7 Killer Tips To Making Your Video Go Viral

The viral video is something that many marketers chase, but few can find. That’s because there is no one way to make a video that’s guaranteed to go viral.

“For videos that are designed to provide your viewers with information and to teach them something useful, aim to entertain. You can get the important information across while keeping your viewer’s attention.”

Every content creator is searching for that special sauce that will bring thousands of views, but with no real recipe to follow, you simply have to take what’s worked for some and see if it can work for you, too. With the right combination of elements, you can improve your luck and increase the chances of your video going viral. Here’s how:

1) Evoke strong emotions

The emotional connection is an absolutely essential key ingredient for a video that makes an impact. Whether it’s positive and uplifting or negative and upsetting, evoking emotion makes people connect to your content. It makes them feel something, and this makes them more inclined to want to share and have others experience that same emotional reaction.

“One of the best ways to create an emotional connection with your audience is by using real people in your videos, as opposed to actors.”

There are downsides to tapping into negative emotions, though. It can leave viewers feeling sad, angry, and upset. Those likely aren’t the emotions that you want associated with your brand. Studies have shown that videos evoking positive feelings are shared more frequently. Making people feel joy with an uplifting message is a great way to build your brand’s image and make a video go viral for all the right reasons.

Check out this viral video New Evolution Video did for Rollbud:

Rollbud Promotional Video from New Evolution Video on Vimeo.

2) Brings out your brand’s personality

Getting the word out about your brand with a viral video is a goal for so many companies. Since you never know what video will really take off, aim to bring out your brand’s personality in every promotional video you create. Think about your brand’s overall style and tone and stay consistent with that throughout all of your content.

Avoid making a sales video that simply pushes your product or service. Instead, use storytelling and evoke emotions that show people what your brand is all about. Humor is a great tool to use in videos. If your brand takes a lighthearted approach to things, be sure to put your silly side on full display. Studies show that people like to share videos that give them a good laugh.

This image from Endeavor Creative summarizes what goes into developing a successful brand personality

3) Click-worthy title

Although they aren’t part of the film itself, video titles can make a huge difference. Choosing a click worthy title or including a captivating caption will grab people’s attention. They’ll be more inclined to watch if the title is intriguing and catches their eye.

Don’t use a title that serves only as clickbait, though. You want it to be a true reflection of the video’s content, or to pique people’s curiosity. Come up with a bunch of titles and choose a few of the best to test out. You’ll likely find that one outperforms the others, and that could be the one that gets your video going viral. When combined with an irresistible thumbnail, an enticing title can easily increase your video’s views.

4) Keep it concise

With just a few seconds to catch someone’s attention online today, you have to move fast. Keep your video quick and concise. Get your message across in a way that’s short and sweet. Think about how you can tell the story you want to tell fast, but without it being boring or confusing. It’s not always easy to edit down your footage, especially if you have an idea of how you thought the video should look. However, if you want to increase the chances of that specific piece of content going viral, you want it to be short enough to hold people’s interest.

According to AdAge, “Marketers have just 10 seconds to capture and engage an audience before they continue to scroll down or click away; and engagement drops off significantly beyond that. If you have not fully engaged your audience after the first 30 seconds, you’ve likely lost 33% of viewers; and after one minute, 45% of viewers have stopped watching.”

5) One simple, central message

At the heart of any great viral video is one central, focused message. People love stories that have a message they can take away. It sticks in their minds and makes them think long after the video is over. As you plan your video and write the script, focus in on that one simple, central message that you want to convey to your audience.

6) Make it mobile-optimized

People are increasingly watching and sharing video on their mobile devices. You’ve got to make sure that your videos are optimized for viewing on mobile if you want them to even have a chance of going viral. Use large font, easy to read text so that your video is easily understood when watched without sound. Preview the video on your own mobile device to see how it looks.

Check out these numbers posted by NEXTFLY to see how valuable mobile optimization really is

7) Have and use a marketing plan

Making a video and uploading it without having a marketing plan ready to roll out significantly decreases the chances of that video gaining traction. After all, there are thousands of videos uploaded online every day. On YouTube alone, 72 hours of video are uploaded to the site every 60 seconds.

Determine the best day and time to upload

Optimal upload times vary by platform, but as a general rule, weekday afternoons have shown to be a good time for gaining visibility. You can also test upload times to see which ones give you the best results.

Ask coworkers, employees, and associates to share

Don’t be shy about promoting your video. Send the link to associates, share it to their social media profiles, and ask employees and friends to watch and share.

Optimize for SEO

Be sure to optimize your video for search. Include a few keywords in a catchy title. Use tags when appropriate.

Enlist influencers

Just like with any marketing campaign, enlisting the help of influencers is a great way to get your video seen. Depending on their level of notoriety, they may require compensation, so keep that in mind when budgeting.

Capitalize quickly on your success

Once you have a video that goes viral, you definitely don’t want all of those views to go to waste. Make sure you’re ready to capitalize on a viral video so that it generates real results for your brand. Having a call to action in your video is an absolute must, since at least some percentage of your viewers will see it and be compelled by it.