Top Factors That Lead to a Video Going Viral on Social Media

Tik Tok, the video-sharing platform, is the fastest growing social media app with a 1157.76% penetration from 2018 to 2020. Every day we wake up to a new viral video that everyone’s talking about. It can be anything from a silly prank, a new dance, to a powerful speech.

Aside from their entertainment and educative value, viral videos are also an incredible marketing tool. In fact, a marketing video going viral is a marketer’s dream come true and the marketing jackpot. A viral video can reach a global audience in a snap, and make marketing a breeze.

This begs the question, what makes videos go viral on social media? Is it dumb luck? Or do people put a lot of work into these viral videos? Well, keep reading to find out.

Today, we’ll be highlighting some key factors that make videos go viral on social media.

Shareable

Shareability is arguably the most crucial factor in making a video trend on social media. This means for a video to go viral, it should be easy to share and impactful enough to be worth sharing.  So how do you make your video more shareable?

To create a video worth sharing, you need to:

• Make it short
• Make it emotional
• Make it funny
• Make it captivating and interesting
• Don’t make it out about you

Social media is an excellent platform for sharing videos, facilitating a massive domino effect on shareable content. For instance, you’ll share a video with your friends, your friends will share the video with their friends, and so on. If the video is worth sharing, it’ll spread to thousands of people in no time.

Authenticity

Authentic videos are more likely to pull the right crowds because they’re relevant and relatable. While most people put up a facade on social media effortlessly, it won’t work for videos.

Internet users are a keen bunch and are quick to flag anything on your video that seems mildly inauthentic. If you’re looking to send the right message, make sure your video is authentic and direct. Videos that are real and relatable resonate well with the audience and are more likely to trend on social media.

They’re Funny

We’re not saying that all videos that trend on social media make you laugh, but most do. Humor is uplifting and is the perfect way to grab your user’s attention. However, making a funny video can be a tad challenging.

First off, you need to have something that’s universally funny, not something that only a handful of people will get. That’s unless you’re targeting a specific audience of course. You also don’t want to do anything that seems offensive to a particular group, especially for marketing campaigns.

Lastly, don’t get too caught up in the humor part and forget the promotional aspect. Strike a good balance between humor and promoting content for the best results. This leads us to our next point.

They’re Not Overly Promotional

We get it, you’re trying to promote your brand or product, but don’t go overboard. It’s hard to come by any viral videos that are too promotional. That’s because being too promotional makes the video less shareable unless you work for the company in question.

Instead of being too promotional, focus on telling a story then promoting your product in the backdrop. Don’t talk too much about benefits, features, and pricing. Tell a story and incorporate your product or service inside the video.

A Heap of Personality

Have you noticed that all viral social media videos that involve a speaker have tons of personality?

Not the video itself but the speaker,  whose personality spills over to the video. Nothing beats an astounding personality when it comes to making viral videos.

Exceptional personalities can be egregious, controversial, eccentric, and hilarious. As long as the defining trait makes the speaker stand out, you’re on the right track. However, be sure to tread softly with controversial speakers to avoid rubbing some people the wrong way.

They Tell a Story

We’ve already mentioned something about viral videos telling a story. That’s right; viral videos need a good story to touch the hearts of audiences worldwide. That’s the only way to connect with the audience at both an intellectual and emotional level.

Your story doesn’t have to be earth-shattering; just something that puts a point across. Remember to make it relatable and also avoid making your video too long to make it easily shareable.

Attention-Grabbing

Viral videos demand the audience’s attention and grab it. For your video to go viral, it must capture viewers’ attention almost instantaneously. However, since we have an attention span of about 8 seconds, doing so is easier said than done.

To grab users’ attention with your video, you need to:

• Have a headline that screams for attention
• Choose a thumbnail that grabs attention and is clickable
• Use wackiness or intrigue to convince people to click on the video

Also, you need to have video content that captures viewers’ attention from the get-go. No beating around the bush, only straight intrigue from start to finish. Avoid unnecessary build-ups, that only make the video longer.

You can use apps like bluestrawberry.app to find out whether your video is attracting the right people. That way you can get insight into how many views your video is garnering and the origin of the views.

Keep It Short and Succinct

Viral videos are short and get straight to the point. Remember, short videos are easier to share and easy to comprehend. Not everyone has the luxury to see a ten-minute video on your company’s impact on environmental consciousness.

Hit the nail on the head, and go with short but concise videos on your value proposition.

Your Video Going Viral Made Easy

Now that you know how to make a video go viral on social media, the ball is now on your court. As long as your video checks all the boxes, your video going viral is almost inevitable. Take your time and create something that’s worth going viral.

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