Going Viral: Is It Just Luck or Can You Hack the System?

What is viral content?

If you recognised these rows of green, grey, and yellow squares, you were likely on your phone a lot in the first half of 2022. This image is from Wordle, a word game that went viral worldwide sometime around January 2022.

Going viral is not a new phenomenon. Headlines such as ‘Viral Dress Sold Out’ and ‘Viral Video Fact Check’ are incredibly common on all news outlets. If you had to think of one meme that everyone knows and loves, we are sure that you can name your favourite picks. But, what is my ‘going viral’?

Viral content is material, like images, products, articles, videos, and more, gaining rapid popularity through social media and word-of-mouth. There isn’t a fixed benchmark of the number of views, likes, and shares something must receive to officially ‘go viral,’ but it is roughly in the millions!

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Characteristics of Viral Content

1. Wide Reach: Viral content typically reaches a vast audience quickly, far beyond its initial target or intended audience.
2. Rapid Spread: It spreads rapidly through social media platforms, email, or other digital channels due to its compelling nature or unique appeal.
3. Emotional Impact: Viral content often evokes strong emotions such as joy, surprise, curiosity, or inspiration, which motivates people to share it with others.
4. Shareability: It is highly shareable, encouraging users to pass it along to their networks, amplifying its reach exponentially.
5. Unpredictability: While some content creators aim to produce viral content, its success is often unpredictable and influenced by factors like timing, relevance, and cultural resonance.

Viral Marketing

Viral marketing is a deliberate strategy used by brands to capitalize on the potential of viral content. The goal is to create content that resonates with the audience and encourages them to share it organically. This strategy leverages social sharing to enhance brand visibility, engagement, and potentially drive sales.

Ingredients of Viral Marketing

1. Strong Emotional Appeal: Viral marketing content often triggers emotions that prompt sharing, such as humor, empathy, or excitement.
2. Call to Action: Encouraging users to participate actively, like in challenges or user-generated content campaigns, enhances engagement and virality.
3. Interactive and Personalized: Content that allows users to engage directly, personalize their experience, or feel part of a larger movement is more likely to go viral.
4. Authenticity and Ethics: Authentic content that aligns with ethical values and resonates with societal trends or causes can foster deeper connections and encourage sharing.

Can Viral Content Be Hacked?

Creating viral content is not an exact science, and there is no guaranteed formula for ensuring something goes viral. However, brands can strategize to increase the likelihood of their content being shared widely:

• Target Audience: Understand the target audience deeply to create content that resonates with their interests, values, and preferences.
• Interactivity: Incorporate elements that encourage audience participation, such as polls, challenges, or interactive storytelling.
• Relevance and Timeliness: Stay current with trends and events to produce content that feels timely and relevant to the audience.
• Quality and Creativity: Invest in high-quality content that stands out creatively and offers something unique or valuable to viewers.
• Distribution Strategy: Use targeted distribution channels and influencer partnerships to amplify the reach of the content.

Conclusion

While the virality of content is often spontaneous and unpredictable, brands can enhance their chances by creating compelling, emotional, and shareable content. Viral marketing strategies leverage these elements to engage audiences authentically, drive organic sharing, and ultimately increase brand visibility and engagement in the digital landscape.