4 tips you can use to create viral content

Wednesday August 30, 2017 , 3 min Read

All of us have witnessed the benefits of viral content first-hand. From blog posts and videos to infographics and images, content of all kinds has the potential to go viral if treated with care and attention. While every marketer understands the benefits of viral content, they also understand that creating content that will become an instant rage is no easy feat. What drives viral content then? To put it simply, content goes viral when a large number of people have a related emotional reaction to it.

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Talk to any marketer, and he/she will tell you that 'viral' content is not a product in itself, but an effect. While that is correct, it is also true that creating viral content is easier than you might think.

Reach out emotionally

Whether it is happiness, interest, or joy, people share content that makes them feel a certain way. When you have pulled at your viewer's heart strings, they are bound to share the content with their family and friends. For example, a video that beautifully portrays the bond shared by a mother and daughter is more likely to circulate quickly as compared to a video that doesn't make you feel anything.

Take a stand

Whether it is politics or religion, when your brand takes a stand, people will share the content whether or not they agree with the brand's positioning. This is because brands rarely choose sides, as it is a pretty risky path to take in marketing. If executed with care, a maneuver such as this can generate a great deal of positive press for a brand.

Leverage influencers

Influencers are all the rage today and they are the next best thing to paid advertising. It takes only one tweet from an influencer who has millions of followers to have hundreds of thousands of shares in a moment's time. Today, every industry has its fair share of influencers, and it is for this reason that building relationships with digital influencers should be a vital part of any viral content marketing strategy.

Latch on to trends

If the world is going to be talking about the new President of the United States of America in a few hours, you need to be the first to post something witty when the President's name is finally announced. People behind viral content marketing never take a day off. When it comes to latching on to the latest trends, they are faster than Usain Bolt.

Remember, campaigns slathered in branding won't add value to a publisher's audience. If you let your data take the spotlight and keep the marketing-speak to a minimum, you'll be able to create viral content faster than ever.