People create so much content daily that it is difficult to stand out. Still, hundreds of posts, videos, memes, Reels, Stories, blogs, and tweets go viral every day. There is something about them that viewers just can’t help but share them.
So what drives people to click “share”?
In this article, we’ll study that recipe for viral content, and explore some influencer marketing examples that’ve gone viral. Let’s start cooking.
What Does Going Viral Mean?
We are used to seeing content and scrolling by. But when content goes viral, it’s a whole different story: People see it, love it, and just have to share it with their friends. Before you know it, it’s everywhere, growing all on its own because, well, it’s just that catchy.
If you’re wondering how many views are viral, understand that no set number of views or likes defines virality. It varies based on your choice of platform, audience, and the content itself—virality ranges from a few thousand shares to over a million likes. If something is massively shared, it’s gone viral!
What Makes a Social Media Post Go Viral?
Posts go viral on social media because they have a strong impact on the viewer, evoking emotions like anger, frustration, happiness, surprise, or even a sense of relatability. This emotional connection may stem from the post’s entertainment value or its informative content, motivating us to share it with our friends.
You’ve probably seen many posts gain attention because they are fun or particularly intriguing, while others resonate with us on a personal level, making us think, ‘Hey, that’s just like me!’ This combination of being entertaining, relatable, and emotionally engaging is what makes a post spread like wildfire.
So, to create viral content, we understood these elements of virality and found the seven best ways for you to do the same.
7 Strategies on How to Go Viral on Social Media
Like cake, there is no one recipe for viral content. Any kind of content can go viral. But, we’ve observed some patterns and trends that help content spread like wildfire.
1. Create Content that Targets your Niche Audience
If you’re sharing MrBeast videos with baby boomers, you won’t get any traction; plus, there probably aren’t many baby boomers on social media.
The key is to create high-quality content that clicks with your audience. By high quality, we don’t mean professional editing and video skills. It’s the content that matters.
Find a specific audience that is deeply interested in a topic and develop relevant content that captures the attention of your target and encourages shares. Niche communities are closely connected, meaning content that speaks to their interests spreads fast.
A good example is the “Tiny Cooking” videos showcasing real, edible meals using tiny utensils and appliances. They have become wildly popular on social media.
These videos combine a unique, niche interest (miniatures) with a universally appealing topic (cooking), creating content that captivates and encourages sharing within and beyond the niche community. It’s not about high-end production but the novelty and creativity of the content that grabs attention.
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2. Trends Attract More Views
Trends, by nature, attract a lot of attention on social media platforms and search engines and many go viral because they tap into emotions or experiences.
So when you align your content with a current trend, you tap into a larger, already engaged audience and increase the chances of your content being seen, shared, and interacted with by a wider audience.
Most social media platforms favor trends and show videos featuring trends to a wider audience. Additionally, trends often span across multiple social media platforms, so you open up the possibility of cross-platform sharing.
Make something popular even more interesting and shareable by adding your own unique touch—as many viral influencers do. Remember when Mr. Beast recreated the “Squid Game” series in real life and kept a huge cash prize? It became one of the most-watched YouTube videos of 2021.
3. Relatable Content Creates Connections
Content that strikes a chord with the target audience doesn’t need much promotion. Relatable content clicks as it taps into shared experiences, emotions, or thoughts that resonate with your audience.
Relatable content often strikes an emotional chord, making people feel understood, validated, or simply entertained. Content that captures universal feelings or situations, like frustrations of daily life, happy moments, or common challenges, encourages people to share these experiences with others who might feel the same way.
One such example is the “What People Think I Do / What I Really Do” meme series. It shows what people think someone’s job is like versus what it’s really like. The meme is popular because it makes fun of job misunderstandings leading to so many people relating to it and sharing it online.
4. Entertain, Educate, or Spark Curiosity
Think about the last piece of content that inspired you to share it. Chances are, it was either hilarious, informative, or really made you stop and think, wasn’t it?
It’s because:
- Entertaining content draws us in with humor or joy, like “It’s corn” or the classic “Keyboard Cat” videos. They’re funny, they’re raw, and just so adorable!
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- Educational content that offers practical, valuable knowledge or solves common problems resonates with viewers and goes viral when it strikes the perfect balance between being informative and engaging.
@sidneyraz Replying to @Burger King a second one arrives! #box #mysterybox ♬ original sound – sidneyraz
Viral educational content like “How to’s” and “Life hacks” make people feel inspired, amazed, or happy. Look at @sidneyraz’s “Here’s something I wish I knew before I was in my 30’s” videos. Most of his videos go viral with a capital V. I mean, this stuff is so helpful; it should be taught in school.
- Intriguing content makes us question what we know and encourages us to talk about it.
Remember the viral post from 2015, “What color is this dress?“. The infamous post asked people if a dress was blue and black or white and gold. It got a ton of shares. Everyone was curious, wanted to share their opinions and see what others thought.
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I always saw blue and black, just so you know.
Intriguing elements directly engage our natural curiosity and desire for social connection. This makes the content incredibly effective at grabbing our attention—pushing us to share it with others.
5. Emotionally Charged Stories Captivate Audiences
Storytelling defies regular virality rules, especially if the stories are personal and share raw emotion.
Typically, we prefer short content like images, posts, carousels, or short videos like Reels or Stories. But, when content taps into our emotions, it’s more likely to go viral as it creates an emotional connection, leading us to spend more time watching longer videos and reading more detailed posts.
An excellent example is the “Humans of New York” series by photographer Brandon Stanton. In the series, he shares personal stories of people in New York City through their photographs and captions or quotes that give us a glimpse into their lives.
These stories often disclose raw emotions, struggles, and triumphs, creating a deep emotional connection with readers worldwide.
The success of the series shows how content that taps into human emotions can transcend typical viral trends, leading to widespread engagement and sharing.
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6. Stick to Your Guns
Explore and perfect one content format. When your posts, Reels, or videos perform well, remember two things: first, people want to see more of the same kind of content—according to Mr. Beast (the king of viral content); and second, social media platforms tend to show users more of what they’ve already shown interest in watching.
For these two reasons, having more content in the same style is crucial. It boosts your engagement and increases your visibility.
When people come back for more, have that content available for them to enjoy.
7. Partner up with Influencers
Influencers are experts in their niches. These guys know what it takes to make content that resonates with their audience. By collaborating with top influencers, you’re not just tapping into their large follower base; you’re also benefiting from their deep understanding of what content will engage and excite their audience.
Leverage their credibility and reach to create authentic content. This boosts the chances of your content going viral and amplifies your message.
This reminds us of when Heinz partnered with Absolut Vodka to create Pasta alla Vodka. To promote the product, Heinz used influencer collaborations where influencers would unbox the product. One such collaboration with the nano-influencer @kristinacooksit, who only had 700 followers at the time, garnered a whopping 6 million views alone within two weeks.
@kristinacooksit @Heinz UK x Absolut collab and I am here for this!!! Look at this packaging! Video coming soon 🙌 #tomatovodka #tomatovodkapasta #absolutelyheinz #pastasauce ♬ Swimming Pools (Drank) – Kendrick Lamar
“Make It Go Viral”
Though this line is often dreaded by marketers but “Yes,” we said it!
A lot of content goes viral seemingly by chance, but relying solely on luck isn’t a strategy. Instead, do your homework and pay attention to the tea we just spilled.
Take a leaf out of the book of other successful marketers and campaigns and add your unique touch to their strategies. Experiment with new ideas and add consistency and creativity to the mix. We can guarantee you’ll see better results with time.
Partner up with prevetted influencers on Glewee and amp up your marketing efforts.
FAQ
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How to Go Viral on Instagram?
Use Reels and short videos and post when your audience is most active. Focus on understanding your audience and align your content with their preferences. Use trending audio and hashtags, and engage with current trends.
Collaborate with influencers to expand your reach, and post consistently across various formats like reels and Stories. Encourage audience interaction through contests and interactive elements, and optimize your posting times for maximum visibility.
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What is an ideal time to post on Instagram?
The best time to post on Instagram is on weekdays at 7 AM. On Friday, the engagement spike occurs at 4 PM.
Weekends show lower engagement, but Saturday morning and Sunday evening have slightly more engagement than other weekend times.
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How to Go Viral on Twitter?
Create compelling, unique content that appeals to your target audience. Focus on content likely to be shared widely, like humor or informative posts. Post consistently to boost your chances of going viral.
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How to Go Viral on TikTok?
Incorporate memes, short videos, and carousels, stay authentic, grasp TikTok’s algorithm, monitor trends, engage in challenges, utilize hashtags, and incorporate trending music. Always start with a hook, and keep videos short to maintain viewer interest.
Experiment with different posting times and use TikTok analytics to identify when your videos receive the most engagement
