Why Virality Is good
Going viral in today's online world can be a significant advantage for individuals or businesses. It offers unparalleled exposure and visibility to a vast audience in a short amount of time. Viral content has the potential to reach millions of people across the globe, helping to increase brand awareness, drive traffic, and even generate revenue. Additionally, the social proof that comes with virality can enhance credibility and authority in a particular niche or industry.
The swift spread of your content can pave the way for success in your overarching marketing objectives, whether it's promoting yourself or your products/services. As your content gains traction, adapting your goals along the way can lead to tangible outcomes such as increased sales, revenue growth, or enhanced online credibility. This adaptability ensures that you capitalize on the momentum of your content's rise, transforming it into concrete results that align with your broader marketing aspirations.
Can ‘going viral’ be created
You can at times manufacture a viral moment as done successfully by Kelly Murphy, a snowboarder, who was skiing down a mountain in Japan’s Hakuba Village. When reviewing the video later she realized that she was being chased by a bear.
In the titled “Snowboarder Girl Chased by Bear…” it is an appealing copy to include because as a viewer I would like to click to see what it is about. The thoughts linger in my head, ‘did she really get chased by a bear?’, so I click to see. When viewing the video for the first time I can only assume it is real.
It left the internet in a frenzy of investigating if it is legit or not. Turns out that it was fake since a post-production company out of Australia, The Woolshed company, proclaim it used it for a short-film narrative with other network partners.
Kelly Murphy at first did insist it was real but skeptics poked holes in this claim as the audio of the ominous bear growling was too clear from the distance it seem to be in the video. Skeptics also noted the audio of the bear stomping to Murphy as she ski down the slope, which again, was too clear of a sound from that distance to be real.
Although it was revealed later that the video was fake, those usually are the best type of content that goes viral. It touches the viewer in a way that make them intrigued enough to click on the post. You can see some of the most viral fake videos here and it can give you a clear image on how to spot potentially fake viral videos.
Capturing Attention
Now that Kelly Murphy (or her team) captured attention, how then could they had capitalize on this?
One such example could have been to place a call to action within the video description or the native video itself. If she partnered with a wild life foundation for bears then this would be great promo for the non-profit and her after gaining alot of engagement on the video.
Capturing attention is the cornerstone of any viral content strategy. In today's saturated online landscape, where users are bombarded with endless streams of information, it's crucial to stand out from the crowd. Eye-catching visuals, compelling storytelling, humor, emotion, and controversy are all effective ways to grab and hold the audience's attention. Additionally, understanding the platform's algorithms and optimizing content for maximum visibility can help increase the chances of capturing attention.
If it is done Impromptu
At times you have to expect the unexpected when content goes viral but you should make good content that can be tweaked enough to capitalize on it for longevity. If you start to see growth spiking then hunkering down and reviewing the metrics can help to know where it’s traffic is coming from so you can produce more content for that source (platform, channel, website, etc.).
That one viral piece of content can help propel any other type of content you create that is of relevance to the one that is actively going viral. To be able to assess what might had caused it can give you an idea of the formality for why it might had gotten so much attention. You can try replicate it or just edit the viral post for a new goal that you want to accomplish with it’s growth.
Sometimes, the most viral moments happen spontaneously, without any premeditated planning. These impromptu viral sensations often arise from genuine, authentic moments that strike a chord with audiences on a deep emotional level. Whether it's a heartfelt reaction, a hilarious mishap, or an unexpected twist, impromptu viral content demonstrates the power of authenticity and spontaneity in capturing the hearts and minds of online users.
Ingredients of a Viral Post
Rising trend
Controversy
Salacious
Comedy
We can list off a variety of different examples with these ingredients as you can mix some with the other. It might actually be good to mix them with each other for maximum effect.
If you can capture a rising trend that is controversial then speak about it in a comedic manner then you have a recipe for going viral.
It can help too if you have a decent size following already across your social media profile. If your chosen profile is YouTube (where most of your followers are) and you chose video format to post as content then you can have a more favorable outcome with video content. Video content can be consumed in a more entertaining way and you can elicit more emotions by displaying your content in that manner. Written content can receive alot of awareness as well but the audience would have to be privy to that type of content.
An example of a written format being viral is through the National Enquiry exploit of Jeff Bezos’ dick pic being sent to his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, but leaked by her older brother for blackmail. Tabloids would pick up on that as it is a salacious piece that can garner attention to their publication. Thoughts that linger is ‘Omg did Jeff Bezos really send a dick pic, isn’t he a professional’. Bezos portrayal in the media is of his massive wealth so seeing someone of his success get exploited only makes the piece a hit for the masses.
Randomness
We are in a world where it seems that the most random post would get the most engagement just because it might be ‘perfect timing’ but that don’t have to be true. If you already have a decent following then that can already be in a position to put your content in a position to go viral in due time.
Some post can seem that it randomly went viral due to it rapidly rising but that is usually further from the case.
While some viral content may seem random at first glance, there's often a method behind the madness. Randomness in viral content can sometimes be attributed to the unpredictable nature of online audiences and the ever-changing dynamics of social media platforms. However, even seemingly random viral moments often have underlying factors such as timing, relevance, and share-ability that contribute to their success.
Although randomness or a bit of sheer luck can give your post the viral traction it needs. If you try to create a viral post out of desperation for attention like Adam22 thought he can pull of by pulling an April fools joke on his audience by pretending he is about to shoot a gay porn scene, it can then backfire on you. Some followers can be prone to your shenanigans so they will be privy to the posts you are creating. Those followers would be the first to call you on your bullshit and not share as is expected for a post to go viral.
Randomness can at times just be luck as you can’t always replicate your first viral post. It just could had been the right timing that catapulted you to fame. If you understand that then being more creative will help you to experiment with the posts you are creating once agin for a viral moment.
The TikTok Machine
TikTok only accelerated the views you can obtain from a post. It made it easier to go viral. If you can add one of the ingredients listed above then your post will likely grow as the algorithm will carry you far on that platform.
TikTok is a platform made for the new generation as their attention span is lower than a gold fish. The audience that frequent this platform don’t have the predominant purchasing power but it can be a great way to add notoriety to yourself. The comedian Matt Rife utilize this platform for growing his presence in his career. Rife can get more bookings at comedy clubs thus enhancing his presence in the comedy world. That would lead to many commercial opportunities for the comedian in the long term.
Tiktok is a double edge sword with short form content being consumed in such a rapid manner. It can cause the audience to lose interest as fast as they obtain it. If you want your audience to pay attention for much longer then Tiktok is a good way to display where they can find a longer version of what you do. As stated with the comedian Matt Rife, you can use clips on tiktok as he did to entice the audience to watch the longer version of his standup elsewhere.
Tiktok is like a drug to the younger audience that captures their attention and can only be replaced by something newer.
There is a reason why ByteDance has a different version of TikTok in China as the engineers built the experience of the app for it to be mindlessly consumed. Tiktok has a variety of the ingredients listed above for going viral whether you watch those type of content or not. It has been carried by the algorithm of what is popular or not regardless of the creator’s post.
If you use Tiktok then incorporate a plan on how it will be used to benefit you not capture you.
Conclusion
In today's hyperconnected digital landscape, going viral represents both a coveted achievement and a formidable challenge. While the allure of viral success is undeniable, there's no guaranteed formula for achieving it. Virality can stem from a myriad of factors, including creativity, timing, relevance, and sheer luck.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding viral content, there are valuable lessons to be learned from analyzing past successes and understanding the underlying principles of virality. By tapping into audience preferences, leveraging current trends, and crafting compelling, shareable content, individuals and businesses can increase their chances of making a splash in the online world.
However, it's essential to remember that virality is not an end in itself but rather a means to an end. Beyond the fleeting fame and fleeting attention that viral content brings, the true value lies in building meaningful connections, fostering engagement, and delivering genuine value to audiences.
In the quest for virality, authenticity, creativity, and community remain paramount. By staying true to these principles and embracing the ever-evolving nature of digital media, individuals and businesses can navigate the tumultuous waters of the online world with confidence, knowing that while going viral may be a lofty goal, the journey itself is where true growth and impact are found.