What is viral content and how do you go viral?

We’ve all heard it before, “check out this viral post” or “OMG I’m going viral!” But what does ‘going viral’ actually mean, and how can you get there?

A viral piece of content is one that gains a significant amount of engagement over a short period of time and can be anything from a video, a meme, an infographic, or an article. And that’s about the extent of the official definition because there is no exact number that deems something to be viral. But depending on who you ask, different factors could determine the threshold of being considered viral. Are you just looking at views? Comments? Likes? How quickly it went viral? Or a combination of all of them? And if you want to take it a step further, the amount of average engagement a user gets can help determine if a post is actually viral (i.e., an outlier). 

A key characteristic to remember about viral content is that its lifespan is very short. As viral content usually blows up in a matter of hours or days, it comes and goes fairly quickly. While it might be hard to define clearly, most of us can easily identify a viral post and could give a few examples off of the top of our heads (think Charlie bit my finger or the Gangnam Style music video).

There is no hard algorithm for going viral; if there was, everyone would have viral content! In most cases, it’s a matter of luck. But there are a few best practices that will largely increase your chances of going viral. 

3 key features of every viral video: 

1. Evokes Emotion

 Looking back at previous viral posts, they all evoke strong emotional reactions from users, whether its ridiculously funny, controversial, shocking, or reminiscent. Even if the emotions evoked aren’t necessarily positive, this can still lead to a viral post. This was seen in the Pepsi’s “Change Has a Taste,” ad featuring Kendall Jenner in 2017. The video sparked major controversy as many accused the company of “trivializing Black Lives Matter” (New York Times). However, the video's controversial nature blew up the internet, and within 48 hours, the video got 1.6 million views on YouTube. In the end, the company took down the original video (Wired). With so much unknown about viral content, one thing is for sure - they are all super entertaining.

2. Serves a Purpose 

Just like how consumers are attracted to goods that serve a purpose, social media users are attracted to content that has value. Value comes in many forms, such as helpful information, motivational content, and access to resources. To be frank - users won't spend their time engaging with content unless they believe they are going to get something out of it. This is why practical 'how-to' videos/ tutorials are especially popular and regularly go viral. This is especially evident on YouTube, where users increasingly go to find these types of videos, specifically makeup tutorials and home improvement videos. For example, Vogue's new Beauty Secrets series, which showcases celebrities' skincare and makeup routines, has a loyal following, and each video receives millions of views. 

3. Is Engaging   

Some of the most popular kinds of viral videos are ones that get users thinking and engages them. This includes content like riddles and jokes, quizzes, and challenges. This type of content turns the attention towards the viewer and encourages them to add their own personalized touch. In response, viewers take it on themselves to engage with the content and share their experiences. One of the best examples of super engaging viral content was the Ice Bucket Challenge that promoted ALS awareness and involved a person dumping a bucket of ice water onto themselves or someone else. The challenge was so successful supporters rose over $115 million for the ALS Association (New York Times). Recently, TikTok has revolutionized these kinds of challenges, especially with the ability to duet a video. Some of the most popular dances and challenges include #renegade (2.1 billion views), #savage (9.3 billion views), #sayso (1.4 billion views), #toosieslide (6.3 billion views), and #fliptheswitch (6.7 billion views). 

What’s your favorite viral content, and what about it do you think made it go viral? Let us know in the comments below!

Written By: Leah Ross, AMR Digital Marketing, Copywriter