How to Go Viral on YouTube: Proven Strategies for Content Creators

To improve your chances of going viral on YouTube, choose a topic your audience cares about, pair it with an accurate title and thumbnail, and deliver on that promise throughout the video. Small channels can reach new viewers, but no formula guarantees a viral result.

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What Causes a Video to Go Viral?

YouTube recommends videos based on relevance and how viewers respond, including whether they choose to watch, keep watching, and feel satisfied. Sharing can bring viewers, but it is not the only route to discovery.

Source: Harvard Business Review.

What a Viral Video Looks Like

Viral videos do not have one visual style. A simple presentation can reach viewers beyond a channel’s subscribers.

Compare the views and subscriber count in this screenshot:

This example shows a video can receive more views than the channel’s subscriber count.

What Helps a YouTube Video Reach More Viewers

Focus on a relevant topic, clear packaging, and a video that holds attention. Sean Cannell uses a cooking analogy to explain how these creative elements work together.

• Strong topic: Choose a topic that resonates with your target audience.
• Great title and thumbnail: Make them compelling enough to click.
• Engaging hook: The first 8-10 seconds should grab the viewer's attention.
• Interesting storyline: Keep viewers engaged throughout the video.
• Emotional value: The viewer leaves the video feeling transformed.

Strategies for Making Your Videos Go Viral

Strategy 1: Creating Compelling, Shareable Videos

Give viewers a clear reason to watch and share, such as a useful answer, surprising discovery, or compelling story. Make the video only as long as the idea needs.

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 cliffhangers.

Strategy 2: Leverage Social Media

Share your video where people already care about its topic. Relevant sharing can help discovery, but posting across every platform does not guarantee views.

To leverage social media platforms effectively, consider the following tips:

• Choose the right platform: Different social media platforms cater to different demographics and content types. Research your target audience and select the platforms that align with their preferences.
• Use hashtags: Hashtags can help increase the discoverability of your videos on social media. Research popular hashtags related to your industry or topic and include them in your video posts.
• Engage with your audience: Responding to comments, messages, and mentions on social media shows that you value your audience's feedback and want them to engage with your content.

Strategy 3: Optimize Videos with SEO

YouTube SEO helps viewers find relevant videos in Search; it does not guarantee viral reach. Use accurate titles and descriptions that match the video and the viewer’s query.

To optimize your video SEO, consider the following tips:

• Use relevant keywords: Research keywords related to your industry or topic and use them naturally in accurate video titles and descriptions. Tags mainly help with common misspellings.
• Write detailed descriptions: Provide a comprehensive description of your video that includes relevant keywords, so search engines understand your content.
• Add captions and subtitles: Captions and subtitles make your videos accessible to a wider audience, including those who are hearing impaired or watching without sound.
• Create an engaging thumbnail: Design an eye-catching thumbnail that accurately represents the content of your video (thumbnails are shown on search pages).

Strategy 4: Analyze Performance and Apply New Insights

Compare traffic sources, impressions click-through rate, and audience retention for your long-form videos. Use these signals to choose what to improve next; they do not predict whether a video will go viral.

To analyze and iterate effectively, consider the following tips:

• Use YouTube Studio > Analytics to review views, watch time, audience retention, and audience demographics.
• Identify trends: Look for patterns or trends in your successful videos by carefully observing performance data.
• Experiment and adapt: Adapt your content based on what performs well and discard strategies that don't produce results.

Timing and Trends: Strategic Publishing for Maximum Impact

Publish when it suits your audience and schedule. Audience activity can help early viewership, but YouTube says publish time is not known to affect long-term performance.

Using current trends can boost your reach. This means linking your work to subjects that your viewers care about right now. Being one of the first to cover a new trend can drive more interest in your content and build a strong viral YouTube video strategy. This will keep you in tune with what’s hot and give you a jump start with your viral video blueprint.

Insights From Our Viral YouTube Video

Our video about Sam Sulek’s 2023 channel growth is a historical example of matching a topic to an audience. The case study below explains how we approached its packaging and viewer expectations.

Our in-house expert, John, explained how he made it happen in a separate video (above), and here's what you need to know:

Identifying Potential: Our viral adventure began with Sam Sulek, a rising YouTube sensation. We saw a potential story in his rising subscriber count and the authenticity trend that's been sweeping YouTube since the pandemic. Combining a trending topic with our audience's desire (YouTube growth) helped us produce an interesting video.

The Art of Packaging: As we know already, a video's success often hinges on its title and thumbnail. They're like the cover of a book, enticing viewers to dive in. We used the ICE method (Imagery, Curiosity, Expectation) to craft ours. Remember, your title and thumbnail should not only grab attention but also set the right expectations.

Meeting Viewer Expectations: Have you ever clicked on a video and realized it's not what the title and thumbnail suggest? Annoying, right? We made sure our content aligned with what our thumbnail and title promised. It's all about respecting your audience and delivering what you've promised.

Adapting and Improving: Our first cut for the video wasn't perfect. We had to re-edit to better match our title and thumbnail, but we didn't stop. Here's a golden nugget for you: Don't be afraid to revise. Your first draft doesn't have to be your final. Be open to feedback and willing to make changes.

Don't Give Up: Initially, our video didn't do great. But then, the YouTube algorithm picked it up, and the views skyrocketed. So, focus on creating content that engages. Even if your video doesn't take off immediately, don't lose hope.

Can YouTube Shorts Help You Reach New Viewers?

Shorts can introduce your content to new viewers, but they are not a guaranteed shortcut to viral growth. Choose Shorts or long-form based on the idea and audience you want to serve.

Some ways to make the most of Shorts include:

• Stick to one clear idea that viewers get immediately
• Grab attention in the first few seconds so people keep watching
• Mix in popular sounds or tracks when they fit
• Include captions to help those watching without sound
• Finish with a call-to-action to keep engagement up

Shorts can serve as a gateway, guiding viewers to your longer videos. Quality content that connects is crucial for YouTube viral content in every format.

Keep Improving After Each Upload

Choose one change to test in your next upload, such as a clearer opening or a title that better matches the video. Building a sustainable approach to YouTube gives you room to keep learning.