consider the following tips:
It’s important to understand that identifying your unique voice as a creator leads to the path of virality. Authenticity is the soul of what makes a video viral; it's what makes people relate to your content and share it with others. So, be yourself and let your unique personality shine through.
Creating a viral video might seem like finding a needle in a haystack, but it's not an impossible task. So, fellow creators, take heart. Your viral moment could be just around the corner, waiting for you to seize it!
In addition to being an avid movie and gaming enthusiast, Uttaran Samaddar is an experienced writer who has lent his creativity and unique perspective to various publications. He loves hearing and telling stories.
