Making a Video That Goes Viral

Make a viral video new ultimate form of success. Let’s be honest, the more we watch YouTube videos, TikToks, Vimeos, and everything in between, one thought that comes to mind is “I could do that.” How hard can it really be to create a viral video? In this article, you will learn how to make a viral video. While there is no perfect formula to making a viral video, taking these steps will definitely increase your chances. Now, let’s dive in with some instructions for how to make a viral YouTube video!

Anyone Can Go Viral! How to Get a Video to Go Viral

So, you’re wondering how to go go viral on YouTube. Take a second to think about the viral videos that you know and love. In this day and age, we are all constantly on our cell phones digesting the content that everyday people make. This only proves that we do not have to be celebrities in order to gain recognition. In fact, a majority of the people that go viral are not! More often than not, the people that go viral on our popular social media platforms are normal people. Not all of them have professional video production teams! They are people that have the courage to speak their minds and share it with the public. So, what are you waiting for? Think of something that you are passionate about and hit that record button!

Find Your Voice

This is the most fun part of the process. You essentially get to decide exactly how you want to present yourself to the public. This is where you can find the qualities that you admire about yourself the most and show the world what you are all about. Each and every one of us has something different to offer and it is our job to discover what that is! If content creation is something that you have an interest in, it is imperative that your personality shines through in your content.

Spark Emotion

What was the last viral video you saw and loved? You may have seen some puppies piled on top of one another or an elderly couple recreating their first dance from their wedding. Whatever that video may be, it most likely left a lasting impression on you because it appealed to your emotions. Maybe it made you laugh, cry, or even smile. Regardless of the emotions that the video made you feel, you probably only remember it because of those feelings! According to psychologists, we are more likely to remember anything if there is emotion involved. This is all due to the fact that a part of our brains called the amygdala is involved in processing emotion. When emotion is involved, a memory of an event or piece of emotion is only strengthened. With this in mind, think about ways to make your audience experience their feelings! This is something that will ultimately help them remember your content and want to share it with others.

Share Your Interests with the World

So, what kind of content should you be creating? In addition to appealing to people’s emotional sides, you might also want to think about educating your viewers on something you are passionate about. Do you have any niche hobbies? Other people are always on the hunt for new interests. Why not show them something they are not familiar with? If they take an interest in your piece of content, you could have an opportunity to build a following. You can teach your viewers how to cook your favorite meals, roller skate like a pro, or even grow their own garden. According to new research, people are more open to trying new hobbies. After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, two in every three Americans say that they have more time to explore new interests. This is the prime time to teach your viewers about something that they have never learned before.

Keep it Short

The average human attention span is twelve seconds. In this case, if someone is watching your video and does not like it within the first twelve seconds, they will most likely move on to the next video. A couple of seconds is a very short amount of time when your goal is to capture someone’s attention. In other words, those first twelve seconds of your video are crucial. Your goal is to hook your viewers and keep them hooked from the very beginning. If this is not the case, you risk losing viewers.

Don’t Waste Time

Keeping this in mind, if you want to create a viral video, it is important that you do not waste any time, especially at the beginning of your video. Instead of starting off with a cliche, predictable introduction, consider jumping right into the main content of your video. Viewers do not want to hear the same kind of introduction over and over again. Rather than starting off with a simple “hello everyone” maybe you want to consider something more outlandish that will capture someone’s attention. This gives you an opportunity to come up with a signature opening line that no other content creator has. Use your creativity to make yourself memorable to your viewers!

TikTok, YouTube, or Vimeo?

These three platforms are the most prominent in the world of video sharing. Each of them has its own niche audience and overall presence. In this section of the article, you can decide which one of these platforms is best for the content that you want to create.

TikTok

TikTok is a social media platform that has taken the world by storm in the last year. This platform allows users to post short, creative videos that range from 15 to 60 seconds. Users are forced to condense their ideas into short videos, which can add to the creative process and overall interest. Currently, the average age range using TikTok is 18-24. TikTok features videos about fashion trends, comedy, cooking hacks, and everything in between. This is a great platform to use if you are aiming your content towards a younger, trendier audience. More and more users become TikTok famous every single day!

YouTube

Wondering how to go viral on YouTube? Similar to TikTok, YouTube also has a wide range of content for viewers to watch. YouTube allows videos that are anywhere from 1 second to 15 minutes and if accounts are verified, they can be longer. This is a great amount of time for content that requires detailed, step-by-step instructions. The average age of YouTube users is 15-35. YouTube is a great platform to use because they reach a large span of ages and do not have strict time restraints. In addition to that, 37% of viral traffic belongs to YouTube, making them a great place to post video content. If you want to know how to make a YouTube video go viral, start by creating videos. Then, create your own YouTube channel and watch your views climb!

Vimeo

Another popular video content platform is Vimeo. Vimeo was founded by filmmakers who wanted to share their creative work and personal lives with their viewers. This is a great platform for people interested in documenting their creative process. Many of the subscribers that use Vimeo are artists, animators, filmmakers, and musicians. Video content posted on Vimeo can range from a couple of seconds to 10 minutes. This platform is targeted towards a more nice audience. If art is your passion, this might be the place for you!

With all of this being said, there is not one single platform that is guaranteed to make your video go viral. It does help, however, to post videos on platforms that cater to your interests. Choosing the right platform will increase the likelihood of your video going viral!

Share With a Strategy

This may seem hard to believe, but there actually is a prime posting time in order to go viral with one of your videos. The timing of when to post your video on a search engine depends on your target audience, but there are some general rules to follow. If you want your video to go viral, you will most likely want to post it on a weekday. This is the best time to post a video because a huge percentage of our population that has cell phones like to digest content during lunch breaks, work, and even when they are bored. You are more likely to have a captive audience during the week because people tend to have fewer plans. Additionally, you will want to avoid posting your piece of content on holidays because people are not as likely to be viewing content. A great rule of thumb is to think about when you are most likely to be bored and viewing video content.

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Maintain Engagement

If your goal is to go viral with your video, your job is not over after you press that post button! You will want to monitor the engagement with your post and even respond to your audience if your video starts to gain traction. This shows your audience that creating content is something that you are passionate about. Hopefully, your video will get as much attention as it deserves. Remember, not every video that you post will go viral. With that being said, you should treat the videos that do not go viral as a learning opportunity! In the wise words of the United Kingdom author, Zen Cho, “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” As video makers, there are always positive changes that can be made to our work.

Market Your Video 

Creating videos isn’t all there is to getting a video to go viral. Once you’ve posted the video you hope to go viral, you’re not done yet. There are many different marketing strategies you can use to get your video in front of more people. Try sharing your video on Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms to increase your brand awareness. Posting across platforms like your Facebook page will help you reach more of your target audience and hopefully, get you to a million views!

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FAQ:

  • What characteristics make a video go viral?
  • How do videos go viral on social media?
  • How many views do you need for a video to go viral?
  • What do viral videos have in common?
  • What platform should I post to for my video to go viral?

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