Have you ever wondered how viral material is created? This isn’t the first time you’ve felt this way about creating viral content.
In fact, as content marketers, it’s what we’re all going for. After all, what organization doesn’t want its work to be shared and enjoyed by thousands of people who all want viral content for their accounts?
The good news is that achieving “viral status” is quite possible. You don’t want to leave it to chance, but you also don’t have to be a content marketing specialist to Create viral content.
You simply need to understand how viral material works.
Understand what makes content naturally shareable and use what you’ve learned in your own efforts.
Allow me to introduce you to the interesting world of viral content and show you how to make your marketing activities a success, with that in mind.
What Is Viral Content?
Content that becomes viral spreads quickly (like, well, a virus).
It’s made to be circulated. People look at the content, like it, and share it on social media. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people, are engaging with your material before you realize it.
But what kind of content may go viral? It may be anything: an image, a video, an essay, or even a clever phrase. It’s important that it’s one-of-a-kind, shared, and memorable for all the right reasons.
How Can Viral Content Drive My Marketing ROI?
Viral content is self-sustaining marketing.
Consider it this way: you generate material, which is subsequently extensively disseminated on the internet.
You can conduct a paid marketing campaign if you wish, but it may not be required because everyone is sharing your material for free online.
As a consequence, you’ll be able to save money on marketing and, as a result, increase your ROI.
Is viral content something you’d be willing to try? Yes, I believe so!
How to Create Viral Content That Drives Traffic
To be honest, there’s no assurance that any of your work will become viral. You can, however, do a variety of things to improve your chances of launching a viral digital marketing campaign. With that in mind, here are seven actions to follow if you want to increase the chances of your material becoming viral.
1. Start With Research
You can’t hope to create viral content unless you have a well-thought-out strategy in place.
Set a goal first. Set a specific objective and work from there, whether you want 100,000 followers or 100,000 people to watch your video.
Then, determine what your target audience enjoys. What are their favourite hangout spots? What kind of material do they prefer to consume, share, and interact with? Determine where to start your campaign and what media to employ based on your responses (e.g., images or text).
Finally, look back at previous examples of viral content published by your competitors. Determine what made the content so popular and strive to give something even better next time.
2. Be Different
What is the one thing that all viral content has in common? In some ways, it’s unique and real. It’s full of surprises.
Here’s an excellent illustration. You wouldn’t expect a police agency to post “fun” stuff, yet that’s exactly what the NSW Police Force does. The cops use wit and humour to make themselves approachable to younger people, for example, by emphasizing the significance of fraud detection:
To establish community bonds and increase audience trust, the NSW Police Force takes a unique approach. This method has resulted in a large number of active followers and a high degree of interaction.
What’s the takeaway here? Do not be afraid to stand out in a crowd.
3. Hook Your Users
Your notion is your hook. It’s what makes folks pause and pay attention to what you’re saying. It’s the reason why those same people share your material on social media.
In other words, your hook is the unique selling proposition of your content (USP). A hook should include the following elements:
send a strong message
appeal to your target market
inspire your target audience to interact with your material more
Consider your hook to be bait. It grabs the attention of your audience and entices them to do the required action, such as visiting your website, signing up for more material, or following you on social media.
Depending on the content medium, you’ll utilize a different sort of hook. A terrific start and thumbnail are required for every video, a snappy title is required for every article, and interesting taglines are frequently used for photographs.
However, in almost every situation, less is more. Don’t get too caught up with the details of your hook. Maintain a consistent brand image and allow your company’s personality to show through by being faithful to your brand voice.
4. Get Visual
Visuals are required for a viral campaign.
Which would you rather post on social media: an article with walls of text or an image with a clever caption?
Unless you’re working with a really specific audience, you’ll almost certainly share the image first. Why? Visual material, on the other hand, is very easy to consume. It’s entertaining. Finally, while you want to educate your audience, you also want to amuse them.
Consider the NSW Police Force as an example. Do you believe a serious essay on fraud statistics or a playful visual stressing the significance of scam detection works best for their target audience?
Yes, especially if you’re a service provider, you must produce valuable material. If you want to become viral, remember to be innovative with how you offer this information.
5. Create a Promotional Plan
It’s true that content may go viral by mistake. White Claw, a harsh seltzer beverage from the United Kingdom, went viral when a prominent YouTuber made a video about drinking it:
However, there’s no assurance that this will ever happen to your brand’s content, which is why you’ll need a sound strategy for marketing and spreading it. Here are some suggestions for strategizing.
First, consider your content purpose. Maybe you want to obtain over 500,000 video views, advertise a product that isn’t selling well, or increase your brand’s internet visibility. Return to your original aim and plan your strategy from there.
Next, consider the following question: Who is your target audience? Perhaps your target audience enjoys sharing videos on social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube, or perhaps they prefer hard-hitting news stories. Concentrate your efforts on distributing information on sites where your target audience is most likely to find it.
After that, think about your budget. Will you rely on organic sharing or can you afford a paid ad campaign?
To be clear, sponsor ad campaigns aren’t required; after all, there’s no assurance that they’ll help you go viral. If you’re in a competitive area, though, a paid campaign or two may be necessary to help you stand out.
Finally, determine how long you want your campaign to run. Is it only going to be for a few weeks or is it going to be a three-month campaign? By the way, there is no correct response. It is entirely dependent on your objectives.
In summary? Consider your strategy as a blueprint to get you to your desired destination—viral status. While you don’t have to follow it religiously, let it lead you in the direction you wish to go.
6. Measure Your Success
So, you’ve started your campaign and your goal is to become viral. How do you keep track of your progress to see if you’ve met your target?
That’s how: by tracking your progress. Google Analytics, social media analytics, and content marketing tools are some of the applications you may utilize for this. It all depends on where you’re running your campaign and whatever platform you’re most familiar with.
What metrics should you keep watch of? Depending on your campaign, you may want to measure things like how many times people share your material on social media and which platforms they share it on the most.
You should also keep note of how often people share your links online. This is when a program like LinkTrackr comes in handy. You can measure not only how far your links are being shared throughout the world, but you can also track your whole sales funnel from beginning to end:
You might also look at your impressions, which is simply how many times various individuals have seen your material (albeit this number won’t tell you anything until you follow the metrics above).
7. Try Again
Remember that you can’t rest on your laurels after just one viral campaign. Instead, concentrate on making your next campaign even more successful.
Begin by assessing the success of your last campaign. Examine what works and apply what you learned to your next content stream. For this, you may utilize the measurements you determined before.
Next, consider your brand’s story. How can you generate additional viral content that supports the brand message that your initial campaign projected? Because consistency helps a brand look more genuine to an audience, constantly play to your strengths and emphasize you’re essential principles.
What if your video fails to become viral? Consider it more than a failed campaign. Instead, look at it as a chance to learn:
1. First, consider your strategy
Was there a stated aim and a clear marketing plan in place? You risk operating an unfocused marketing campaign that is unlikely to become viral if you don’t have a purpose.
2. Next, review your understanding of your target audience
Did you misinterpret their likes and dislikes, or did you choose the improper platform to reach out to them? Next time, do more research on your target audience.
3. Finally, check out any trends in audience feedback
Have you failed to deliver an enticing title in your article? Was there anything in your content that was off-putting or even offensive? While you won’t be able to please everyone, be sure to pay attention to any repeating themes.
How to Create Viral Content: Frequently Asked Questions
What is viral content?
Any content that is extensively spread around the internet in a matter of hours or less is said to have created viral content. In other words, it’s information that quickly gets popular. From memes to news stories, any sort of material may become viral.
How do I make my content go viral?
You must first establish a goal. Determine what appeals to your target audience and develop material with a distinctive “hook” to attract their attention. Because viral material frequently has a visual component, try incorporating a video, picture, or GIF.
Do I need paid ads to create viral content?
No. While some bought commercials can go viral, there’s no assurance that you’ll produce viral content if you execute a paid ad campaign. Focus on developing interesting content and doing paid ad campaigns if you have the marketing money to assist enhance your chances of becoming viral.
What are the benefits of viral content for my business?
Viral content allows you to quickly reach new individuals, convey your business message, and increase your trust. Furthermore, it is practically free advertisement when people share your material online. Isn’t free advertising enticing? Yes, I believe so.
How to Create Viral Content: Conclusion
Okay, so there isn’t a secret to making viral content. However, you may improve your chances of becoming viral by first conducting research on your target audience.
Determine what motivates them and what makes a piece of material “shareable.” Examine instances of viral material created by people in your field and figure out what made it so successful. What can you learn from previous successful efforts, and how can you improve upon them?
Don’t allow the process of creating content to overwhelm you. Check out my consulting services for extra support if you’re having trouble finding inspiration or defining clear marketing goals.