In today’s digital landscape, every brand dreams of creating viral content—the kind that spreads like wildfire across social media platforms, gathering thousands (or even millions) of shares, likes, and comments. While there’s no magic formula, there’s a proven science behind creating shareable marketing content that can increase your chances of going viral.
In this blog, we’ll dive deep into how to create viral content, focusing on actionable methods, proven examples, and the tools you need to get your content noticed. We’ll also cover the psychological triggers that drive people to share and the viral content strategies brands use to skyrocket their reach.
The Psychology Behind Viral Content
Why do people share content? Understanding the psychology behind content sharing is crucial to crafting content that goes viral. According to a study by The New York Times, people share content for the following reasons:
- To bring valuable and entertaining content to others
- To define themselves to others
- To grow and nurture relationships
- To get the word out about causes and brands they care about
With this knowledge, the first step in creating viral content is to craft a message that resonates emotionally with your audience. People are more likely to share content that makes them feel something—whether it’s happiness, surprise, or inspiration. Focus on eliciting strong emotional responses from your audience. Also read “Why Every Brand Needs a YouTube Strategy“
The 5 Key Ingredients of Viral Content
1. Emotion-Driven Content
Emotion plays a significant role in whether people engage with your content. Studies show that content evoking high-arousal emotions like happiness, awe, or anger is more likely to be shared. There was a campaign by Dove, Dove Real Beauty Sketches campaign, which focused on body positivity and self-worth, resonated deeply with its audience. It received over 68 million views in the first month, simply because it touched on an emotional topic that people wanted to share. So the actionable tip that ono can draw out of it is the use of storytelling to connect with your audience’s emotions. Try to focus on real human stories, personal struggles, or positive, uplifting content.
2. Simple and Relatable Messages
Simplicity is key to viral content. When a message is easy to understand and relatable, people are more likely to engage with and share it. The relatable humor and clarity of the message helps it go viral, generate revenue. Avoid overcomplicating your message. If people can quickly grasp and relate to the content, they’re more likely to pass it along to others.
3. Unique and Surprising Content
To capture attention in a sea of content, your material needs to stand out. Viral content often features an element of surprise—something unexpected or out of the ordinary. Offer a fresh perspective, or find a unique way to present everyday concepts. Use humor or curiosity to pull people in.
4. Highly Visual Content
Visual content is naturally more engaging and is more likely to be shared than text-based content alone. Videos, infographics, memes, and high-quality images can dramatically boost your content’s shareability. BuzzFeed built its empire on viral visual content, such as funny GIFs and highly shareable lists with captivating images. Their content is easy to digest and quickly share with others, making it ideal for going viral. Best tips here is to incorporate visuals like images, GIFs, and videos to make your content more engaging. Use tools like Canva or Visme to create stunning, shareable graphics.
5. Call-to-Action for Sharing
Sometimes, the simplest way to encourage sharing is by asking your audience to share. Adding a clear call-to-action (CTA) at the end of your post can make a big difference. Include CTAs that encourage readers to share your content. For example, “If you found this helpful, share it with your friends!” You can also add share buttons for social media right within the post to make sharing easier.
Tools to Help Create Viral Content
Creating viral content requires more than just creativity; it requires the right tools to streamline the process and maximize reach. Here are some helpful tools:
- BuzzSumo
BuzzSumo helps you discover trending topics and see which content is performing well across different platforms. You can analyze what’s going viral in your niche to better shape your own strategy. - Canva
A user-friendly design tool, Canva allows you to create visually stunning social media posts, infographics, and videos that are optimized for sharing. - Trello
For organizing your content strategy, Trello is an excellent tool. You can plan your viral campaigns step by step, assign tasks to team members, and track the progress. - Hootsuite
A social media management tool, Hootsuite lets you schedule posts at optimal times, engage with your audience, and track the performance of your content. By analyzing data, you can better understand what’s likely to go viral. - Ahrefs Content Explorer
If you’re looking to build content that resonates with people, Ahrefs can help you identify trending content by analyzing keywords, backlinks, and shares.
Case Study: Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”
One of the most iconic viral campaigns, Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” not only revived the brand’s image but also demonstrated how the elements of humor, surprise, and engagement can lead to viral success.
The Strategy:
- Humor and Uniqueness: The ad was humorous and unexpected, featuring a confident man delivering absurd one-liners in rapid succession.
- Strong Visuals: The ad was visually engaging, with rapid transitions and eye-catching backdrops.
- Engagement: Old Spice took their viral success to the next level by creating personalized response videos for their audience, further driving shares.
The Results: The campaign generated over 62 million YouTube views and significantly increased Old Spice’s sales, demonstrating that a well-executed viral strategy can lead to both online and offline success.
How to Measure the Success of Viral Content
Creating viral content is great, but measuring its success is crucial. Here’s how to track whether your content is truly viral:
- Engagement Rate:
Measure the number of likes, shares, and comments on your content to see how well it’s resonating with your audience. - Reach and Impressions:
Use tools like Google Analytics or social media insights to track how many people your content has reached. - Referral Traffic:
If your viral content is bringing traffic to your website, you should see an increase in referral traffic. Tools like Google Analytics can help track these metrics. - Conversion Rates:
While shares and likes are great, the ultimate goal of viral content should be to convert views into tangible actions, like signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase. Track how well your viral content is contributing to these conversions.
Conclusion: Crafting Your Own Viral Content
Creating viral content isn’t about following a rigid formula—it’s about understanding your audience, leveraging emotion, and sharing content in a way that feels authentic and exciting. With the right blend of creativity, psychological triggers, and tools, you can craft content that’s not only shareable but memorable.
By focusing on key elements like emotional engagement, visual appeal, and simplicity, and using tools like BuzzSumo and Canva, your brand can increase its chances of creating viral content that resonates. Remember, the true measure of success isn’t just in going viral for a day—it’s in using that momentum to build trust and drive long-term engagement.
