Creating viral content is a great marketing strategy. It can boost sales, engagement and brand image all in one go. So how is it done? In order to create viral content you need to understand how it works. What makes things shareable? If you want to create something that gathers thousands or even millions of views, it needs to be something worthy. This is something with the possibility of huge outreach. So let’s take a look at how it’s done.
What Is Viral Content?
Viral content is content that spreads rapidly. This can consist of:
- Images
- Videos
- Articles
- Slogans
- Contests
It becomes viral through being posted on social media, then shared. In order for it to be shared it should be something unique and of interest. The original media is designed for circulation, and this is then what happens. The more momentum it gathers, the more people it reaches.
Viral content is a great marketing opportunity, as there is a high ROI. In fact, hardly anything needs to be invested to begin with. Simply one piece of media can serve as a mammoth marketing campaign within itself. This can then boost sales, brand awareness and google ranking.
How To Create Viral Content
Let’s take a look at some strategies to help create viral content.
Do Your Research
In order to create content that spreads, you need to know what you are aiming for. Having a plan in place is important from the get go. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Who is your audience?
- What content do they engage with the most?
- What viral content do competitors have?
By researching these areas before you begin, you will create a clearer idea of what kind of strategy will work best for you moving forward. It’s important to have a plan. This can help inform which medium to create the viral content from, and which platform to share it on.
Be Unique
There are two methods of creating viral content. The first of these is to follow a trend. For example, seasonal content has the potential to become viral. If there is a sudden heatwave in a certain area, creating content that relates to this could be shared widely. This is as a result of its relatability.
The other method is to create something funny, engaging and unique that breaks the mold. If it’s authentic, it will capture people’s imagination. It should appeal to the emotional side of the audience. It should be witty, humorous and relatable. Don’t be afraid to be different! The more unique, the better the chance is of it catching on.
Hook Your Users
There should be some kind of a hook to your viral content. It should have some kind of a hook that serves as ait. This will capture the attention of your audience, and lead them to engage further. To create this hook, it should feature and engage your USP (unique selling proposition). It should clearly demonstrate the message and appeal to your audience.
In other words, hook your audience in. Then once they are in, lead them to follow your social media channels. Give them a reason to share the content. Keep it simple- less is more.
Visual Element
Viral content is for the most part, visual. For this reason you should make sure that the content is visually appealing. The better it looks, the more easily it will spread. It should be eye-catching, and engaging.
This can be achieved through colors, image or text. As long as it’s short and snappy, any combination of these could work. The content needs to be easily visually consumable and fun. Keep this in mind when creating the visual elements of your content.
Measurements Of Success
When you’re attempting to make some viral content for the first time, it’s important not to have too high expectations. Part of the success of any viral content is luck. It just needs to catch the right moment, and the right people, at the right time.
If it doesn’t work for you the first time, just keep learning and trying again. Use google or social analytics to understand what you did right or wrong, and take it from there. Perhaps on your first attempt the goal isn’t to create a fully viral post- it could just be to gain more engagement, or followers.
Create measurements that seem realistic to you. Use your first attempt as a starting point, and continue to work up from there. The more social content you create, the better for engagement and brand image anyway.
Conclusion
Creating viral content involves a recipe of research, creativity and luck. To have a piece of viral content that truly takes off and reaches thousands, can be a great benefit to your business. However, you might have several attempts before you create one that reaches the goal. In any case, there’s no harm in trying, and the bigger your social media output, the better for your brand in any case.