Since the creation of the internet, viral videos have become one of the most ubiquitous kinds of content out there. They often come out of seemingly nowhere and quickly bring creators a huge boost in online credibility and recognition. Many popular creators and companies got their first jump into success from a video they made that went viral.
Knowing that, many creators and businesses have tried to make viral videos of their own. But even if some of the most famous viral videos have seemed effortless and almost accidental, recreating their magic has proven near impossible. Making a video go viral is something that few people can do independently. The reality is that there is no formula or set of steps to follow that will make your video go viral — it’s all about having that special X factor that makes a viral video so enticing.
Even if there isn’t a set method to make your video as wildly successful as you want it to be, there are still essential factors to focus on when trying to boost the reception and scale of your video. This is how to have the best shot at making your next video go viral in the best way possible.
What Is a Viral Video?
A viral video is a video that spreads to millions of people almost instantly. Whether that’s for good or bad reasons is up to the video’s content and those viewing it, and at the end of the day, it comes down to whether people want to share the video. Sometimes, viral videos begin simply because a group of people wants to share something funny they saw on their friend’s Instagram or Facebook. After that, more and more people see and share the video, leading to a snowball effect of viewership.
If you want to make a video go viral, the most important thing to focus on is making something highly shareable with good replay value. When people watch a video repeatedly and share it with their followers, it tells the algorithm that the video is good, which will help boost it even more. This process can lead to videos accumulating millions of views overnight, instantly bringing fame and recognition to their creators.
Of course, every viral video’s story is different. These videos come from various platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and Vine. Sometimes, videos that have been on the internet for years will get a random boost from an algorithm and give the creator millions of views long after they’ve forgotten about the video.
There is little rhyme or reason behind some of the most successful viral videos. If you were to line up and watch fifty viral videos, you probably wouldn’t find many similarities. In many cases, the main thing that makes a video viral is simply that it is unique.
Best Practices for Viral Video Making
How can people make their videos go viral? Thanks to the study of viral marketing, companies and creators can use a few strategies to increase viewership and interaction rates. Of course, almost all of these methods to make viral videos are general, but finding ways to apply them to your videos specifically can improve your chances of creating the next viral video.
Here are five of the best ways to make a video go viral.
1. Make The Viewer Feel Something
There are virtually no viral videos that don’t elicit emotion. Whatever emotion that might be, make sure that it is compelling. Use your video to make people happy, compassionate, awestruck, confused, or anything else. Even negative emotions can be powerful tools.
If you can create a genuine impact on someone with your video, they will be more likely to share the video with their friends and followers.
2. Keep It Short and Concise
One similarity found in many viral videos is that they are as short as possible. Platforms like TikTok and Vine intentionally capitalize on this time limit by making short, punchy videos. This makes it easy for someone to watch, consume, and comprehend a video in as little time as possible.
Many famous viral videos clock in at under a minute. The ones that go longer are often music videos that naturally have a longer duration.
Make sure that your video doesn’t overstay its welcome, and ensure that the best parts of the video come right at the beginning.
3. Be Relevant
If you are going to make a video go viral, it’s essential to be up to date on current trends. If your video feels out of date, the odds are good that viewers will pass over it. If you want to give your videos the best chance of going viral, make sure that they appeal to the humor and sentiments of the current world.
While trying to make a video that will be timeless and appreciated for a long time can be enticing, it’s best to make a video that appeals to people right now.
4. Be Original
The biggest factor that makes aspiring viral videos fall flat is unoriginality. If the video is a spin on something that viewers have seen before, they are likely to dismiss it before getting more than a few seconds in.
Always make sure the concept and execution of the video are original and unique. This will ensure that the video has as much impact as possible.
5. Make It Feel Natural
Finally, whatever you do, don’t force it. Many videos are unsuccessful because viewers feel like the company or creator is pandering just to get a response. Make sure that the video feels genuine.
That often means making the production quality and style reflect a more low-budget and intimate attitude for the video. Don’t overproduce the video, and do everything you can to make it feel natural.
There’s a reason why so many viral videos feel so effortless — it’s because they are effortless. If something is naturally viral, don’t kill the video by overproducing it. Make it feel personal, intimate, and pure.
Conclusion
If you are looking to work with a team of professionals that will enable your company to create the highest quality and most personalized videos possible, don’t hesitate to reach out to 7 Wonders. We’ve worked on viral video marketing campaigns with many companies of all types, and our teams are highly experienced with creating videos that people want to see.
If you want to see how we can take your video marketing to the next level, check out our website today.
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