In 2020, the world of social media has expanded and grown exponentially. With that growth, the opportunities for you and your business to go viral have also increased! With so many platforms and so many different kinds of content, what exactly does going viral mean?
Viral media is essentially something that spreads quickly online. It could be anything from a funny video to an interesting image or statistic. The concept of viral media is relatively new and goes by a few different definitions. Some define it as something that has received more than 100,000 views, while others define “viral” by how fast it spreads. However, you define it when something goes viral, you tend to know it!
There are many reasons that someone might want to achieve viral success. Whatever the information that you want to spread, here are a few of the top ways that we’ve discovered to rapidly spread your content or brand message online.
Understand the Platforms
The first step toward viral success is understanding online platforms! Every platform has its own rules and best-practices for creating content that successfully reaches an audience. Understanding these methods and guidelines needs to come first before you begin creating content!
Consistency and Quality
By now, we’ve all discovered the exciting and sometimes distracting world of online video content. It is estimated that over 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute. Now, with many other social media platforms also adding video capabilities, it can seem difficult to stand out!
One great way to gain recognition is through consistency. Thousands of YouTube channels and social media pages are started and then abandoned after just one or two posts. A great way for your content to begin accruing more views is by uploading on a consistent basis. Regardless of your content, social media algorithms promote users that post often!
Also, the better your content, the more likely you are to achieve wide distribution. Good content is created either through better quality or through telling a compelling story. If you don’t have a high-end video setup available, you can begin with the basics!
Using something like a photo video maker to create a simple slideshow can be a great place to start. Animations and text can be added to make your story and content come to life!
Get User Feedback
Many social media platforms give you the option of creating interactive content for your followers. Whether it’s a quiz about a popular topic, or a poll asking for opinions, your users will feel intrigued and valued as you let them share their own thoughts and ideas. This can also be valuable if you run a business since it gives you greater insight into the people who are interested in your content. This is a crucial key to achieving viral success online. A deep understanding of your audience will provide a significant boost to your efforts.
Reposts on Popular Accounts
Videos are not the only way to get discovered on social media. Platforms like Instagram make it easy for users to post images that they or others have created. Some accounts gain a wide following and are willing to repost images. Reposting allows the people who follow that account to see your work.
If this sounds like a good approach for you, you can send a direct message to the account to ask if they do reposts. Some accounts may ask for a fee in return for letting you access their audience.
Keep your Content Organized
When you’re new to creating content for social media, it’s easy to get disorganized and distracted from your core message. The key thing to remember is that people online have short attention spans, so you want to grab their attention quickly. An interesting statement or a compelling graphic or animation is the perfect way to hook their attention. Online slideshow makers use engaging animations to catch the interest of viewers right from the start.
Understand Human Psychology
People naturally like to share things with each other, and they do it for a variety of reasons. Some things will be shared because they are helpful. Other content will be shared because it is funny and people enjoy entertaining their friends. Some will be shared because the user strongly believes in the idea or product. Understanding these motivations and how to apply them to your brand and content is a big part of successfully going viral. Consider how you want people to feel about your message and then consider ways to encourage them to share these feelings with others.
Whatever your brand or industry, there’s a great appeal in the idea of going viral. Despite the appearance of sudden success, it’s important to remember that, as with anything else, careful planning and preparation will set you up for eventual success. Rather than relying on luck or good fortune, remember the old saying, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Establishing good habits now may lead to eventual viral success through careful work and intelligent preparation!
