Does Your Video Content Have The Key Elements To Make It Go Viral?

Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind when you are a video content creator is how to make your videos go viral, right? 

After all, there are a lot of videos on Youtube and other social media networks that have become so popular and followed by millions of people around the world.

So, it is but fitting to ask this question: How do I make my videos go viral?

You can create viral videos and there’s evidence to support it

Yes, making viral videos is not impossible. In fact, it is so real that many video content creators are basking in the limelight due to the success of their videos.

But let’s try to dissect the human behavior and understand what makes videos go viral.

According to Dr. Brent Coker, a consumer psychologist at the University of Melbourne, in a peer-reviewed research they conducted revealed finding four key elements that are present in viral videos.

These factors are;

• The video can be easily shared on social media. This happens when the video content makes the ‘sharer’ feel and look good to peers when the video is shared.

• The viewer establishes a connection with the content, such as recollecting memories through nostalgia, music, or the story in the video.

• Videos that promote a large or broad emotional range, such as those that evoke an emotional low like melancholy or desperation to an emotional high like a sense of love, joy and justice.

• Videos that trigger a primitive feeling of thrill or excitement, also known as ‘frisson’. This is usually characterized as the physical and involuntary response to a viral video such as having goosebumps or ‘hairs standing at the back of the neck.’

“We understand that people watching a successful, emotive video with these four factors have the same biological response as when someone is faced with a predator and instinctively the body goes into fight or flight mode,” he says.

“My research found that this release of adrenaline and endorphins, when combined with certain memories, makes a viewer far more likely to share a video and therefore make it go viral.

“Shifting people rapidly across certain emotions is a highly successful tactic which also makes people highly likely to share content on their social media channels.”

“These ‘ingredients’ are helpful pointers to people seeking to create a viral video, whether for an organization’s advertising or a home video put on YouTube,” Dr Coker adds.

The research has been detailed in the book Going Viral, which explains the impact of videos in the marketing practice, how it influences pop culture, and understanding of public behavior toward viral videos.

What makes video content go viral?

The human psychological dimensions vary so much that there’s no one-size-fits-all formula that would trigger the same responses for everyone.

But it pays to do your research and what we have done is to help provide you with access to the information you need, such as these.

Creating video content for your audience should be fun and exciting, not daunting or something forced. Yes, at times, it may be challenging, but you can rest assured that the result of your efforts can be truly rewarding and satisfying.

Here’s a collection of the best practices across the industry.

Identify benchmarks and set the trend

Trends are a vital ingredient in a video that is likely to go viral.

Always remember that viral videos often become the benchmarks for trends that occur or those that follow a very popular trend.

Setting a trend can be a very difficult task, but the key is never to get tired of trying out new things, and somehow it may soon catch on. 

Don’t forget authenticity and uniqueness are important elements when setting a trend, so focus your attention on doing something new and refreshing.

Build excitement 

Viral videos are generally fun and exciting– something that would make people join in or engage in it.

This is particularly true with trending videos that are always found on Tiktok, so you can check out similar videos and identify what makes them click with the audience.

When people find videos fun, their tendency is to share them with as many people as possible. 

Catch their attention

One of the best ways to catch a viewer’s attention is the attractiveness of a cover. This is where the saying “first impressions last” becomes real.

When it comes to videos, people actually DO judge a book by its covers such as having a great cover layout, catchy titles and quality images.

Remember to create titles that match your video content and perhaps add numbers such as the ‘five best…”, “10 of the finest…”, etc. People are usually drawn to content that provides them with a number of options or solutions.

Do more than just your brand  

Always remember to set a balance for everything, including your content and brand. What’s important is you aim to add value to your audience, as well.

Use your online channels to create fun videos that may not directly talk about your brand, but something fun and would make the audience relate with your brand, even indirectly.

People want to have a good mix of content, especially those who can provide them with a variety of topics in their videos that can be fun other than just brand messaging.

Share stories

People love stories and something that appeals to a broad audience. Stories are worth relating to the humanness of people.

It is about learning new things in the eyes of others and something that they can relate to such as an adventure, a successful venture, a DIY project, or anything that can inspire and motivate others to do something that they have not tried or done before.

Be unique and send a clear message 

You don’t have to copy what your competitor is doing; rather, make yourself stand out by sending a message about your stories or brand identity.

You can study your competitors and see what they are doing well, so you have an idea of how you can draw attention to yours but not copy them to maintain your authenticity.

Visuals and quality are important

Planning for the visuals and post-production processes for your video content is crucial because it sets the tone for how you are meticulous and mindful of the quality of the work you put out to your audience.

The same goes with your cover; your visual and content designs play key roles in ensuring your audience stays entertained and engaged with your content.

You can commission a fractional editor to edit your videos to ensure that you churn out superb quality content for your viewers.

When all is said and done, remember that your success will be the ultimate outcome of your determination and hard work that will inspire and motivate you more to provide your audience with amazing viral videos.

If you need help with planning and editing your videos, we have the best people and the right video editing tools to do it for you!