How to Make Viral Videos: 10 Tips That Actually Work [2024]

How to Make Viral Videos: 10 Tips That Actually Work [2024]

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In today's digital age, viral videos are the currency of online success. Whether you're a business or a content creator, the allure of millions of views, likes, and shares is undeniable. But how does a video go viral? How can you replicate that elusive formula for success? In this comprehensive guide, we'll break down actionable tips you need to know to create your own viral hits and take your content creation (and business) to new heights.

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What is a viral video?

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A viral video is a piece of content that spreads rapidly across the internet, capturing the attention of viewers worldwide. These videos are shared extensively on social media platforms, generating buzz and often leading to increased brand visibility and engagement.

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How does a video go viral?

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The path to viral success is not always clear-cut, but there are certain factors that can increase the likelihood of reaching millions of views, likes and shares. This usually involves creating a video with a combination of compelling content that evokes strong emotions, taps into current trends, or offers a unique perspective that resonates with a broad audience.

10 tips for creating viral videos

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1. Keep it short and engaging

Short-form content is king in the fast-paced world of social media. Aim for videos that are concise yet impactful, capturing viewers' attention from the get-go. Research shows that videos under 3 minutes tend to perform best on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Consider the YouTube video "Baby Shark Dance" which, at just over two minutes long, became one of the most viral videos of all time with billions of views.

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2. Start with a hook

Grab your audience's attention within the first few seconds by starting with a compelling hook or question. This initial intrigue can entice viewers to watch the entire video and share it with others. Take inspiration from videos like "Will It Blend? - iPhone," where Blendtec's viral marketing campaign began with the intriguing question, "Will it blend?" before blending an iPhone into dust, earning over 15 million views.

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3. Tell a captivating story
   Storytelling serves as a powerful instrument to captivate viewers. Dove’s Self-Esteem Project “Toxic Influence” showcases mothers and daughters confronting harmful beauty advice on social media perpetuated by mainstream influencers. In the video, the mothers are presented giving toxic beauty advice. This powerful storytelling technique creates an extra shock factor as mothers would never condone harmful beauty ideas that are normalized on social media and consumed by young girls around the world.

4. Evoke emotion
   Emotional content is highly shareable, as it resonates with viewers on a personal level. Garnering an emotional response in your audience can make your video more memorable and thus more share-worthy. This tactic is evident in Mr. Beast’s content, especially in his philanthropic stunts. In his video "1000 People See for the First Time," he shows how kindness and empathy can touch people deeply. By highlighting the life-changing impact of generosity, he creates a touching story that moves everyone who watches.

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5. Surprise your audience
   Make innovative content with unexpected plot twists to stand out amongst the masses. In a world flooded with predictable online entertainment and advertising, people are bored of seeing repetitive content. To give your audience a refreshing break from the monotony of it all, keep them on the edge of their seats in anticipation of what’s coming next. The YouTubers “Yes Theory” owe their remarkable rise in fame to stepping outside their comfort zone, confronting fears head-on, and creating consistent content on the topic of saying yes to anything. And it all started with their YouTube series, “Project 30.” 

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6. Ride the trends
   The virality of content often hinges on its alignment with current trends or popular topics. By using trending themes you can increase your views and interactions exponentially. Emma Chamberlain's formula for success leveraged popular trends such as Trying Viral Recipes or vlogging in her Day in the Life of a Lonely YouTuber series. Her videos have become a viral sensation by capitalizing on current trends that expand her reach while maintaining a sense of authenticity, openness, and sense of humor. Her unique perspective on trends has helped her capture the heart of her loyal following which continues to grow today.

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7. Inject humor
   Humor is a universal language that breaks barriers and creates human connection. Humor makes content relatable by creating a shared experience through laughter, fostering a stronger connection between the creator and the audience. This technique was especially successful when The Dollar Shave Club introduced its razor subscription plan in the viral video “Our Blades Are F***ing Great.”

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8. Hack the algorithm
   SEO is key for visibility and boosting your chances of going viral. Using popular niche SEO keywords strategically in titles, descriptions, and tags can help you gain greater discoverability. Make sure that your title and thumbnail complement each other and incorporate audience-searched keywords for algorithm recognition. Using an AI video editor like Munch can help you choose the right keywords to go viral. 

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9. Encourage sharing
   Encourage your audience to save and share your content through clear a call-to-action. Tactics that increase shareability include: prompting your audience to tag friends who would like the content, saving your post, sharing their opinions in the comments, and creating challenges. For instance, Taylor Swift’s Fortnight Challenge encouraged fans to create a compilation of 14 moments set to her song “Fortnight.” This approach keeps viewers watching her video on repeat while also creating more content using her music.

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10.  Repurpose longer videos
    Save time by repurposing your long-form videos into shorter videos for YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find short clips yourself or use an AI editor like Munch to do it for you in under 45 minutes. Don’t forget that the average viral video is between 1-3 minutes and this timeframe is only getting shorter and shorter with people's attention spans.

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How to measure the success of a viral video

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Key metrics such as views, engagement (likes, shares, comments), reach, and conversion rate are essential for measuring the success of a viral video. Tracking these metrics allows you to gauge the impact of your content and refine your strategy accordingly.

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FAQ

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1. What is the ideal length for a viral video?

While there's no one-size-fits-all answer. However, shorter videos between 1-3 minutes tend to perform better due to shorter attention spans.

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2. Can any type of content go viral?

Yes, with the right strategy, execution, and timing, virtually any type of content can go viral (but it can be very difficult to predict).

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3. How do hashtags and keywords contribute to a video's reach?

Hashtags and keywords can help increase the discoverability of your video by making it more searchable and appearing in relevant search results.

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4. What role does engagement play in a video going viral?

Engagement, such as likes, shares, and comments, is a key indicator of a video's virality and can help amplify its reach

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Meet Munch - The video repurposing platform that helps you create viral videos 

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Munch revolutionizes content creation by extracting the most engaging and impactful clips from your long-form videos using advanced AI capabilities. This all-in-one platform analyzes your videos according to social and marketing trends from leading platforms and then edits them into short, coherent clips with the potential to go viral.

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Summary 

Creating viral videos is both an art and a science, but with the right strategy and execution, it's entirely within reach. Keep your videos short, engaging, and emotionally resonant. Stay trendy and tell compelling stories that are authentic to your unique perspective. That way, you’ll stand out from the rest and harness your audience’s attention. Measure the success of your content by analyzing engagement metrics and fostering a connection with your virtual community. Consider tools like Munch to effortlessly generate new engaging content from existing videos you’ve already created.