how to create a viral video thesis

How to Make a YouTube Video Go Viral (with 8 Easy Tips)

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Know how to make a YouTube video viral?

Even if you’ve had one or two videos go viral on the platform, cracking the code to virality isn’t easy.  

A few things that help though: consistency in video production, reviewing your content to study its performance, and knowing your audience and their struggles inside out.

Almost all videos that go viral reflect these features on YouTube. Take it from the 52 experts we talked to for this piece to learn how they make their YouTube videos go viral.

Of these respondents, 46% are in the B2C services or products industry, 40% are agencies or consultants working with marketing, digital, media companies, and 14% are in the B2B services or product field.

All in all, we’ve packaged everything that we learned into these two pointers:

• What Types of Videos Go Viral on YouTube
• 8 Tips for Making Your YouTube Video Go Viral 

What Types of Videos Go Viral on YouTube?

Funny videos have the best chance to go viral, according to the respondents we talked to. This is followed by challenge videos and prank videos.

These insights come from folks who have had their videos go viral. About 42% of our respondents shared they have 1 to 5 videos that have gone viral. And nearly 37% stated that they don’t have any videos gone viral.

However, it’s important to note here that everyone defines ‘virality’ differently. For the purpose of surveying our respondents for this piece, we defined viral videos as “videos that got millions of views in a few weeks.” However, when we asked companies to share their videos, only a couple met these criteria — telling us virality means different things to different people.

PRO TIP: Analyze Your YouTube Channel Performance Like a Pro

To find out what types of video content perform best with your audience, you may track video engagement metrics such as watch time, number of views, likes and dislikes of each video individually using a variety of tools, including YouTube itself.

Now you can quickly monitor your video content performance in a single dashboard that monitors fundamental metrics, such as:

• Average watch time. How much time do viewers spend watching your video content?
• Watch time by video. Which videos drive most of your audience watch time each month?
• Subscribers gained vs lost. How quickly are you gaining or losing subscribers?
• Number of likes, comments and shares. How engaged is your audience?

Now you can benefit from the experience of our video marketing experts, who have put together a plug-and-play Databox template showing the most important metrics for measuring your YouTube channel performance. It’s simple to implement and start using as a standalone dashboard or in marketing reports, and best of all, it’s free!

You can easily set it up in just a few clicks – no coding required.

To set up the dashboard, follow these 3 simple steps:

Step 1: Get the template 

Step 2: Connect your YouTube account with Databox. 

Step 3: Watch your dashboard populate in seconds.

8 Tips for Making Your YouTube Video Go Viral

Now for the practical tips that can help you create viral videos on YouTube. Here’s a quick list of these tips, followed by the details:

• Post high-quality video content consistently
• Create videos on controversial topics
• Network to improve your chances of virality
• Tap into subject matter expertise and distribute your video
• Leverage trends to create more viral videos
• Tap into creating engaging bite-sized video content
• Create an enticing video thumbnail
• Look for inspiration outside of your niche

1. Post high-quality video content consistently

The foundational step to making your YouTube video viral is regularly posting videos on your channel. This works for a handful of reasons, including:

• Consistent posting teaches you a lot about your audience, their preferences and struggles, and what content resonates with them.
• Regularly sharing YouTube videos sets the right expectations with your target viewers. They start watching more from your channel because they know they’ll always find high-quality stuff coming from you (better audience retention).

Related : 9 Ways to Improve Audience Retention on YouTube

This tip comes from a creator too. In the words of Larisha Bernard of Make It Dairy Free , “The number one tip to gain traction fast on YouTube is to provide quality videos on a consistent basis. YouTube subscribers love when creators show up on a regular basis so it’s not a platform that you want to be inconsistent with.”

So how regularly should you be posting on YouTube? Our research shows that the majority of YouTube creators (half of our respondents) post weekly.

This is the best cadence as compared to daily or monthly posting because a week means you’ve enough time to ideate, plan, shoot, and publish a good quality video. Plus, it’s also a more memorable YouTube posting frequency than a monthly cadence.

Another key tip here is to “post on the same day and time to establish your audience,” Bernard advises. Essentially, it helps you grow your audience by setting the right expectations with them.

“Beyond that, you want to follow YouTube’s own recommendations that you can find in the YouTube Studio backend and their own creator pages,” adds Bernard.

The example viral video that Bernard shares follows YouTube’s recommendations:

It has 1.2 million views (at the time of writing this). Here’s how:

• The video’s picture and audio quality are superb . This makes it engaging to watch right away.
• It speaks to its audience . Throughout the video, the presenter shares his experience with veganism, which resonates with the viewers since it comes from a person who has real experience in the subject.
• The video shares quick tips . This way, it’s a no-fluff and straight-to-the-point video, which makes it interesting to watch. If anything, moving quickly from one tip to another encourages people to continue watching since it signals there’s a lot of value packed in the content.

2. Create videos on controversial topics

Handshaking.com’s Matt Holmes shares what makes a video go viral on YouTube is a controversial topic.

Holmes explains you should create a video on “a controversial topic that everyone thought they knew the truth!” In this video that Holmes shared, this principle is shown in action:

The virality results? 92k+ views.

The video also showcases a few more pointers that explain why it went viral. Let’s look at them:

• It starts with a strong hook. Holmes starts the video by quickly answering what’s covered in the video “teach you how to get a smokin’ deal on your next used car purchase.” This instantly tells viewers what the video is about so the interested ones stay to watch till the end.
• It jumps straight into the meaty bit . Right after Holmes answers the ‘what’s in it for me’ question in the hook, he jumps into step 1 — instead of wasting time.
• The video quality speaks volumes of its authenticity . The video is shot from a phone, which tells viewers about its credibility (viewers can see Holmes is speaking from the location he’s buying/selling cars from.)

And like the viral video above, this video also jumps from sharing value bites one after the other rather quickly. In doing so, the video encourages its viewers to continue watching.

This helps significantly in making a video go viral. For instance, by signaling YouTube’s algorithm that viewers are not just clicking through to the video but also watching it for a long time (think: improved watch time). As a result, the algorithm pushes it further, increasing its reach on the platform.

Related : How to Optimize & Improve Your Video Watch Time on YouTube

3. Network to improve your chances of virality

When asked about how to make YouTube video viral, John Frigo of Best Price Nutrition suggested there’s no proven recipe for it.

“If people could make something go viral and crack that code we’d all be doing it,” Frigo writes.

It’s why Frigo opines, “I don’t think it’s possible to ‘make a video go viral’,” At the same time, Frigo shares a handful of pointers that can possibly help your content gain traction fast.

The first of Frigo’s points is the same as what we’ve covered above: being consistent. Not only does it get you in front of the right people, but it’ll also teach you a lot about your audience. This, in turn, assists you in creating better, more audience-relevant and engaging YouTube videos that have a good chance of going viral.

As Frigo puts, “I think if you’re putting out quality content consistently, eventually luck will be on your side, your content will strike a chord with the right audience, and it could go viral.”

To add to this, Frigo points out, “I think sometimes it’s just the right timing or the right person sees your content. For example, if Joe Rogan sees your video and shares it, it’s gonna blow up, that doesn’t necessarily mean that piece of content was that much more amazing than others you’ve done, it just happened to fall in front of him due to algorithms at the right time, and he decided to share it.”

The takeaway from this is simple: engage with your audience and network with other creators. This helps because with other creators and viewers sharing your content as soon as it’s published, the odds of it reaching the right people (such as Joe Rogan in the example above) are high.

Not to forget, when people engage with your content as soon as it goes live, the algorithm understands that it’s high-value and helps push it further thus helping you reach your target audience . All of this takes you a few steps closer to going viral on YouTube.

This video, for example, is the type that’d get instant engagement. No wonder, it has 42.3k+ views: 

So what’s different about it?

• It starts with an emotionally engaging hook. The video opens with someone putting a smelling salt in front of another person and they react immediately to it. The real reaction instantly engages viewers, making them wonder what the video is about, so they continue watching.
• The intro to the company and video is succinct. Where most brands go wrong is that they go on and on about their company in the videos they create. In this video though, the presenters introduce Best Price Nutrition in only a few seconds after showing a few clips of what’s covered in the video (read: after setting the stage). The video then proceeds into the meat of the matter, testing a new product.

4. Tap into subject matter expertise and distribute your video

“First, we brought in an expert to help with the content of our video. He was one of most knowledgeable for the topic we were talking about,” notes Jeff Moriarty from Moriarty’s Gem Art talking about how they made their video go viral on YouTube.

This video that Moriarty talks about has over 6 million views:

Here are a few factors that help its virality besides featuring an expert:

• It uses engaging music to hold viewers’ attention . And instead of interrupting the viewing experience with a narrator’s voice, the video features easy-to-read subtitle text to educate about the gem being faceted.
• It shows behind-the-scenes content. This type of content is always interesting to watch since it shows viewers how things are done, which taps into their curiosity to encourage them to continue watching.

Yet another factor that Moriarty attributed to the success of this video — content distribution.

“We shared the video on Reddit under sub Reddits that were related to the video we created.”

In short, know where your audience is then share your YouTube videos on those platforms to get the content right in front of them.

Related : 23 Content Distribution Tips & Channels For Increasing Website Traffic

5. Leverage trends to create more viral videos

“The clients I work with have videos that go viral when they create content that hits right as a trend is on the rise,” observes Branch & Bramble’s Sarah Walsh.

“Trend forecasting, as well as understanding what your audience is looking for by doing long-tail keyword research, helps YouTube creators attract their audience and appear at the top of search results.”

You’ll also want to spend some time on the platform and study viral videos. Eventually, you’ll start identifying trends. But there’s one thing you need to bear in mind for this: identifying and forecasting trends takes work. So you should be ready to put in some work before you start seeing results.

6. Tap into creating engaging bite-sized video content

“I made a Short video for YouTube, landing right on the boosted algorithm and using some high-ranking marketing keywords, the video was set viral,” shares Simon Brisk of Click Intelligence .

“This year is all about short video clips,” Brisk notes. “TikTok has given other social media sites a run for their money which is why all of them are now giving a tough competition to the short-video platform. YouTube has introduced YouTube shorts as it’s short video feature and the algorithm is heavily promoting them.”

Meaning: this is your chance to shine as the platform is paying lots of attention to the feature.

“Longer videos are currently in the rest-mode on YouTube’s priority list, so if you want to make your YouTube video go viral, make YouTube Shorts,” Brisk suggests.  

“Accompany them with high trending hashtags and add SEO-based researched keywords in the description. These practices help promote the video higher in the algorithm list, and your YouTube video trends.”

You’ll also want to study what makes short videos successful — not just on YouTube but also on TikTok. The reason: studying these videos will help you understand human psychology. This will help you better videos on the whole. Plus, since these videos are short, you can study several at a time. However, note that lengthy videos can also be distilled into shorter ones by making use of a YouTube video summarizer for your personal knowledge or study.

Related : Best Short Video Apps: When to Choose TikTok, Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts

7. Create an enticing video thumbnail

A thumbnail is your video’s featured image. If it’s engaging enough, it encourages viewers to click to watch your video.

Kris Bilski from Astor Film Productions talks about its importance in creating viral YouTube videos. “As a video production agency, we get businesses contacting us every week looking to create viral video campaigns, and there is no ‘One shoe fits all’ when it comes to being successful.

However, that being said there are certain things that we do to help to increase the likelihood of this happening, and we aren’t the only ones doing it, in fact it can be seen by all of the largest YouTubers.

Firstly, you need to pick a thumbnail that is engaging and aimed towards your target audience, something that media giant Netflix has recently picked up on.”

“Netflix has begun changing the thumbnail it uses for various productions tailored towards the user and their preferences, such as more colors and silly faces for a younger audience,” Bilski explains.

“Once you have passed this step we need to focus on engagement, or more importantly watch time. By adding many focus points early on in the video we manage to keep your audience interested and therefore encourage YouTube to show this video to other people, couple this with an emotional attachment and we’re on to a winner!”

Two more tips to improve your video’s watch time:

• Add subtitles to your videos. This makes them accessible to different people — for instance, those who are hard of hearing and those who prefer consuming videos on their phone, on mute.
• Arrange videos in your playlists. Put together videos related to a topic in a playlist and add them as ‘watch next’ suggestions for viewers. This helps you keep viewers on your channel, boosting its credibility.

Related : Improve YouTube Click-Through Rate (CTR) and Grow Your Channel with These 11 Pro Tips

8. Look for inspiration outside of your niche

Lastly, this one’s a hat tip to Jess Percival from Exposure Ninja .

“At Exposure Ninja, we’ve taken the time to study viral creators like Mr. Beast to understand why people click on his videos, why they keep watching, and what he does to make his videos go viral,” Percival shares.

“We’ve then adapted some of these approaches to fit our business and video topics. As a result, our thumbnails and titles have improved, as well as the pacing of our videos.”

“Start now. You can start with just your phone camera and a free editing software. There are plenty of YouTube channels that can help you get started. Our favorites are VidIQ and Filmbooth. You can’t build the skills or confidence if you don’t start.”

To add, Percival advises, “Your videos should always be entertaining. You don’t have to shout into the camera and wave your hands about, but if you’re doing a product demo in a monotone voice then it’s going to be difficult to get people to stick around.”

Most of all, “Bring your passion for your business into your videos and use typography and graphics to add more visual interest to the videos.”

Not to forget, use keyword research to your benefit. Search for terms in the YouTube search box, for example, to see which videos are ranking and how they’ve used the keyword. Also, watch those high-ranking videos on a given keyword to identify an angle that’ll help your video go viral on the same topic.

As Percival puts it, “Make videos that people will search for. It’s unlikely that people will be searching for your brand name right away. They’ll be searching for advice, how-tos, and interesting content. If you’re already creating helpful blog content, you can use that as a ‘script’ for your video.”

Related : 18 Tips for Writing YouTube Video Titles That Drive Views

Monitor the Performance of Your YouTube Channel in One Place

In a nutshell, there’s a lot that goes into making videos viral.

From creating engaging hooks, video titles, and video thumbnails to ensuring you’re touching on trending or controversial topics, there are several factors that can give your videos a viral edge.

But it all boils down to being consistent. Because it is what helps you:

• Improve your skill
• Understand your audience
• Set audience expectations and retain them

One another can’t-miss recommendation for you: take the time to reflect on your videos’ performance. Watch your video analytics — review how long it takes a video to pick up, potential reasons behind its failure or success, study how long people watch your video, etc.

And the best way to study your YouTube analytics in one place? Create a Databox dashboard. Our dashboards feature all essential video metrics, such as impressions, watch time, views, comments, and more.

By using a Databox dashboard, you wouldn’t need to go from video to video to check analytics. Instead, you get them all in one place and in a visually engaging, easy-to-read manner.

Plus, you can also easily track your performance over a specified period and display data in the type of graph you prefer since the dashboards are fully customizable.

The best part? Creating dashboards with Databox is super simple. You only need to plug in your YouTube channel with the software and it’ll pull together a dashboard where you can select the metrics you want to see on the screen.

Hard to believe? Try Databox for free today and see for yourself.

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How to Go Viral on YouTube: Lessons from 37.6 Million Views

We're sharing our hard-earned insights about how to go viral on YouTube as a brand account, with examples from our own channel.

There’s a lot of advice out there about how to go viral on YouTube. Some of it’s even good advice. But it's mostly tailored to individual creators—there’s not much advice about what makes a good viral video for brand accounts. 

Today, we’re looking at Kapwing's brand account on YouTube to share our insights into what makes good viral content. We’ll share lessons learned from going viral * on YouTube ourselves and examples of some of our best (and worst) performing videos.

* We’re using “viral” in a brand context here. As you'll see, it’s all relative.

7 tips for making a viral YouTube video (from our experience)

Lesson #1: Create the first, best video on a rising topic

One way to get traffic to your YouTube videos is by moving quickly on topics with growth potential. 

That’s not the same as trend hopping, or jumping on a trending topic just to get the temporary boost in views. Trend hopping can work but you run the risk of building an archive of videos that only see “spiky” performance with no ability to grow views over time.

Worse yet, your audience may be as fleeting as the trend.

When you chase trends too often, do you really have an audience or do you just have views?

The better approach is to be the best video on a topic and be the first to do the topic justice. You don’t have to be the first video ever on the topic, as that’s unrealistic. But you should aim to be the first video to truly give people what they want. As a corollary, if you can't find a satisfying video on a topic during your own search, that's a great sign to make the video yourself.

Some of our most popular videos still accrue views to this day because they cover evergreen topics, but they only earned their initial traction by being early to market before there were hundreds of other great videos on the same topic.

Some things to look for when evaluating a video topic for growth potential:

• Does a good, in-depth, up-to-date video about this topic already exist? A quick search on YouTube should answer this question for you.
• Is this topic relevant to your channel goals? Not every video on your channel has to be about your product (in fact, they really shouldn’t all just be product ads and demos). But, the topic should be of interest to your target audience. Industry news, educational content, and related tech reviews are examples of topics that could be worth pursuing.
• Does this have the potential to get big? This question is more of a gut check. Have you seen people talking about this elsewhere online? Has it come up in Slack channels you’re in or on your LinkedIn feed? These are all signs of "pent-up demand," i.e., people really struggling with this challenge and desperately want a solution.

Lesson #2: Target YouTube search to go "slow viral"

Tutorial content performs well for us in terms of views, but it’s often a slow build rather than a rapid takeoff. The videos continue to acquire views over time because they get enough early traction to rank in YouTube search. We target search terms related to the video and the long-term payoff from this approach is significant.

Of course, having a video blow up overnight would be great, but it’s hard to go viral from YouTube’s “Recommended” tab alone and far less consistent. Focusing only on quick wins carries more risk with (arguably) less total upside.

Instead, we recommend search-focused topics. This is the best approach for brands to take and can lead to going “slow viral”—building views over time that contribute to your overall channel growth, instead of just one video’s success.

Trying to go slow viral on search is usually a numbers and consistency game where you pick out all the most useful topics your potential customers might search for on YouTube and try to meet them during their search. Much how you would do with traditional SEO when trying to catch people during their Google searches.

Another way “Views from YouTube search” is similar to traditional Google search: they compound over time. If you’ve done your keyword research correctly, your search-focused videos will grow passively. And when you have many dozens of videos earning views over long periods, that's how you can grow your reach, subscribers, and view totals without landing on a viral video each month.

Lesson #3: Don't stop experimenting with formats and topics

Looking at which videos and approaches worked best for our YouTube channel (examples below), things may seem obvious in retrospect. But we had to draw these conclusions through hard-won experience and lots of experiments. 

If you’re not frequently experimenting with video formats and topics, it’s extremely hard—even for experienced content creators—to predict what's definitely going to go viral on YouTube. You may have a hunch, but running many experiments gives you the data to back up your instincts.

Even experienced content creators find it (almost) impossible to predict what's going to go viral. You have to experiment.

And doing the experimenting yourself is pretty key. What works on YouTube varies widely from channel to channel and industry to industry, so what rocketed someone else to success might result in only flops for you. You need to be able to draw conclusions from your own experience and data.

Frankly, some commonly-heard advice on going viral didn't work for us, while ideas people rarely talk about performed extremely well. Experimenting with different video ideas , thumbnails, titles, hooks, and formatting were the only way to learn what truly worked.

Try our AI YouTube Shorts Generator to automatically get multiple YouTube Shorts with different topics to experiment what works best for your channel.

Lesson #4: Thumbnails and titles matter, but must match the video

Our tutorial videos do incredibly well with simple thumbnails that help reinforce what we're helping someone solve. No shocked face (😱) needed to drive clicks; in fact, this probably would hurt performance. 

Thumbnails with over-the-top visuals or faces wouldn't match a typical viewer's experience when discovering a tutorial video. They’re running a search with a problem already in mind and are looking for answers, not sensationalism and clickbait.

More straightforward titles also seem to help with discoverability in YouTube search. You should strike a balance between being clear and being interesting, rather than just going for intrigue. Titles like that are better suited to videos that most earn views from Recommended.

That said, for videos where we didn't target a deliberate keyword, it was clear looking back that many of our flops lacked the intrigue needed to earn a click when a viewer wasn't actively searching for something. These types of videos will likely be shown to viewers with similar interests (thanks, algorithm 🙏), but you don't know the viewer's state of mind, so creating a really strong sense of curiosity— “I must know what's in this video” —is the only way to earn their attention.

Lesson #5: Obsess over your click-through rate

It’s easy to get caught up in looking at watch time and viewer retention when measuring a video’s success on YouTube. And while these are undeniably important metrics, it's interesting to note some of our flops have higher view durations than our most popular videos.

So, what's another leading indicator of success, then? Look at your click-through rate.

The most common area where popular videos over-performed was CTR. Our less popular videos have CTRs around 1-2%, whereas our hits are between 10-20%.

CTR is undeniably affected by a video's overall popularity—highly-viewed videos are recommended more often—but your video's ability to earn the click wherever it's seen is a strong indicator that it will continue on its growth trajectory. At least, so long as the topic stays relevant.

Lesson #6: Master the art of repeated hooks

Regardless of video type, we've learned you have less time than you think to keep someone engaged. The first 5-10 seconds are critical and their sole purpose is to keep someone watching for the next minute. The data doesn't lie: You really don't have much time to earn a viewer's attention.

That said, just because you’ve got a killer intro doesn’t mean your work is done. You need to re-earn people’s attention throughout the video if it’s longer than just a few minutes. Some of our flops highlight what happens when you don’t do this—people drop off before the content gets to some of its best moments.

"Repeat hooks" are little moments in the middle of your video where you incentivize viewers to stick around. It can be as simple as mentioning or previewing something you'll reveal later in the video, just so the viewer knows it's coming and anticipates it.

Some examples of repeat hooks to add to your videos:

• The “But first…” Verbally hint at something you’ll reveal later in the video, “but first” you have to explain, show, or share something else.
• The open loop. Ask a question that you promise to answer later in the video.
• The teaser. Show a quick preview of something that you’ll reveal in more detail later in the video. For example, if you’re filming a tutorial, this could be a shot of the final product.
• The reminder. Remind viewers of the value they’ll get out of your video by sticking around and watching the whole thing.

Lesson #7: Remember "viral" is relative

We’ve been throwing the word viral around a lot, but it’s important to remember that “viral” is relative. Something that’s viral to a brand account like ours would hardly scratch the surface of the word for a big creator with over 5M subscribers.

Virality is also dependent on the kind of video you're making, too. Videos that are deeply connected to your product don't need to go mega-viral to have a significant impact on your business. In fact, the closer a video is to your product the less "viral" it needs to go in order to create impact—at least, usually.

The closer a video is to your product, the less "viral" it needs to go.

We've had Kapwing tutorials that earned fewer than 100k views create more measurable business impact than other videos with five times the views. It's all relative.

So don't set virality as a universal goal. Pair the content of the video to the goal of the video and use a metric that makes the most sense to track performance. When some version of "reach" truly is your goal, virality and views are perfectly fine measures.

Viral YouTube examples: Wins and sins from our channel

We learned these lessons through trial and error, so we feel it’s only fair to share some of what that process looked like. Now, we’ll share both our viral hits as well as our total flops, complete with a breakdown of some of our YouTube stats .

Let’s use the "Wins" and "Sins" format to reflect on what went well and where we swung and missed. 

Win #1: How to Make and Sell an NFT (Crypto Art Tutorial)

This video about how to make and sell an NFT key did a lot toward putting our YouTube channel on the map. We were one of the first channels to cover how to create an NFT, which helped us capture that early traffic on a topic that a lot of people were hyper interested in.

What went well:

• This video alone has contributed to over 1/4 of our total subscriber count.
• The high view count and higher view duration helped drive traffic to our other videos, tipping off YouTube’s algorithm to recommend our content, at least initially.

What could be better:

• The topic isn’t really in line with what our product is used for, which means this video isn’t a great fit for attracting users who are most likely to try Kapwing.
• Given that lack of fit, these viewers largely became inactive and don’t continue to contribute to average views gained on new videos. It was a nice kickstart, but the long-term value of this video is lessened for this reason.

YouTube analytics at a glance:

• Nearly 4.4M views since publication
• 4:00 average view duration
• 38% average percentage viewed

Win #2: How to Make Any Video Sound Your Alarm or Ringtone

This is more of an example of a video of ours that went “slow viral” and has continued to perform well over time. 63% of the traffic comes from YouTube search, which tends to be the case for most of our top performing videos. Search-focused topics perform better and have more sticking power on our channel.

• Our highest viewed video on our channel that continues to earn views for us. If you look at the above graph compared to the NFT video, you’ll see the growth in views hasn't stalled at all.
• The topic is also somewhat more of a product fit—people use Kapwing's Video Converter to transform video and audio files into many different formats.
• Not only does this video have one of the highest click-through rates on our channel, we can trace back a lot of new accounts to this video.
• While this video earned a lot of new signups, it didn’t necessarily net us as many best-fit users because it targets a general audience, rather than marketing and video creation professionals, who are looking to solve business-oriented problems.
• Over 5.4M views since publication
• 1:31 average view duration
• 28% average percentage viewed

Win #3: Kapwing Tutorial: How to Use the Kapwing Video Editor in 2024

This is another slow-growing video but one that can be traced back to a meaningful number of signups for our product. A full product tutorial like this is probably something worth doing every year to capture demand from new users and make sure the information circulating about your product is up to date.

• This video isn’t quite “viral” in the traditional sense, but it’s a really successful example of a full product tutorial that is helpful for users.
• There’s an obvious product fit here—it’s a complete tutorial about our flagship video editor and key features.
• About 25% of the views to this tutorial come from external sources because we’ve embedded this video across our website and blog, where it would be most useful to visitors.
• This is a pretty high-effort project; the video is about 20 minutes long and covers a wide breadth of the tools in our product.
• Because we’ve already published Kapwing tutorials, we are competing against our own content with topics like this. You (still) can’t update videos on YouTube, so we felt pretty strongly about publishing the new video anyway, since our product has improved so much.
• 71K views since publication
• 2:36 average view
• 12% average percentage viewed

Win #4: How to Resize Videos for YouTube Shorts

Simple editing tasks can be useful when new platforms or techniques arise.

• We jumped on this topic early, publishing this video shortly after YouTube Shorts were first introduced. That netted us an early bump in traffic and still results in consistent traffic now.
• This topic sits neatly at the intersection of relevant to our product, timely, and evergreen.
• The thumbnail and title are both simple, straightforward, and well-suited to a search-focused topic (over 70% of the traffic to this video comes from YouTube search).
• The traffic to this video leveling off a bit. Resizing videos for Shorts was a more novel topic back then, and nowadays video creators have access to tools like Repurpose Studio and others and have built a standard workflow for doing this task, so a tutorial might not be needed as much.
• 548k views since publication
• 1:21 average view
• 25% average percentage viewed

Win #5: How to Use Text to Speech on TikTok

Another platform-specific tutorial. We’ve had a lot of success with these topics, especially when we move on them early. This video also serves as an example of why you can't always wait for topics to display high or consistent search volumes—we picked up on this topic as it started becoming more popular on TikTok itself, before keyword tools began to notice.

• Even though this topic isn’t a 1:1 product fit, there is still a fit. We give an alternative to TikTok text-to-speech by using Kapwing.
• This video delivers what the viewer is searching for and also presents a related use case that they might not have even known they wanted.
• Similar to the YouTube Shorts tutorial, the growth on this video tapered off pretty naturally. The TikTok text-to-speech UI has changed a lot in the last few years and this video is no longer the most up-to-date resource.
• 1.5M views since publication
• 1:19 average view 
• 39% average percentage viewed

Now for some videos that didn’t get such a hot reception.

Sin #1: Here’s How to Make Your Vlogs Actually Good

This video was an attempt at a different style, more of an opinion piece than a tutorial. It was a fun video to film and we’re proud of the final product, but the search fit just wasn’t there. 

• Experimenting with form and content is always a good idea, and this was definitely an experiment! We enjoyed filming it and feel that the quality is high—insightful content with lots of visually interesting B-roll from around New York.
• The video itself is easy to follow. It has a structured agenda, which is helpful when the title doesn’t spell out for you what to expect (e.g., “5 Tips for Better Vlogging”).
• We didn’t do enough keyword research around the topic to nail down how people were searching for this subject on YouTube.
• The thumbnail and title are both pretty vague. We chose “How to Make Your Vlogs Actually Good” as the title because it’s a little cheeky and sometimes that can get clicks, but something more straightforward and search-friendly like “5 Essential Tips for Vlogging” would likely have worked better.
• The topic itself might be too broad. Instead of including tips about gear, story arc, and filming all in one video, this might have made a good series, going into depth on each topic and really nailing the search terms for each.
• 1k views since publication
• 1:47 average view duration
• 27% average percentage viewed

Sin #2: How Few Views Do You Need to be a Full-Time YouTuber

This video tackled a topic we felt was relevant to our viewers and features an interview with a subject matter expert, but it didn’t get much traction.

• The interview with our guest, Creator Wizard, was interesting and broached a topic we felt was undercovered and relevant to creators. 
• Average view duration for this video is pretty good for our channel.
• The engagement with this video was decent, which means the topic and the content resonated, but there just wasn’t enough reach.
• We lost a lot of viewers due to a slow intro. Instead of spending so long on “What is a living wage” and doing calculations, it would have been better to jump right into the interview with Creator Wizard.
• There wasn’t enough search volume or initial traction to push this video into the Recommended section, and without a strong keyword to surface in search results, there wasn’t really anything to drive people to the video.

YouTube analytics at a glance: 

• 3:30 average view duration
• 35% average percentage viewed

Sin #3: What a Creator with 15 Million Followers Can Teach You About Social Media Success ft. Cowbelly

This is another creator interview with more of a case study format that saw slightly better results but still didn’t reach the audience we were hoping for.

• The interview itself is great and packed with lots of insightful info about Cowbelly’s online community and business model.
• This is another example of a video that didn’t attract search traffic but also didn’t perform well enough to get recommended. Notice a trend?
• The title is probably too long and doesn’t target any one specific search term.
• We were hoping for crossover traffic from Cowbelly’s audience or name recognition in search to help with click-through, but even though he’s got 15M followers, he’s not really a household name so this bet didn’t pay off.
• 3k views since publication
• 1:43 average view duration
• 21% average percentage viewed

Experiment to find your own best viral tactics

These lessons and examples are meant to give you a jumping off point to support your own YouTube growth journey. But this isn’t an exact roadmap because what worked for us may not work for your channel.

In fact, through our own efforts, we learned that a lot of the conventional advice for going viral simply didn’t work for our brand channel. Try some things that seem counterintuitive, like going "slow viral" and focusing on views over time instead of overnight success.

Our best advice: keep experimenting on YouTube until you find what works for you.

Check out the latest episode of our podcast to get more YouTube insights from our team. 👇

How to Add Subtitles to Any YouTube Video with These 4 Methods

How to Automatically Add Captions to YouTube Shorts

How to Transcribe a YouTube Video: A Step-by-Step Guide

Real People - Real Growth - Google & META Marketing Partner 2024

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The 5 Elements of a Viral Video: How to Create Content That Goes viral

YouTube 08/10/2022 5 minute read

In order to create a video that goes viral, you need to focus on the five elements of a viral video. These are: emotion, resonance, participation, simplicity, and shareability. If you can create a video that hits on all of these points, you're sure to see some serious success!

The first element is emotion

A video that elicits an emotional response from viewers is more likely to be shared than one that doesn't. This could be anything from laughter to tears, but the important thing is that your video makes people feel something.

When it comes to creating a viral video, emotion is key. Viewers are much more likely to share a video that makes them laugh or cry than one that doesn't evoke any kind of reaction. So, if you want your video to be successful, make sure that it hits viewers in the feels!

For example, if you're creating a video about animal rescue, focus on the emotional pull of the story. Show viewers the before and after shots of the animals that have been saved, and make sure to include some heartwarming moments in the video. This will tug at viewers' heartstrings and make them want to share your video with others.

The second element is resonance

A video that resonates with viewers is one that they can relate to on a personal level. This could be a video about a topic that is relevant to their lives or something that speaks to them on a deeper level. If your video can connect with viewers on this level, they will be more likely to share it with others.

When it comes to resonance, it's all about connecting with viewers on a personal level. If your video can do that, they'll be more likely to want to share it with their friends and family.

For example, if you're creating a video about the importance of recycling, focus on how it impacts viewers on a personal level. Show them how recycling can help save the environment and make their community a better place to live.

The third element is participation

A video that encourages participation from viewers is more likely to go viral than one that doesn't. This could be anything from asking viewers to share their own stories to inviting them to take part in a challenge. The more you can get viewers involved, the better!

If you want your video to go viral, make sure that it encourages participation from viewers. The more they feel like they're a part of the video, the more likely they are to share it with others.

For example, if you're creating a video about a new product, ask viewers to share their own experiences with the product. This will make them feel like they're a part of the video and more likely to want to share it with their friends.

The fourth element is simplicity

A video that is easy to understand and digest is more likely to be shared than one that isn't. This means keeping your video short and to the point. If you can make your point in a minute or less, you're more likely to see success!

When it comes to simplicity, shorter is always better. Viewers are much more likely to watch and share a video that is short and to the point. So, if you want your video to be successful, make sure that it is easy to understand and doesn't drag on for too long.

For example, if you're creating a video about how to use a new piece of software, focus on one specific feature and show viewers how to use it. Don't try to cover too much ground in your video, or you'll risk losing viewers' attention.

The fifth and final element is shareability

A video that is easy to share with others is more likely to go viral than one that isn't. This means ensuring that your video has social media sharing buttons so that viewers can easily post it on their own profiles. You should also include a call to action at the end of your video, asking viewers to share it with their friends!

If you want your video to go viral, make sure that it is easy for viewers to share with their friends and family. The more people that see your video, the more likely it is to be shared, and the more views you'll get!

Want to learn more about viral videos? Read our article: 5 Youtube trends to go viral in 2022 here .

Are you ready to take your Youtube channel to the next level?

If you want to create a video that goes viral, it's important to focus on all five of these elements. By making sure your video hits on all of these points, you're sure to see some serious success! Keep in mind that it takes time and effort to create a successful video, so don't give up if your first attempt doesn't go viral. Just keep working at it and you'll eventually achieve the desired results.

If you own a Youtube channel but you need more views, likes, comments or subscribers on your Youtube channel, visit our website (www.socialgrowthengine.com) and check out our Youtube services. We offer the most competitive prices in the market and boost your Youtube videos in as little as 48 hours! Contact us today to get started!

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How to Make a Viral Video: 9 Best Practices

Ever wondered what makes a video go “viral”? What gives the video that oomph? 

Everyone wants to create a viral video but it isn’t a walk in the park. The difference between creating a good and a great video is the amount of time, thought and effort put into its production.

Effective planning and execution shape the path to what one might consider success.

First of all, why create a video you ask? 

Simple. Trend. 

Statistics show that 68% of consumers prefer to watch video content to learn about a new product or service. Oof.

Without wasting any more time, let’s get into what you came here for. In this article, we’re going to show you just what to do to make your video go viral. 

How to make your video go viral

Now we get to the main part. While making a video, your timing, research, and effort add up to about 95% of the job. The other 5% is luck. 

There is no clear-cut formula as such, but these tips will surely help your video achieve virality. It is a mixture of ingredients that will prove useful in the making of a viral video.

In the end, it all comes down to how you use these ingredients to create a masterpiece.

1. Know your audience

This is by far the most important factor here because the right audience is a huge benefactor.

Researching extensively and locating your target audience makes planning the content easier and improves engagement. 

What kind of crowd is your content aimed towards? When and how often are they online? Which platform is most used by them? Answering these will help in reaching the right audience.

Knowing their interests and the most widely used social platform makes sure the video shows up right where the eyes are pointed at. You have shown the right audience just what they’d be interested in.

These viewers will then do the natural and share the video, considering your video is appealing enough to them.

This will, in turn, pave the way for a broader audience, and again, that is the plan! 

2. Tell a story

Stop for a moment and think about your favorite advertisements. What about it has made you feel this way? That’s right. The story.

Storytelling is one of the most effective ways to deliver a message to the crowd. It helps them relate to your content and keeps them coming back for more. Make it worth their time rather than showing them a boring video of what you’re trying to convey directly.

I mean, who doesn’t like a good story right!

3. Hook viewers in the first few seconds

One thing to keep in mind is the attention span of people in today’s world, so be sure to grab attention when it starts. 

You will most probably lose half your viewers after minute one, so it’s best to keep your most important and fascinating content at the beginning.

4. Provide value

What gives your video the upper hand is the message and value it provides to the viewers. 

Was it worth their time? Did it help them in any way? What did they gain from your video? These are questions you should answer before making the video.

Be inspirational. Stories that inspire or invoke an emotion provide more appeal to a viewer. More appeal means more shares which means it’s a viral video before you know it. Voila. 

As Zina Magomet from Greater Minds said, “go with an attitude to give, rather than an attitude to get”. At the end of the day, it’s what you’ve given the audience that counts. 

5. Good marketing and promotional strategies:

If you think simply uploading the video is enough, you’re wrong! Go the extra mile in setting up solid strategies to keep the reach going. 

How do you ask? Let’s look into it these actionable tips that will prove helpful. 

• The headline must be click-worthy. It needs to be powerful yet simple enough to let the audience know what the video is about. In addition, make sure the headline, along with the description, include the relevant keywords so that your video reaches the right people.
• Using relevant hashtags, search tags, and tagging the right people on social media, get your video to the right eyeballs by narrowing the audience to your niche. It is these people who will further help in maximizing reach by sharing your content. After all, the more, the merrier. That is the plan. 
• Adding captions to your video boosts your content’s accessibility and watch time, so don’t forget to add them. 
• A catchy and interesting thumbnail gets the viewer curious. Play on their curiosity. Try to make the thumbnail capture the video’s essence. Simply put, it has to demand a click. 

6. Keep up with current trends

Keeping up with the current trends and knowing what resonates with the audience is vital for your video to jump to virality. 

People tend to latch onto topics that they are currently following, and having content that is trending at the moment will increase the chances of viewers sharing the video.

Take the Bottle Cap challenge for instance. 

It was started by Taekwondo instructor and fighter Farabi Davletchin on June 25 this year. It went viral, however, after martial artist Max Holloway tried it and then challenged other celebrities like John Mayer and Jason Statham. 

This calling out soon became a chain, reaching almost all parts of the world and before we knew it, it was viral.

How could you use this to hook the audience to your video? You could, for example, make a company culture video in which there are instances of your employees or colleagues taking part in such a challenge.

Deliver the right message to the right people at the right time. That is key.  

7. Focus on a single message

Focussing on one message in the shortest way possible works wonders, especially for a soon-to-be viral video.

Before you start, define the purpose and focus on getting that message effectively to the audience. Get to the point.

Too many topics would be confusing and will make the video longer, two paths that you must avoid. 

8. Optimize for mobile

Social sharing should be of utmost concern. What does it mean? It means, takes into consideration the platforms and devices your audience is using. 

A 2018 statistics report said that mobiles accounted for 75% of online video views. Taking this into account, it is wise to conclude that mobile-optimized videos are very crucial for the success of the video.

9. Be unique and engaging

Do NOT make the video boring and cliché. If you want a viral video, you need to stand out.

People love to be entertained as they gain new information. This being said, make the video engaging. It has to glue their attention. 

Be unique. Duh! Everyone likes something different. Don’t try to be some other successful figure. Be your own successful figure. 

Do something unexpected. Think outside the box. It could be bizarre, but if it gets the crowd turning, why would you complain! 

Remember, any publicity is good publicity, so knock yourself out. Just don’t overdo it.

Now that you know what goes into making a viral video, check out these 5 videos to gain inspiration from.

5 Great Branded Viral Videos:

Here are 5 brilliant examples of viral videos on YouTube, and if you look carefully, you’ll see why.

1. Dollar Shave Club - Our Blades Are F***ing Great

Watch this video! You’ll understand how they reached 26 million views. 

This is probably the best example of a great viral video. It is informative, clever, highlights the business and most of all is absolutely hilarious.

DSC attracts the audience and glues them to their screen from start to finish and appeals to their target audience without an over-imposing brand image AND a reasonable price-tag. Boom! It’s the perfect recipe.

2. Volvo - Moments

"Sometimes the moments that never happened, matter the most.''

This is the note that Volvo ends their video on for the Volvo XC60. 

It is a heartfelt video of a conversation between a mother and her daughter, who tries to imagine her whole life as she leaves for her first day of school. 

As she steps out on the road, however, a woman in her new XC60 almost runs her over. Fortunately, the automated-braking system in the model prevents the collision, highlighting Volvo’s key feature - “The Safest Car in the World”. 

The video piques interest by tugging on emotions with the thought-provoking story. It is also a testimony to road safety and tries to convey the beauty of an accident-free world.

3. Canadian Tire - Wheels

The 60-second video shows a group of kids who make a change to allow their new neighbor, a boy in a wheelchair, to play basketball alongside them.

This video was a campaign for the 2017 summer Olympics, and boy did it work! It incorporated a beautiful and touching story that hit people right where it should. 

4. Honey Maid - Love

Here’s how to make the best out of a bad situation. Honey Maid did it right.

With over 4 million views, this is a product of the negativity that arose from their previous campaign, “This Is Wholesome” that celebrates all families. All.

Long story short, not many people agreed with them. So what did they do?

They took all the negative remarks printed, got two artists, and asked them to do their thing and come up with something creative. 

They created something powerful using one emotion that was important for every family - love. It worked!

5. Always - Like a Girl

Always’ main target audiences are girls and women. This video creates an immense emotional impact that all girls connect with. 

It focuses on the phrase “like a girl” and its negative connotation in the world today. Featuring boys and girls, adults and children alike, this video goes on to show that it should be positive by encouraging people to rewrite the rules. 

It’s beautiful. It’s engaging.

Did you notice these viral videos carefully? They all have a strong message in the form of a stronger video, all less than five minutes. It’s a mixture of the ingredients in the right amount, and it’s all done in their own unique ways. 

Effective, isn’t it? Yup, and for good reason too.

Now that you have the right idea, go ahead and try it yourself. Got one done? Go ahead and make some more. NEVER stop at one. Keep going.

Still feeling a little lost? Do not worry. Reach out to us and we’ll be more than happy to help.

Saandra is a creative content writer at Studiotale. She is a logophile and a fanatic of word games. When she isn't writing for us, she can be found dancing Bharatnatyam or watching a good Malayalam movie.

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How to create a social media viral video

Written by by Carly Hill

Published on  October 6, 2022

Reading time  14 minutes

If you’re a social media marketer, chances are you’ve been asked, “but how do we go viral?” at least once. Most marketers undoubtedly want the audience growth and attention that comes from achieving a social media viral video. In fact, it’s the dream of many social media managers.

But they also know that there’s no one formula to attracting viral success. And keep in mind: going viral is a bonus—not a strategy, and certainly not a reliable solution for slow channels. Video virality is short-lived, and so is the benefit that comes from it.

That said, understanding some of the common elements of viral videos can make your content more discoverable and engaging, increasing your chances of going viral.

In this guide, we collect expert tips from Sprout’s video and social teams so you can learn the theory behind ‘going viral’, how to make a viral video and what to do when it happens. Let’s dive in.

What makes a social media viral video?

Let’s start with the basics. What do we mean when we say social media viral video?

It’s called “ going viral ” when a piece of content really takes off on social media and reaches a large audience very quickly by receiving an unusual amount of shares and exposure. Whether it’s a tweet or an Instagram Reel, many different types of content can go viral.

How many views does a video need to be considered viral?

There’s no one number of views that signals a video has become viral. And what “viral” means has changed over time.

For example, in 2015 one million views was considered viral, according to Animoto . But now, with increased social media usage, one million is on the low end. And when it comes to TikTok specifically, Digital Marketing Institute defines 250,000 views as mildly viral, one million as medium viral and 5 million views within 3-7 days as officially TikTok-viral.

The psychology of what makes a video viral on social media

The answer to what makes a video viral in the first place is a bit like the holy grail for marketers. And yet, the answer comes down to simple psychology.

A lot of it comes back to emotion and social connection. According to  research about why people share content online , the top three motivations to share came down to bringing entertaining content and value to people, to help define ourselves and to grow relationships.

Think about it: what makes you watch a video and share it? Did it make you smile or laugh, like the “ It’s Corn” viral trend ? Were you inspired? Did a video outrage or surprise you?

A step-by-step guide on how to make a viral video on social

Videos can go viral on a variety of different platforms. But what goes into creating a viral video in the first place? And how can you ensure the largest audience possible sees your video content?

Sprout’s video team is well-versed in creating video content that reaches large audiences. Here are some of our expert tips that you can put towards your own video production and optimization.

1. Pinpoint your goals

Knowing you want something to go viral isn’t enough for a solid social media marketing strategy . You also need to know why you want your video to go viral.

Are you looking for brand awareness? Hoping to grow your online following? Or do you want to generate conversions?

Each purpose will require your team to create different videos for audience members at different stages of the funnel. Know your goals before you begin production.

2. Know your audience

If you don’t know anything about the people you’re targeting, your video will fall flat every time. To create a piece of content that will perform well with your target audience and beyond, you need to know what will resonate with them and make them want to share your video.

One way to understand your target audience is to create social media personas and an empathy map . These will give you insight into what will grab your audience’s attention and what they look for online.

3. Start with a brief

Plan everything out thoroughly and create a creative strategy brief and a storyboard. This will shed light on your actual goals, key messages, tone, length, distribution channel and more.

A good brief helps align messaging and a video’s overall purpose from the content team all the way to the video production team. This way all of your content will be cohesive and have the same overall vision, strengthening your brand. Here are a few sections your brief might include:

• Working title: This will help guide the overall concept.
• Description: What do you want your video to be about? What is its purpose?
• Key items to include: Are there specific points you need to hit in your video?
• Related content: What related content do you have that you can reference, or include?
• Competing content: Who are you competing with?
• Platforms: What platforms will this be shared on? What versions do you need for various platforms?
• Video format: Will this video be filmed vertically? Horizontally?
• Keywords: Especially important for platforms like YouTube that have an SEO-driven search element.
• Important hashtags/mentions to include: Important for trends and partnerships.
• Calls to action: Are you asking your audience to do something?

4. Start strong

Every good viral video grabs attention immediately. The best way to do this is by using the word “you” within the first five seconds of your video— research shows if your video uses language like “you” or “your” in the first few seconds, you get a higher retention rate.

Other ways to start your video for maximum results include:

• Create a plot twist or be unpredictable
• Create a “hook” at the beginning: ask a question, introduce a list etc.
• Make your content #relatable
• Engage your viewers’ emotions
• Incorporate attention-grabbing audio/music clips
• Forget about being promotional

5. Tell a story

Content is all about storytelling. As viral videos skew shorter, you want to tell a compelling story in a short amount of time, by choosing a universal context for your creative concept. For example, the context of “Monday Mood” is universal and doesn’t need much time to explain.

Play to tropes your audience knows so you can jump right in without much backstory. This is a great way to create relatable content your audience will enjoy and will want to share with friends and family. It’s also a great starting point to upend expectations and to grab attention.

How to increase video discoverability

Now that we’ve covered our team’s tips for creating viral videos, let’s talk about a few ways to increase video discoverability in general.

1. Create short, concise videos

Even if your video does have a gripping introduction that pulls a viewer in, you also have to keep their attention.

A social media viral video doesn’t necessarily have to be short—even TikTok increased their time limit per video to 10 minutes. But keeping yours short and sweet can help boost your viral reach in a few ways. A short video makes it more likely that a viewer will watch the whole video—something that some platforms like TikTok reward. Plus 60% of consumers  think short-form video is the most engaging type of in-feed content.

Take advantage of the format that viewers are most likely to watch, enjoy and share.

2. Add captions

Adding captions to your videos doesn’t only increase video accessibility, it also improves the user experience by allowing people to watch your videos even without having to turn the sound on.

Given that people often scroll through social media when they can’t have sound on, adding captions will help to reach more viewers who may watch and share your video.

3. Stay on top of trends

Keeping your finger on the pulse of what’s trending on social is one of your best shots at going viral. This is especially true for platforms like TikTok, where many trends are born. Plus, jumping on a trend while it’s starting to rise is a great way to be a trendsetter yourself.

Look for songs, trending hashtags , sounds and visuals that are on the up-and-up in your Reels feed, Twitter trending topics or TikTok For You page.

No matter what trend you jump on, the key is to put your own spin on it in the content you create. Check out how we adapted the “It’s corn” trend into a video that our audience could relate to:

@sproutsocial It’s corn. 💚 #cornsong #itscorn #socialmediamarketing #sociamediamanager #socialmediatips ♬ It’s Corn – Tariq & The Gregory Brothers & Recess Therapy

4. Write powerful copy

From your video title and description on YouTube to captions on TikTok, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, writing powerful, optimized copy is key.

Your copy helps explain what your video is about, piques curiosity and can help your content appear higher in search results. This doesn’t mean ALL CAPS, clickbait-y video titles that you often see on YouTube and in Facebook captions—it means spending some time writing quality copy that will increase views.

Especially when it comes to YouTube, video optimization is incredibly important to help maximize the potential reach of your video in search.

5. Use hashtags

Using hashtags is a popular strategy for increasing reach across many different social media platforms—especially on video platforms like YouTube and TikTok .

Using popular hashtags in your TikTok caption or YouTube video description can help an even wider audience find your video as they search for similar content. Be sure to only include hashtags that are relevant to your video, not just randomly chosen hashtags that are trending and popular on the platform.

6. Promote your video

Don’t simply publish your content and then wait with bated breath for it to be picked up.

Your own promotional strategy is step number one in starting to reach the audience that your intended viral video is meant to reach. Think about how you plan to market and publicize the platform(s) you initially published the video on.

One way to do this is by sharing your published video on other platforms. This can be as simple as linking to your video in a Facebook post or Tweet, for example. Or creating an Instagram Story featuring a video you posted on YouTube, Twitter or TikTok with a link to the video. This also helps you fill out your content calendar.

You can also share your content across channels by repurposing teasers of it on other platforms to encourage viewers to watch the entire thing. For example, if you initially share your video on YouTube ( like we did ), then you can cut down your video content into shorter previews to share on other channels, while encouraging viewers to head to YouTube to watch the entire video.

Post and reshare on platforms that your audience will be on to maximize chances that they see your video and share it with their own networks. Use data to find out which of your platforms have the most active and engaged audience. Using a tool like Sprout Social’s reporting and analytics makes it easy to see data from all of your platforms side-by-side.

7. Be consistent

Social media success doesn’t come from one post alone. Creating content that makes waves and building your audience is a long game.

Posting consistently is key when it comes to building your audience and creating successful videos. Experiment with different trends and content formats. And don’t be afraid to reuse content for different trends—one of the many tips you can get by rewatching our TikTok Bootcamp webinar  with Auntie Anne’s Social Media Manager, Bari Rosenstein.

On the one hand, this helps you pinpoint the type of content your audience likes. On the other, every video you post gets engagement that tells social platforms more about you and your content. Racking up this engagement on Instagram, for example, is a crucial signal to the platform that people enjoy your content, and it should be promoted organically.

Don’t get discouraged if your first video only gets a few views. You’re not going to go viral on your first attempt. Post consistently, build an audience, find out what they like and keep posting.

8. Join the conversation

It’s called “social” media for a reason—get your name out there by engaging with the communities you want to reach.

Brand conversations—that is, brands commenting on each others’ videos and engaging with each other—can create viral moments themselves in TikTok comments , for example.

Engage in the comments section of other brands’ content and create a relationship with them. Sometimes, coordinating this conversation with the social media manager of that brand can create extra social media magic.

Just remember—regardless of your brand persona , be respectful and mindful of what you say. You don’t want a fun joke or comment to lead to your brand getting canceled.

How to manage the madness of a social media viral video

So you went viral…now what? Racking up millions of views and potentially thousands of new followers is exciting.

But going viral can also mean thousands of messages in your inbox. Meaning important messages are more likely to get lost in the shuffle…unless you have a plan.

Here are a few tips for managing the madness of achieving viral status:

Stay on top of your inbox

It’s all too easy for hundreds or thousands of messages to build up in your inbox in the first few days or first week of a viral moment. Staying on top of incoming messages regularly is key to avoid being overwhelmed.

This can mean increasing how often you check your social inboxes. If you typically check three times a day, try checking your inbox once an hour to keep messages from piling up.

Also, consider extending your monitoring hours. You may usually monitor nine-to-five, but viral videos are on a 24/7 schedule. If a potential crisis bubbles up amid your viral moment, allowing it to snowball for 12 hours isn’t good for anyone.

Having one, centralized place to check incoming messages from all of your social media accounts is crucial during a viral moment to ensure nothing is missed and to streamline your work.

If you don’t have a monitoring tool , this is your sign to get one. In Sprout’s Smart Inbox , you can see and respond to messages across platforms, save top-priority messages, identify volume spikes, assign messages to teammates and more.

Start your free Sprout trial

Divide up the work

It’s one thing to say you should check your inbox more frequently.

It’s another to actually carve out the time to do so.

During a spike in messages, it helps to divide up the work—especially if you’re extending your monitoring hours past when they typically run.

Here are a few tips:

• Communicate with your customer care teams: If you have another team or other teammates monitoring social for you, or assisting, let them know that there’s a volume spike and communicate the need for more frequent checking.
• Create pre-written response templates: Create pre-written, customizable, ready-to-use templates for common questions, and to standardize brand responses. This is not just helpful during periods of higher workloads, but every day.
• Monitor in shifts after hours: If you’re extending your monitoring into post-work hours, divide up the work to prevent burning yourself or your team out.

If you’re realizing that you don’t have anyone else who can step in and monitor, now’s the time to start training backups to protect yourself from burnout .

Identify top-priority messages and accounts

You don’t want to miss a question from a customer. And you definitely don’t want to miss a comment that could spiral into a crisis.

Monitoring regularly is the first step to ensuring no important messages go unanswered. However, if you wake up to 10,000 messages in your inbox, that’s easier said than done. Using social listening can help you easily identify the overall sentiment of your incoming messages, and quickly find both positive and negative comments.

In Sprout’s Smart Inbox, you can do light listening by filtering messages with specific keywords and from specific accounts—especially important if you have specific influencers, or trolls, to watch out for.

Level up by using Sprout’s Social Listening tool to track how people feel about your brand and viral content, to find accounts talking about you with large followings and identify common words people use when talking about you.

Create a communication chain

Your social media crisis plan is a key tool to leverage during a viral moment—even if your viral post is met with soaring positive sentiment and comments.

Having a set chain of communication is a crucial way to make sure you can act fast. If a potential crisis is bubbling up, getting in front of it early can curb it.

Similarly, if something immensely positive happens—like a major influencer or celebrity engaging with your content—having a go-to team member at the ready ensures you can act fast.

Time is everything on social. Having a set team that you can have on-call while your content is viral saves you a runaround.

Continue the hype

Once the madness has calmed, find ways to extend your success and continue riding the viral wave.

When I was the social media manager at Shedd Aquarium, I managed the viral “penguin field trips” campaign.

The adventure continues! 🐧🐧 This morning, Edward and Annie explored Shedd’s rotunda. They are a bonded pair of rockhopper penguins, which means they are together for nesting season. Springtime is nesting season for penguins at Shedd, and this year is no different! (1/3) 👇 pic.twitter.com/VdxN3oQAfe — Shedd Aquarium (@shedd_aquarium) March 16, 2020

After the initial viral posts, we kept the campaign going by using the trend we started in fresh ways. We took the penguins on field trips to meet new animals.

Time for a polar field trip! 🐧🐳❄️ Penguins Tilly and near-yearling Carmen came face to face with beluga Kayavak. Not all penguins live in super cold regions. Magellanic penguins like Tilly and Carmen are temperate-weather birds. pic.twitter.com/oDZUL1NIG1 — Shedd Aquarium (@shedd_aquarium) March 29, 2020

We also experimented with taking different animals on field trips to new habitats, like this snake adventure that went slightly viral on TikTok.

We interrupt your #SharkWeek content for a #WorldSnakeDay field trip! Animal care specialists noticed this emerald tree boa's interest in looking at animals in different habitats, and started incorporating these excursions into his enrichment routine—just like the penguins! pic.twitter.com/g84QwvsMaL — Shedd Aquarium (@shedd_aquarium) July 16, 2021

Eventually, we took it a step even further by bringing the penguins to locations all over the city to explore.

What a day at the museum. Stay tuned for the next penguin adventure!🐧🐧 pic.twitter.com/EKhVgFcneq — Shedd Aquarium (@shedd_aquarium) July 9, 2020

By using the type of content we knew resonated and building off of it, we were able to create several viral moments within one campaign. Get creative, and find ways to expand on the content that brought you success.

Why social media viral videos aren’t the only thing to aspire to

Achieving a viral post is every brand’s dream. And it does come with an influx of more views and fans.

But rest easy if you haven’t scored a viral moment (yet). Instead of focusing on how to go viral on TikTok as your main goal, focus on building a sustainable social media strategy and fostering your digital community. This is the best way to maximize your long-term growth and build strong channels that make an impact.

If your strategy is a sundae, going viral is a sweet cherry on top: not the core of the dish.

Start creating your own viral video today

The only way to have a chance at achieving a social media viral video, is to start posting.

To massively increase your reach, start creating your own potentially viral video content using these expert tips and guidelines. Incorporating videos into your overall video marketing strategy is a key way to increase reach, brand awareness, conversions and possibly even strike viral gold.

• Social Media Content

50+ Social Media Video Marketing Statistics for 2024

Always Up-to-Date Guide to Social Media Video Specs [Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat]

8 tips to boost your video conversion rate

8 ways to leverage short-form video (and how to get buy-in)

• Now on slide

Build and grow stronger relationships on social

Sprout Social helps you understand and reach your audience, engage your community and measure performance with the only all-in-one social media management platform built for connection.

An easy guide on how to make your video viral: algorithms, platforms and more

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Table of contents, the allure of virality, understanding the mechanics of virality, the role of platform algorithms, targeting your audience, crafting compelling content, technical aspects to consider, leveraging social media and influencers, analyzing performance and tweaking strategy, common pitfalls to avoid, extra: legal and ethical considerations, upgrade your viral video game with speechify ai video generator, 1. can i make a viral video without high-end equipment, 2. how important is timing when trying to make a viral video, 3. do i need to pay for advertising or promotions to make my video go viral.

So you want to make a viral video? You're not alone. With the power of social media, a well-executed video can become trending news overnight, catapulting...

So you want to make a viral video? You're not alone. With the power of social media, a well-executed video can become trending news overnight, catapulting you into the spotlight. Who hasn't seen a funny video on TikTok or a gripping story on a YouTube channel and thought, "Wow, I wish I could do that!"? It's not as simple as pressing record on your camera, though. So, let's dive into the exciting world of viral video-making.

The concept of a viral video has captivated the imagination of people all around the world. Who wouldn't want their video content to be the next big thing? Whether it's a funny video of a cat, a music video that turns into a meme, or a trending news clip from CNN or local news outlets like CBS, a viral video can reach millions of people in an incredibly short amount of time. Remember the viral video shows that we often see making rounds on social media ? They capture our attention and keep us talking, turning ordinary people and content creators into overnight sensations.

Making a video go viral isn't just a matter of luck; there's a science to it. Studies have shown that videos that evoke strong emotional reactions—whether it's laughter, tears, or shock—are more likely to be shared. Remember, it's not just the amount of time someone spends watching your video; it's whether they feel compelled to share it that makes it viral. Pop culture also plays a big role. If your video taps into something currently trending, whether it's a new dance or a breaking news story, you're already ahead of the game.

Ah, algorithms—the often mystifying cogs and gears behind what you see on your social media feeds. If you're seriously considering making a viral video, it's crucial to decode how these algorithms work, especially on platforms like TikTok and YouTube where your video content is most likely to catch fire.

Think of an algorithm as a sort of digital talent scout, constantly on the hunt for the next big thing. The moment you upload your first video on TikTok, the platform's algorithm starts its evaluation. Your video is initially exposed to a relatively small batch of users. These are your first "test" viewers, and they wield a lot of power. If they engage with your video—by liking it, commenting on it, or sharing it—the algorithm takes this as a positive signal. It then proceeds to distribute your video to a larger pool of people.

But here's where it gets tricky: the TikTok algorithm doesn't just stop at likes, comments, and shares. It also measures the level of engagement against the amount of time people spend watching your video. In other words, if people watch your video multiple times, the algorithm considers it even more favorable. So, you want to create content that not only grabs attention but also keeps viewers coming back for more.

It's similar yet distinct on YouTube. Their algorithm prioritizes watch time, viewer retention, and user engagement. Unlike TikTok, where quick spurts of engagement can catapult a video to virality, YouTube prefers steady and prolonged engagement. Also, it takes into account the click-through rate of your video thumbnails and the quality of your video descriptions and meta tags. The more optimized these are, the more favorably your content is viewed by the algorithm.

So, if you're contemplating how to make your video go viral, understanding and leveraging the algorithm is key. Study your analytics rigorously and adapt your strategy accordingly. The algorithm is not your enemy; think of it as a tool that you can use to your advantage.

Knowing your audience isn't just Marketing 101—it's the foundation of any successful video. The viral TikTok video from a Maryland-based Prince George's County Police Officer didn't just get lucky; it resonated because it was incredibly relevant and local. So, how do you find your audience? Well, it requires a bit more finesse than blindly shooting a video and hoping it will be a hit in New York or catch the eye of families in Maryland.

First, you need to segment your audience. Are you targeting teenagers who are into pop culture, or are you aiming at adults who are passionate about a specific hobby or subculture—like the proud boys of mountain biking, for instance? Segmenting your audience will help you tailor your content more precisely.

Once you've identified your target audience, you need to think about what they want to see. What are their pain points, their interests, or their aspirations? If you're targeting a younger crowd in New York, a video on the latest street fashion trends might be a hit. Conversely, a Maryland-based audience might appreciate content that reflects their local experiences, trends, or news.

In a nutshell, knowing your audience is like having a cheat sheet for your video content. It guides you on what tone to take, what jokes to crack, what topics to tackle, and even what times to post.

Making a video that people want to watch is an art form. Sometimes it's a high-budget music video with jaw-dropping visuals and a captivating storyline; other times, it's a funny video that was shot in your backyard. The common thread? They both have to make the viewer feel something.

Storytelling is an integral aspect of creating compelling content. Consider the viral YouTube videos that have really stayed with you. Chances are, they told a compelling story or struck an emotional chord. Whether it's a feel-good video from a Prince George's County Police Department officer doing something extraordinary or a hilarious, relatable skit about everyday life in Montgomery County, the narrative arc is what keeps viewers engaged.

Don't underestimate the power of humor, surprise, or even shock to elicit strong emotional responses—these are the types of content people are most likely to share. That said, the emotion has to feel authentic; anything contrived will turn viewers off.

Also, don't overlook the importance of high-quality production. Crisp visuals and clear audio aren't just niceties; they're necessities. Even the most gripping story or hilarious skit will lose its appeal if viewers have to strain their ears or squint their eyes.

And remember, 'compelling' doesn't necessarily mean 'complex.' Some of the most viral videos are simple, but they're executed well and hit the right emotional notes. So focus on crafting content that's true to you but also resonates with your target audience, and you'll be well on your way to creating a video worth watching—and sharing.

Making a viral video isn't just about what you film; it's also about how you film it. Poor video or audio quality can be a deal-breaker. Depending on your platform of choice, aspect ratios and video lengths might vary. For instance, a tutorial on YouTube might be longer and require a different aspect ratio compared to a short, viral TikTok. Research the technical specs needed for each platform and invest in decent equipment if you can.

To get your video in front of as many eyes as possible, you need to use social media effectively. Using hashtags wisely and crafting a compelling description can make your video more discoverable. You can also consider collaborating with influencers to expand your reach. Remember when that kissing woman video went viral? It had the internet buzzing, and it was partly because big-name influencers shared it on their platforms.

After your video is live, you'll want to keep an eye on how it's performing. Both TikTok and YouTube offer analytics tools that can show you how many people are watching, sharing, and engaging with your video. If you find that one video is performing particularly well in New York, for instance, you might decide to create more content targeted to that audience. And remember, it's not just national outlets like CNN that can make a video go viral; local news channels like CBS can also give you a huge bump in visibility.

Of course, there are mistakes to avoid. One major pitfall is not adhering to the guidelines set by social media platforms, which can result in your video being taken down. Copyright issues are another big no-no; you don't want to get your viral YouTube channel taken down because you used a copyrighted music track. Focusing solely on view counts is another common mistake. Remember, engagement is key, whether it's in the form of likes, comments, or shares.

You might not have considered this, but even viral videos need to adhere to ethical standards. The PGPD, or Prince George’s County Police Department, for instance, had to deal with legal considerations when one of their videos went viral. Make sure you're not inadvertently filming someone without their permission or making claims that could be deemed false or misleading.

So you're keen on making your next video go viral, right? Well, have you considered using Speechify AI Video Generator ? This nifty tool is a game-changer for aspiring viral video creators. Available on iOS , Android , PC , and Mac , it simplifies video creation and gives you the kind of high-quality output that gets noticed. Imagine combining all the tips you've just read with the power of AI to make your video stand out. Ready to take your video content to the next level? Try Speechify AI Video Generator today!

Absolutely, you don't necessarily need high-end equipment to make a video go viral. While good audio and video quality are important, the key factors that contribute to a video's virality are often its emotional impact, shareability, and relevance. Many viral videos have been shot on smartphones; what they lack in production value, they make up for in authenticity and emotional resonance. However, do try to ensure that your video is clear, stable, and audible for the best possible viewer experience.

Releasing a video that coincides with a current event, holiday, or pop culture phenomenon can significantly boost its chances of going viral. For instance, if there's a trending hashtag related to your video's topic, leveraging that trend can help your video get the attention it needs to go viral. However, this isn't a hard-and-fast rule; some videos go viral long after they are first published due to a variety of unpredictable factors.

No, you don't necessarily need to pay for advertising to make your video viral. Many viral videos achieve their status through organic shares and engagement. That said, paid promotions can give your video an initial push, especially if you're starting with a small follower base. However, remember that paid views and engagements don't always translate into the same level of emotional connection that drives a video to truly go viral. Your content needs to be compelling on its own merit for that to happen.

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Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.

How to Create Viral Videos: Best Practices, Tools, and Examples

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The following is a guest post by Shane Barker is a digital marketing consultant who specializes in influencer marketing, content marketing, and SEO. He is the co-founder of Attrock , a digital marketing agency. He has consulted with Fortune 500 companies, influencers with digital products, and a number of A-List celebrities.

Need evidence?

Then, check out these stats and facts about video watching on social media:

Before you read on - we have various resources that show you exactly how to use social networks to gain massive traffic and leads. For instance, check out the following:

• 80% of people bought a product after watching a branded video about it.
• Consumers watched 5x more shopping-related videos in 2020 as compared to 2018.
• 66% of people prefer watching a product video to reading about a product.

The solution?

Learn from the experts and follow video creation best practices. And the best part is that you don’t have to hunt for these insights and information on the web. I’ve covered both in this post.

Let’s start with the best viral video ads of 2020 and learn what made them stand out from the crowd.

After we decipher the anatomy of successful videos, we will delve into video-creation hacks in the latter part of this post. Armed with all of this intelligence, you can go about creating mind-blowing videos to beat the competition.

Let’s get started.

5 Viral Video Ads and What You Can Learn from Them

With tons of video content being uploaded daily on social media, it’s hard to make yourself heard (or rather) seen. Yet, there have been many advertising gems that were able to cut through the noise and rule the web for days.

Here are my top picks, plus my analysis of why these video ads worked:

Blendtech: Shock Viewers with Unbelievable Visuals

Let’s start our best viral video ads roundup on a fun note!

Hey, before you read on - we have in various FREE in-depth guides on similar topics that you can download. For this post, check out:

Can you imagine churning your iPhone into pulp in a blender? Neither can I. But Blendtech’s eccentric ad mascot, played by Tom Dickinson, did just that in the Will It Blend? video ad series by the brand.

Video via YouTube 

He throws iPads, iPhones, and all sorts of hideously expensive items in the Blendtech blender and dismantles their nuts and bolts. If the visuals aren’t shocking enough, the dry wit of Dickinson will surely make you sit up and notice the ad.

Your Takeaway: Use shock value and humor to make your video ads memorable. But tread the line between shock and controversy carefully. You don’t want to hurt sensibilities and be rebuffed for cracking jokes on sensitive topics.

Casino’s Law: Feed on Movie-Love

Injury attorney, Jamie Casino’s, two-minute commercial was first aired during the 2014 Super Bowl. In true Hollywood style, the ad opens with an intriguing quote from the Bible, with the protagonist (Jamie Casino) building a case for why he defends the voiceless.

Video via Youtube

Everything about the commercial works – the heavy metal music in the background, the film-like plot, and the stunning finish. You might hate it, or love it, but one thing is for sure – you just can’t ignore it.

Your Takeaway: Stay away from done-and-dusted formulas when it comes to video ads. Don’t be afraid of going dark and dangerous, as long as the message you’re conveying is worthy. Also, pay attention to minute creative details. Ensure that all of your ad elements (story, characters, music, colors, etc.) play well together.

Alibaba: Go Inspirational

An ice hockey team from the land of deserts, Kenya, sounds unbelievable, right? A land that has never seen, much less played with, snow produces an Olympic-level ice hockey team. And it all starts with a little Kenyan boy’s dream of making it to the big leagues. Big dreams start small was the message Alibaba spread through their viral Olympic ad.

The eCommerce giant struck all the right notes with the audience. The aspirational little boy, the rustic setting, the compelling storyline, and the powerful message at the end – everything blends neatly to produce a video that stays with you long after you hit the stop button.

Your Takeaway: Positivity is a fail-safe formula for video ads. Everybody loves brands that spread positive vibes and make us feel hopeful for a better tomorrow.

In fact, cause marketing is really big these days. 53% of consumers want brands to stand up for relevant causes. If this is the tactic you’re planning to implement in your video advertising campaigns, ensure that you walk the talk.

What does that mean?

It means that you need to be consistent in your online and offline activities to foster consumer trust. Modern consumers are discerning; they don’t take kindly to “trust washing.”

Google Android: Piggyback on Emotions

Cute animals frolicking about, sharing food, clapping, and dancing – how can any sane person resist them? Google Android’s “Friends Furever” ad campaign is bound to make you go “Awww” every second.

The soothing soundtrack and cute, furry animals are a sight for sore eyes. The brand’s name or logo doesn’t appear till the very end, ensuring a disruption-free experience for viewers.

Your Takeaway: Tap into human emotions , lots of them. Spreading good vibes never fails to grab attention, even on cluttered social media platforms. Google Android’s low-budget video proves that you need not splurge on setting up elaborate sets and hiring professional models to make the right impression.

Dollar Shave Club: No-Nonsense Messaging

Dollar Shave Club’s brand launch ad is a prime example of how you can create a memorable ad on a shoestring budget.

With humor, of course.

DSC spent only $4500 on producing the ad, which was a runaway hit from the moment it surfaced.

In the ad, DSC’s CEO explains why the brand’s razors are a great product. But he doesn’t say that in so many words. Rather, he uses tongue-in-cheek humor to get his point across. The audience loved his no-nonsense approach and offhand delivery style so much that the brand raked in 12K+ new orders within 48 hours of the ad launch.

Your Takeaway: Everybody loves a good laugh. Tickle the funny bone if you want your ads to appeal to the masses.

PooPourri: Capture a Pain Point

Girls don’t poop – or so they would like the world to believe! PooPourri’s before-poop spray helps mask those embarrassing after-poop odors. No doubt, the product is useful (especially for females), but its presentation is even more engaging.

PooPourri demonstrates that they have a finger on their audience’s veins by tapping into their pain point. Not only that, they showed how useless the other alternatives were for deodorizing toilets.

Your Takeaway: Analyze your audience’s needs and interests thoroughly. Use your audience insights not only for product ideation but also for ad conceptualization.

One more thing…

Audience research is not a one-time deal. Your audience’s challenges evolve as new products and scenarios crop up. So, keep digging into their mindsets to come up with on-point ad campaigns.

7 Proven Tips for Creating Viral Videos

While it’s good to look for inspiration, it’s more important to set your own benchmarks while creating video ads for your brand. Don’t lose your brand identity in pursuit of more views. Blindly copying the success formulas of the above viral videos can be detrimental to your brand image.

To help you get started on your own, here are some tips for creating video ads you can follow:

1. Keep Your Videos Short

Social media users have short attention spans. If your video ads are too long, their retention rate will be low.

Vidyard’s research shows that 68% of people will watch video ads all the way through if they are under 1 minute.

So, you need to pack a punch in 1-2 minutes if you want your target audience to catch your full message.

2. Don’t Reinvent the Wheel

There is no use in replicating already successful videos since audience fatigue levels on social media are abnormally high.

Then, how can you risk-proof your content strategy?

The answer is competitor research. You don’t have to bother with what the rest of the world is doing. Just analyze your competitors’ strategies and find the gaps therein. Then, find the sweet spot between market demand, existing content, and your own strategy.

3. Try a Controversial Angle

As explained before, controversy and shock value work well on social media. And, when combined with a social message, the impact can be phenomenal.

Need more inspiration?

The British Army’s recruitment ad drive invited millennials to enlist in a rather unconventional way. They called millennials all sorts of derogatory names – phone zombies, binge gamers, and snowflakes – but the effect was extraordinary. The ad went viral and the army received a record number of applications.

Image via NBC News

4. Hook Audiences from the Start

Always have a hook to stop people from scrolling past or ignoring your videos. The hook can be anything that evokes an emotional response. Earlier this year, an ad with a father dragging his daughter through the airport while she threw a tantrum went viral.

The reason?

Most parents, at some point or the other, have experienced a similar situation with their kids. That’s bound to pique their curiosity and watch the ad till the end.

5. Go Big on Topical Ideas

Timing is everything when it comes to creating viral videos. You need to strike the iron when it’s hot and not worry too much about quality. Just get the video to market before you miss the train.

Is there an event that your target audience is excited about? Can you take advantage of an ongoing trend in your industry? To stay on top of trends, you can use social listening tools like BuzzSumo and Mention. Just make sure the trend you’re tapping into is relevant to your brand and audience.

6. Mobile-Optimize Your Videos

According to the previously-cited Wyzowl report, 90% of people watch videos on mobile devices. YouTube and Twitter both report the highest video consumption happens over mobile devices.

If you want your videos to be shared widely, you need to reach mobile-friendly audiences. Test your videos on different devices and ensure the navigation is thumb-friendly.

Anything else?

92% of people prefer to watch videos with sound off. So, include captions in your videos since 50% of video watchers rely on them to understand video context.

7. Promote Across Channels

The virality of videos depends on organic shares , but you can give your videos a good head start by promoting them aggressively on relevant channels.

Apart from YouTube, take advantage of Facebook’s native video marketing tools. The platform’s broad user base and penetration can give your videos a push. If you are big on video clips, Instagram Stories should be one of your destinations. Don’t forget to cross-promote on your website and newsletters as well.

Want a bonus tip?

Be consistent in your efforts. I know it’s not easy producing groundbreaking viral videos at scale, but it pays to maintain visibility on social media. Social media users have short attention spans and even shorter memories.

If you post videos sporadically, you can’t hope to attain the top-of-mind advantage, much less go viral. Maintaining consistency in Instagram posting is the number one challenge for 43% of visual marketers. But social media marketing returns come in the long haul. You’re either all in or all out. Plan wisely.

Image via Venngage

Over to You

Creating viral videos is easier said than done. Even if you follow all of the best practices I’ve prescribed above, you can’t get assured returns unless you remember some things.

Understand your customers’ sentiments , get a grip on trends, and analyze what works for your industry. Combine all of that intel and you have a sure-shot formula for creating viral videos.

Do you have any questions about any of the tips about viral videos mentioned above? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to answer them.

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The secrets of viral content and how to create it.

• Virality is about the best ideas, not necessarily the newest ideas.
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Getting content to go viral is the holy grail of any online business, but people tend to think of virality as a mysterious subject. If you haven’t done much research on it, you’re probably in the dark about how it really works.

Emerson Spartz is an exception. As the founder and CEO of Dose , a digital media company with 50 million unique visitors per month, Spartz has dedicated his career to understanding virality and is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the subject.

“For the longest time, I basically wanted to build...a system that would be able to create virality systematically. That’s been kind of my lifelong product ambition,” Spartz said.

In his quest to master virality, he’s done extensive research on the subject, as well as testing and analysis through the Dose properties Dose.com and OMGFacts.com . He’s learned all about viral content and how to create it, and he let me in on some of his secrets during a recent interview .

Below are his most valuable insights for why people share online, what kind of content goes viral, and best practices you can follow to create your own viral content.

Why People Share

Unfortunately, the common wisdom on why people share isn’t very useful for content producers. While it’s true people share to circulate emotional content and to make themselves look trendy, these explanations don’t get at the root of why they repost.

“[We share because] we want to project a certain image of ourselves out to the world,” Spartz said. That’s why we’re more likely to share positive content—like funny articles or cute animal videos—than negative content. Positive content projects an image of ourselves that we want people to see and latch onto.

But that doesn’t mean people only share cute, funny, or nostalgic content. They also share informative and topical content, as long as it reflects positively on the sharer within their social networks.

Why Content Goes Viral

The big secret about viral content is it doesn't always present unique information or new ideas. The most successful producers of viral content study trends to learn what kinds of articles and videos have received the most views and shares in the past, then capitalize on these trends so their own content has the best chance of also going viral.

“Almost everything you see that’s viral has already been on the internet before. The same things go viral over, and over, and over again,” Spartz said.

Virality is about the best ideas, not necessarily the newest ideas. Content that goes viral tomorrow will have much in common with content that went viral yesterday, although it will ideally be updated with fresh perspectives. The secret to creating the next viral video or article is to build on older content, maximizing the chance it will go viral again.

How To Create Viral Content

The best way to create viral content is actually very simple: post a lot of content and study its reception to find what works best. Experiment with different strategies, examine their impact, and continually refine your content by building on the strategies that perform best.

Spartz compares the process to a baseball player up to bat:

“We call them ‘at-bats.’ The more at-bats you get, the more likely you are to hit a homerun. But it’s not just about getting at-bats, because if you’re a terrible hitter, if you’re blind and facing the wrong way, then it doesn’t matter. You’re never going to hit a homerun," he said. "But if your batting average is high and you get enough at-bats, you maximize the probability of hitting a homerun."

The more content you post, the more data you’ll have to inform your iterations, which will help you improve more quickly. Remember: you’ll need both quality and quantity to strike gold, and people will be more likely to share your content if it will reflect well on them.

If your content builds on successful trends, and if you create enough of it, there’s a good chance that some of it will go viral. Keep refining your process, and keep in mind that virality isn’t about originality, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming an expert on viral content.

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How to Get Your First Viral YouTube Video: The Blueprint

Contrary to popular belief, going viral is a skill that can be learned. That's what YouTube sensation MrBeast claims in this famous interview with Lex Fridman.

Now, we know what you’re thinking: That doesn't apply to small YouTube channels, especially those lacking millions of subscribers.

But what if we told you it absolutely can work? What if we told you that viral YouTube videos aren't all that mysterious?

Read more: 3 Ways to Discover Viral YouTube Video Ideas

What Is a Viral Video?

Viral videos gain popularity through internet sharing, typically on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X. In fact, Harvard Business Review reported that videos reach their viral peak faster when shared within the first 48 hours . Videos are considered 'viral' when they reach 2 million views (or more) in just a few days.

What Causes a Video to Go Viral?

Let's return to the HBR article to answer this question. In the post, HBR shares interesting data from Unruly, a marketing technology company that has studied 430 billion video views. The findings suggested that super sharers — a small group of people who share videos in the first 48 hours — kick start the viral process. But why do they do this? Unruly noticed 10 motivators for sharing videos online.

Source: Harvard Business Review

• Seeing what friends and family think about it
• Bonding over shared interests
• Kickstarting offline conversations
• Starting online conversations
• Sharing useful information with friends
• Being the first to share something cool
• Demonstrating knowledge of a subject
• Doing social good
• Engaging with trends
• Self-expression

What a Viral Video Looks Like

Viral videos evoke strong emotions which compel viewers to share them within their own networks. These videos have the potential to reach a massive audience within hours or even minutes of being posted!

But viral content doesn't need to have a specific 'look' to attract views. Oftentimes, this is what a viral video looks like on YouTube:

The important thing to notice here is the sheer difference between views and subscribers related to this video. This disparity means that the audience chose to watch the video for its content and not just the person behind it.

How to Make a YouTube Video Go Viral

Creating a viral video takes more than luck, as YouTube educator Sean Cannell has explained . It's more like cooking. Some ingredients are nice to have, but you can only mimic a dish when you have the main ingredients.

• Strong topic: Choose a topic that resonates with your target audience.
• Great title and thumbnail: Make them compelling enough to click.
• Engaging hook: The first 8-10 seconds should grab the viewer's attention.
• Interesting storyline: Keep viewers engaged throughout the video.
• Emotional value: The viewer leaves the video feeling transformed.

Strategies for Making Your Videos Go Viral

Strategy 1: Creating Compelling, Shareable Videos

The first step to creating a viral video is to ensure that it is compelling and shareable. People are more likely to share content that evokes strong emotions, etc such as laughter, awe, or surprise. So, try to be entertaining, informative, or thought-provoking while keeping the video short and concise to maintain viewers' attention.

What this typically comes down to is telling a good story . Make viewers feel giggly, happy, or sad, but no matter what, make them feel something. You can even surprise them with plot twists and cliffhangers.

Strategy 2: Leverage Social Media

Social media platforms play a crucial role in making videos go viral. With billions of users worldwide, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter offer a vast audience for your videos to be seen and shared.

To leverage social media platforms effectively, consider the following tips:

• Choose the right platform: Different social media platforms cater to different demographics and content types. Research your target audience and select the platforms that align with their preferences.
• Use hashtags: Hashtags can help increase the discoverability of your videos on social media. Research popular hashtags related to your industry or topic and include them in your video posts.
• Engage with your audience: Responding to comments, messages, and mentions on social media shows that you value your audience's feedback and want them to engage with your content.

Strategy 3: Optimize Videos with SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a key aspect of virality. Optimizing your videos for search engines can increase their visibility and improve their chances of going viral. If you've been putting a lot of effort into your videos, but they aren't seeing the big numbers, you could be lacking in SEO.

To optimize your video SEO, consider the following tips:

• Use relevant keywords : Research keywords related to your industry or topic and include them in your video titles, descriptions, and tags.
• Write detailed descriptions : Provide a comprehensive description of your video that includes relevant keywords, so search engines understand your content.
• Add captions and subtitles : Captions and subtitles make your videos accessible to a wider audience, including those who are hearing impaired or watching without sound.
• Create an engaging thumbnail : Design an eye-catching thumbnail that accurately represents the content of your video (thumbnails are shown on search pages).

Strategy 4: Analyze Performance and Apply New Insights

The final strategy for making your videos go viral is analyzing their performance and iterating on future content. By analyzing data such as views, engagement rates, and shares, you learn what works and what doesn't.

To analyze and iterate effectively, consider the following tips:

• Use YouTube analytics: YouTube has a data studio that tracks views, watch time, engagement rate, and audience demographics.
• Identify trends: Look for patterns or trends in your successful videos by carefully observing performance data.
• Experiment and adapt: Adapt your content based on what performs well and discard strategies that don't produce results.

Insights From Our Viral YouTube Video

Quite recently, one of our videos went viral on YouTube and is currently sitting at 1 million views . In it, we cover the rise of superstar bodybuilder Sam Sulek and how he's grown his channel exponentially in 2023.

Our in-house expert, John, explained how he made it happen in a separate video (above), and here's what you need to know:

Identifying Potential: Our viral adventure began with Sam Sulek, a rising YouTube sensation. We saw a potential story in his rising subscriber count and the authenticity trend that's been sweeping YouTube since the pandemic. Combining a trending topic with our audience's desire (YouTube growth) helped us produce an interesting video.

The Art of Packaging: As we know already, a video's success often hinges on its title and thumbnail. They're like the cover of a book, enticing viewers to dive in. We used the ICE method (Imagery, Curiosity, Expectation) to craft ours. Remember, your title and thumbnail should not only grab attention but also set the right expectations.

Meeting Viewer Expectations: Have you ever clicked on a video and realized it's not what the title and thumbnail suggest? Annoying, right? We made sure our content aligned with what our thumbnail and title promised. It's all about respecting your audience and delivering what you've promised.

Adapting and Improving: Our first cut for the video wasn't perfect. We had to re-edit to better match our title and thumbnail, but we didn't stop. Here's a golden nugget for you: Don't be afraid to revise . Your first draft doesn't have to be your final. Be open to feedback and willing to make changes.

Don't Give Up: Initially, our video didn't do great. But then, the YouTube algorithm picked it up, and the views skyrocketed. So, focus on creating content that engages. Even if your video doesn't take off immediately, don't lose hope.

Check the video above to get a deeper understanding of how we made it all happen. And while you're at it, swing by the description box to get a free template for making viral YouTube videos!

Going Viral Is a Skill

It’s important to understand that identifying your unique voice as a creator leads to virality. Authenticity is the soul of what makes a video viral; it's what makes people relate to your content and share it with others. So, be yourself and let your unique personality shine through.

Creating a viral video might seem like finding a needle in a haystack, but it's not an impossible task. So, fellow creators, take heart. Your viral moment could be just around the corner, waiting for you to seize it!

Blog Manager

In addition to being an avid movie and gaming enthusiast, Uttaran Samaddar is an experienced writer who has lent his creativity and unique perspective to various publications. He loves hearing and telling stories.

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Misleading GOP videos of Biden are going viral. The fact-checks have trouble keeping up.

More Americans may think President Joe Biden tried to sit on a nonexistent chair the other day than know the boring truth that there was, in fact, a chair .

The chair-that-was-there was just one of many quick video clips the conservative media ecosystem willed into virality over the past two weeks, leaving fact-checkers and Biden’s team with little chance to catch up.

The Republican National Committee, major conservative media outlets and right-wing influencers have succeeded in blasting out videos that they claim show “proof” of Biden’s  wandering off ,  freezing up or even  filling his pants  with a substance commonly represented by a brown swirl emoji.

Independent fact-checkers and the Biden campaign have pointed out that the videos, while they are un-doctored by artificial intelligence, tend to crumble under even basic scrutiny, such as when the moments are viewed in context or from wider camera angles . 

“Fresh off being fact checked by at least 6 mainstream outlets for lying about President Biden with cheap fakes, Rupert Murdoch’s sad little super PAC, the New York Post, is back to disrespecting its readers and itself once again,” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement in reference to a video of Biden at a fundraiser with former President Barack Obama over the weekend that landed on t he cover of the Post, a conservative tabloid.

While "deepfakes" are misleading audio, video or images that are created or edited with artificial intelligence technology, a "cheap fake," according to researchers Britt Paris and Joan Donovan, is a " manipulation created with cheaper, more accessible software (or, none at all). Cheap fakes can be rendered through Photoshop, lookalikes, re-contextualizing footage, speeding, or slowing."

Still, even if they are deceptive, the videos nonetheless play into voters’ existing concerns about Biden’s age and are tailor-made for internet virality, meaning busy voters may be more likely to encounter the brief incendiary clips than the more rigorous fact-checks that chase them.

“The lie is sprinting the 100-meter dash and the fact-check is taking a stroll on the beach. So it’s never going to catch up. And it’s never going to have the same reach,” said Eric Schultz, a Democratic strategist and Obama spokesperson who on Sunday publicly called out the Post’s characterization of the fundraiser as false.

Last week, Republicans pushed a video of Biden in Europe attending the Group of Seven summit in which he allegedly “wandered off” in a confused haze before Italy’s prime minister pulled him back. Uncut video and shots from wider angles showed Biden was greeting a parachutist who had just landed as part of the ceremony.

The controversy generated by the video grew so large that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was asked to give his eyewitness account of the moment.

“They had all landed, and he was being very polite. And he just went over to kind of talk to all of them individually,” Sunak told reporters .

Before that, the RNC’s opposition research account suggested Biden was having a medical incident because he was not dancing at a Juneteenth event, though Biden has long said he is not much of a dancer and barely danced at his inaugural ball in 2021.

At the fundraiser in Los Angeles, Biden and Obama were waving to supporters after having received a standing ovation when Biden stared into the audience for a moment before the more punctual Obama signaled it was time to leave the stage. Several people at the event said they did not recognize the New York Post’s interpretation that Biden appeared to "freeze up."

'A pattern of behavior'

Republicans are unapologetic about the individual videos — despite the fact-checks from mainstream media they distrust.

“It’s a pattern of behavior. It’s not like it’s one instance,” Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in an interview. “It’s not like we’re making these videos. This is Joe Biden in real time. We’re just putting it out there for the world to see.”

Asked about the clipped video that Republicans said showed Biden trying to sit in a chair that did not exist (in fact, it was just hidden from view by the camera angle), Leavitt said, “The videos speak for themselves.”

“It’s outrageous that the words ‘cheap fake’ [are] even being used," she said. "There’s nothing cheap or fake about these videos. They are real clips of Joe Biden acting bizarrely.

“The Biden campaign’s entire strategy is to convince people not to believe their own eyes,” she added.

The spread of the videos underscores what academics say could be a particularly tumultuous election cycle . Many major social media platforms have rolled back the few checks and balances on the spread of false or misleading information under pressure from Republicans . Meanwhile, the power and reach of just a handful of accounts on X can spread talking points to millions of people that is then picked up by more mainstream conservative media. 

Taking liberties with video editing — or simply misrepresenting what is happening in a video — is nothing new. But former President Donald Trump’s takeover of the Republican Party has pushed the party further across the hazy divide between spin and mendacity, while technology has allowed for clips to be cut and broadcast constantly.

Reaching voters who do not consume much political news is a challenge in the best of cases, and it is made even harder when organizations try to reach the same voters a second time to try to change their views about a stray piece of political content they previously encountered.

Conservative media outlets disseminating such clips include not only famously ideological ones, like Fox News , but also the vast network of local TV news stations owned by Sinclair Broadcasting, dozens of which re-packaged identical versions of the same headline about Biden’s appearing to freeze. 

Few in conservative media have offered any resistance to the onslaught of videos. Howard Kurtz, a Fox News host and media journalist, is one of the few notable outliers , having called out the New York Post and fellow host Sean Hannity for their coverage of the G7 video.

And internet platforms’ algorithms and their users’ organic behavior tend to reward the surprising and controversial while ignoring the mundane. 

'We can't stop them from doing this'

Democrats’ strategy for dealing with the videos is twofold, according to multiple people familiar with the thinking of the Biden campaign, the White House and allied outside groups.

First, they will try to contain them to the conservative media ecosystem and extremely online spaces of political discourse like X, hoping to prevent them from breaking through into the mainstream as much as possible. 

By being aggressive in fact-checking, quickly posting fuller video clips with appropriate context and calling out media outlets that report on them, the White House and the Biden campaign hope to stop them from spreading too far.

“We can’t stop them from doing this. What we can do is fight like hell to get fact-checks and to spread those fact-checks,” said a Biden campaign official who requested anonymity to speak candidly about strategy. “Does it potentially permeate out to independent voters? Yes, and that’s what we’re guarding against and fighting against.”

Second, Democrats are stepping up their own attacks on Trump online, aggressively posting their own made-to-go-viral videos of Trump’s verbal cul-de-sacs, curious tangents and awkward actions.

They include highlighting what they say are Trump’s senior moments, such as one at a rally Saturday night when he said Biden “should have to take a cognitive test” — only to moments later flub the name of the doctor who administered a similar test to him.

Much of it has come from Biden HQ, an account the Biden campaign’s research and rapid-response teams use to blast Trump. For instance, in one clip from the same event , Trump promised to take questions after his speech — “This is different than Joe Biden. He doesn’t take any questions” — but instead left the stage without taking any questions.

Schultz said: “Both candidates are old, but one is coherent and has cogent thoughts. So to the extent that that breaks through, then I think we’ll be OK come November.”

Trump’s campaign has also complained about the Biden campaign’s deceptively portraying videos of its own in the past. That included when Trump told autoworkers there would be a “ bloodbath ” if he is not elected. Trump’s campaign said that the term specifically referred to the auto industry and that Democrats intentionally mischaracterized it by making it appear that Trump was inciting violence.

Still, Democrats up to and including Biden himself — hardly a digital native — seem to understand the challenge of suppressing viral videos that many Americans want to believe.

“The truth is that the way in which we communicate with people these days, there’s very little — there’s so much opportunity to just lie,” Biden said at the fundraiser in Los Angeles. "So much of it on the internet is absolutely a flat-out lie.”

First lady Jill Biden took on the issue of Biden’s age head-on Saturday at an event for seniors in Phoenix: "Joe and the other guy are essentially the same age, so let’s not be fooled."

According to polls, voters so far do not agree with her. And some Democrats seem to be constantly bracing for some major, unedited moment when Biden shows his age.

NBC News ’ national poll in late January found three-quarters of voters, including many Democrats, saying they had major or minor concerns about Biden’s physical and mental health.

Alex Seitz-Wald is a senior politics reporter for NBC News.

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Australian Swimmer Misses Out on Paris Olympics After 2023 Video of Her Complaining About Team USA Goes Viral

Cate Campbell failed to qualify for the Summer Games during Australia's Olympic Trials

Team USA will not have a chance to face Australian Cate Campbell at the upcoming Paris Summer Olympics after the swimmer failed to qualify for the Games over the weekend.

The Australian swimmer, who earned the ire of 23-time American gold medalist Michael Phelps last week for bragging about beating Team USA at the 2023 World Championships, finished seventh place in the 50m freestyle at the 2024 Australian Swimming Trials on Saturday, June 15. 

The distant finish brings an end to Campbell’s hopes of making the Australian Olympic team after she chose to remove herself from the 100m competition in an effort to save energy for the 50m race, according to Australia’s Channel 9 .

After finishing seventh and realizing she had failed to qualify for the Olympics, Campbell, 32, reportedly teared up, blew a kiss to the crowd and waved as fans cheered for her. Meanwhile, the other Australian competitors swam over to give Campbell, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, hugs and congratulations on her career.

DAVID GRAY/AFP/Getty

"It's bitter-sweet,” Campbell told Channel 9. “I had hoped for the fairytale ending and it's what I had worked for and what I felt I was capable of, and unfortunately my body just said, 'No.’ “ Campbell, who holds the current world record for short course 100m freestyle, was hoping to become the first Australian swimmer to compete in five-consecutive Olympic Games.

"Swimming is one of the most grueling sports out there and I have been at it a very, very long time,” Campbell told the outlet.

Never miss a story — sign up for  PEOPLE's free daily newsletter  to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

PATRICK HAMILTON/AFP/Getty

"This is the end and it's a perfect way to exit the pool,” she said, confirming the end of her competitive career.

"I would have loved that fairytale ending more than anything else, but I can now sit back and reflect on a wonderful career, I can leave the sport with my head held really high," Campbell continued. "I came back to try something that no one's done before and I gave it a really good crack. My God, I gave it a really good crack."

The swimmer also reacted to the results on Instagram , writing on Saturday, June 22, "It’s been a big week of big feelings."

A clip of the Australian swimmer’s post-race interview at the 2023 World Championships resurfaced online last week when NBC Sports and Team USA shared a short video of Phelps, 38, watching it and reacting to her comments. 

In the interview, Campbell had complained that her U.S. rivals were “such, such, sore losers” after Australia won more gold medals at the World Championships.

“Australia coming out on top is one thing, but it is just so much sweeter beating America,” Campbell said in the 2023 interview. “There were a couple of nights, particularly the first night of competition, where we did not have to hear the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ ring out through the stadium and I cannot tell you how happy that made me. If I never hear that song again it will be too soon. Bring on Paris, that’s all I have to say. U.S., stop being sore losers.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now !

Phelps shook his head and scoffed after he was shown the clip, telling the camera, “If somebody said that to me, I would lose it. I would make them eat every word they just said about me.” The American swimmer added, “Well, the good news is the Olympics will be here shortly and we’ll be able to see what the results are.”

While speaking to Channel 9 following the trials, Campbell addressed Phelps' reaction to her comments. "Who knew a couple of comments said in jest [could] have stirred up all this trouble. But ultimately, that's kind of what we love about sport," she said. "It's the rivalries that get everyone going that gets the fire in the belly."

Campbell added, "Australia has had such a long rivalry with the U.S. and a little bit of trash talk never hurt anyone."

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Clippers Cut a Wide Swath Making Political Campaign Videos Go Viral

Despite criticism that the most-watched moments omit crucial context, candidates are tapping into the practice — and watching their words.

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By Simon J. Levien

When Andrew Lawrence begins his night shift, he powers on his monitor to sift through Fox News’ evening programming.

He and his small team at Media Matters for America, the liberal nonprofit media watchdog group, spend hours each day glued to their screens, scanning cable shows, livestreams and congressional hearings for political moments they can clip, post on social media and call out as absurd.

“We watch Fox News so you don’t have to,” Mr. Lawrence said.

The slog seems to be paying off. His video posts are often viewed millions of times.

Clipping political gaffes was once more of a pastime for amateur political obsessives. Now, professionals have stepped in and supercharged the political discourse, flooding platforms like X and TikTok with cuttingly captioned video snippets, often publishing edited clips within minutes or even seconds.

Despite concerns that the most-watched clips often omit crucial context, sometimes by design, clippers have amassed tens of millions of views, forcing candidates to pay attention — and to watch their words.

More so than ever before, clipping has been embraced by both official Democratic and Republican campaign committees that have exploited the reach of real-time clips and even outdone their independent predecessors.

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Grammys CEO on Kendrick Lamar’s "Not Like Us": 'Voting Members of the Academy Appreciate Greatness'

The Hot 100 hit is still going strong. But what are its chances at next year's Grammys ceremony?

Kendrick Lamar ’s " Not Like Us " is, without a doubt, one of the biggest songs of 2024. Naturally, some fans have started pondering the Drake diss' Grammys potential.

Thanks to a TMZ paparazzo , Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. has now waded into the discussion. Mason, who’s held the CEO title since 2021, said while making his way through LAX on Monday that he doesn’t "see any reason why" the song wouldn’t be nominated.

"Obviously it’s a hot record," he said. "Amazing artistry, great writing. The talent on that record is incredible. … Kendrick obviously has been successful with the organization so I don’t see any reason why it couldn’t be [nominated]. It’s all about the quality of the record. It’s about the members. If the members like it, it’ll be nominated."

From there, Mason was asked if he thought the diss aspect of the Mustard-assisted song could prove to be a problem in terms of scoring a nomination. Per Mason, it again simply comes down to what members think of any given song.

"I think the voting members of the academy appreciate greatness," Mason said on Monday. "They appreciate what’s hot, what’s going on. That’s a relevant record that’s impacting on so many levels. So much creativity and talent. I like to believe that the academy members recognize that and vote appropriately."

View this video on YouTube

Mason also addressed the hypothetical addition of a diss song category, another issue that’s in the hands of voting members, first and foremost.

Reiterating his prior remarks as the conversation shifted back to "Not Like Us," Mason added, "If the members want it, it will be nominated."

See more above.

Meanwhile, Kendrick's Hot 100 hit will soon be getting an official video . As previously reported, Complex was on hand for the Compton shoot earlier this month, and excitement, understandably, was contagiously high throughout the production. A release date for the video hasn't been set as of this writing, but it's unlikely fans will have to wait long.

View this photo on Instagram

As Mason himself pointed out, Kendrick is indeed no stranger to the Grammys stage. As of 2024, the 37-year-old Pulitzer Prize recipient has been nominated 50 times. Of those nominations, he’s won 17 Grammys, including three for Best Rap Album. His most recent album, 2022’s Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers , was also nominated for Album of the Year at the most recent edition of the Grammys.

Eligibility for the 2025 Grammys, per the Recording Academy, is as follows:

For the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards, recordings must be released between Sept. 16, 2023, and Aug. 30, 2024. To be eligible, recordings must be for sale commercially via general distribution or made available as a digital recording, either for sale or via a recognized streaming service.

The 2025 Grammys ceremony is set for Feb. 2 in Los Angeles.

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Best way to make good doctors leave: NEET-PG aspirants attack Centre in viral video

The national board of examinations in medical sciences postponed the neet pg 2024 examination a day before the exam. amid the postponement, several students have expressed their disappointment and anger on social media..

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• National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences postponed NEET PG 2024 on June 22
• Decision was taken as a precautionary measure to maintain the integrity of the exam
• Students have expressed their anger on social media

On June 22, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBE) issued a notice stating that the National Eligibility Entrance Test for Postgraduate Courses (NEET PG) 2024 has been postponed. This decision came against the backdrop of recent allegations concerning the integrity of several competitive examinations in the country.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated that the decision was taken as a precautionary measure to maintain the integrity of the NEET-PG entrance examination. The ministry added that it has decided to conduct a thorough assessment of the examination processes to ensure their integrity and fairness.

This has left candidates feeling agitated and frustrated. Many claimed that the board decided at the very last moment, allegedly 12 hours before the examination, by which time several students had already travelled to their examination centres from their hometowns to appear for the test.

#WATCH | Bhubaneswar, Odisha: On the postponement of the NEET-PG exam, NEET PG candidate Sunanda Pansari says "This is extremely wrong. I have travelled 600 km to attend the exam. The exam was scheduled for March after which it for postponed to July. Later they postponed theirâ€æ pic.twitter.com/rXRWKFokSl — ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2024

Competitive exams have became a joke in this country — Adarsh Anand (@ExplorerAdarsh) June 23, 2024

As per the reports, the NEET PG examination was supposed to be held in March, which was later postponed to July and then pre-poned to June. And now, the board has yet again postponed the examination. NBE in its latest notice has stated that the new examination date will be issued soon.

Another student slammed the Ministry of Education for the postponement of the NEET PG 2024 examination.

— Siddharth (@SidKeVichaar) June 23, 2024

THE NEET CONTROVERSY

The central government has come under severe criticism over irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET-UG, conducted in May this year. The examination was held on May 5 across 4,750 centers, with around 24 lakh candidates appearing. The results were expected to be declared on June 14 but were announced on June 4. As many as 67 students scored a perfect 720, unprecedented in the NTA's history, with six from a center in Haryana's Faridabad figuring in the list, raising suspicions about irregularities.