The Ultimate Guide to Making a Viral Video, According to Social Media Pros

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Viral videos are perhaps the form of online entertainment with the greatest global reach. The most popular viral videos are viewed by hundreds of millions (sometimes even over a billion) people from all over the world. With over 500 hours of video uploaded to YouTube every minute, the competition for this type of fame is fierce, but viral stars can come from any walk of life and can rise to social media stardom overnight, so everyone—including you—has the potential to become a viral smash hit. Keep reading to learn exactly how to do so, with helpful insights from social media experts.

How to Make a Video Go Viral

According to fast food and social media expert Wayne Dang, get to know your audience well. That will not only help you decide what kind of content to put out, but also on what platform. Get creative, but keep the video short since short videos tend to get the most views. Also, aim to post consistently so you have a better shot at going viral.

Section 1 of 2:

Expert Ways to Improve Your Chances of Going Viral

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  1. 1
    Know your audience. When thinking about how your video can go viral, your desired demographic should be top of mind. Dang says, “You have to know who your fanbase is. What are you trying to target? If your target audience is kids, then humor or cringeworthy acts will be popular,” he explains. “If your audience is more mature and grown-up, then providing information they didn’t know about before would be great.” Try to identify your audience by asking yourself the following questions: [1]
    • How old are they?
    • What do they find most entertaining?
    • Where might there be a gap in content among this particular group of people?
    • What has gone viral with this group before?

    Meet the wikiHow Experts

    Wayne Dang is a Fast Food Expert & Video Creator specializing in sharing restaurant and fast food reviews. Wayne has a follower base of over 135K YouTube subscribers, and his videos have over 21 million views.

    Melissa Rodriguez is a Marketing and Advertising Specialist with over 5 years of experience, specializing in branding, content production, social media marketing, and public relations.

    Beth Cormack is a Social Media Manager with five years of experience, specializing in multi-channel social media marketing and storytelling.

  2. 2
    Create an engaging title and description. When it comes to creating and posting the most engaging video possible, the trick is to use relatable keywords. To best achieve this, imagine that the video headline is the start of a conversation between you and the viewer. What would you first like them to know? If you’re a foodie, your video may hit popular buzz words like “cheesy” and “decadent,” enticing the audience to keep watching. Adding a relevant number can also spike your clicks, like “13 Ways to Make Your Girlfriend Giggle.” [2]
    • Hashtags help promote your video while allowing users to click on them and find similar content. That way, you’re popular and helpful!
    • Be mindful of all of your chosen platform’s guidelines, including character limits and family-friendly titles.
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  3. 3
    Learn how the algorithm works. An algorithm refers to a set of mathematical principles used to determine what content to show a certain audience. Every social media platform has its own, but in general, the content that shows up on your feed is based on factors like relevance, engagement, and even geographic location. Marketing and advertising specialist Melissa Rodriguez suggests getting comfortable with the algorithm analytics provided by your platform of choice, like the business insights accessible on Instagram. She also says there are other tools that can help you better understand your numbers: “There’s Blade Pro , which is a tool that allows you to see new growth on different accounts, engagement rate, and drop-off rates.” [3]
  4. The longer your video is, the greater you'll have to fight to keep your audience's attention. Thus, it's much easier to make a short video go viral than a long one. However, it’s important to note that the ideal length of a video depends on various factors, like the kind of content you’re making and what you want your audience to take away from it. [5] Dang advises, “Try to make the video as short as possible without sacrificing quality and detail. Any unnecessary information will likely make the viewer click away. Keep the video straight to the point and only include relevant things.” [6]
    • Dang adds, “Always try to think what would keep your audience interested and not click away. Take away any dead spaces and change up the clip scenes every few seconds to keep them interested.” [7]
    • As a general rule of thumb, a video that is between 30 and 45 seconds is most likely to be shared, while videos that are one minute or longer are ideal for maximizing the content to the viewer.
  5. As a very general rule, people like viral videos that make them feel good about themselves and/or the world more than they like pessimistic ones (though there are, of course, plenty of exceptions.) Academic research has found that, while viewers typically prefer content that evokes a strong emotional response, "happy" content tends to get shared most of all. [8]
    • A look at the top 10 most-viewed YouTube videos of all time seems to confirm this: the only one that isn't a music video is "Charlie Bit My Finger," which is certainly lighthearted and funny.
      • Of the music videos, about 6 or 7 would generally be classified as lighthearted, depending on your personal tastes.
  6. 6
    Take advantage of trends. Social media manager Beth Cormack says that paying close attention to trends is a “great tactic.” She adds that it’s important to “stay on top of trending topics,” in terms of hashtags, sounds, and trends in general. Cormack advises that you’re always on the pulse of what’s relevant, so you can “quickly create content and react to that.” Whether you hop on to a trending audio clip— like this one from SpongeBob SquarePants— or put your own creative spin on a trending meme— like this one spoofing a British airline ad— it’s a great way to gain followers. [9]
  7. There's no disputing that YouTube is the most popular video-sharing platform in the world (official data from Alexa, an online statistics company, puts YouTube as the third-most-visited site in the world behind Google and Facebook.) However, it's not the only place to upload your videos. Dang reminds us that Apps like Instagram, X, and TikTok have become great platforms, too. [10]
    • Apps like TikTok are perfect for shorter content, which is ideal for going viral. Dang shares, “Typically for a viral video, the shorter the better. Most social media sites use watch time as the metric for pushing the videos out. The longer a person watches the video, the better sign it is for the algorithm to push the video out.” [11]
    • Dang says that, “If the video is shorter, it’s a lot easier to get a person watching most of the video compared to a long video where a person might only watch half of it.” [12]
    • He states that although TikTok is starting to push for more long-form videos, “a video that is around 1 minute to 2 minutes” still does best from an algorithm perspective. [13]
  8. 8
    Post consistently. Many experts are in agreement that posting consistently on social media is one of the best ways to gain followers and improve engagement. In fact, Cormack believes it to be even more important than using trending hashtags: “Using accurate and trending hashtags is one way to increase visibility on TikTok, but it is not the only or most important factor. Using trending sounds and posting consistent, engaging content is a better way to gain more followers.” She goes on to explain that, “The more consistent you are in posting about it and the more interesting it is, the more your audience will grow.” [14]
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Section 2 of 2:

Viral Content Ideas

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  1. No matter where you come from, what language you speak, or how you were raised, there's a good chance that you'll chuckle at a video of someone in a scary mask popping out of a trash can and scaring his friend. Pranks and practical jokes (especially ones that involve physical humor) have a universal quality because almost anyone, anywhere, can enjoy them. On top of this, they're very easy to shoot — a simple cell phone camera will usually do the job.
  2. Simple monologues are some of the easiest viral videos to shoot — all you need is the camera on your computer or laptop and a funny idea to get you started. Most of the most popular viral monologues are funny (sometimes accidentally), so stay away from serious speeches and political diatribes for the best chance of going viral.
    • Examples: "Leave Britney Alone"
    • Viral Tip: The biggest difficulty with monologue videos is that there's not much for your audience to look at besides your face and whatever is right behind you. This means you'll have to be creative to keep your viewers' attention — use humor or an emotional performance to separate yourself from the pack.
  3. In the age of the viral video, you don't necessarily have to be able to belt like Whitney Houston to become a music sensation. Giving a funny lip sync performance over a catchy song is an easy way to get your video noticed online. If your performance is ridiculously over-the-top, all the better!
    • Examples: "Numa Numa Song," countless Let It Go lip syncs.
    • Viral Tip: Remember that you don't have to lip sync for the entire song — a thirty-second lip sync of the funniest part of the song can be hilarious, but a four-minute video of the entire thing can be a little much.
  4. Don't be afraid to tug at your audience's heartstrings when you're chasing viral success. Cute or heartwarming videos can be immensely popular, and one of the easiest ways to capture pure, undistilled cuteness is to turn the camera on your family. Record something truly adorable (like, for instance, a relative's enthusiastic welcome home after serving a tour of duty abroad) and you will score big with grandmothers everywhere.
    • Examples: "Charlie Bit My Finger," "David After Dentist," etc.
    • Viral Tip: While kids can be considered content goldmines in terms of cuteness and lack of inhibition, it might be best to focus on consenting grown-ups. Think of capturing a reunion between two family members who haven’t seen each other in years, your sister’s impressive proposal, or your favorite aunt’s reaction at her surprise 50th birthday party.
  5. Can't think of a good idea for your viral video? Put your own twist on an idea that's already popular! At any given moment, there are usually at least one or two video memes experiencing popularity on sharing sites like YouTube, so hop on board before the trend grows stale — simply add your own unique charm to the existing formula. You can also stitch a trending video on a hot-button current event and give your equally piping hot take!
    • Examples: Countless "Harlem Shake" videos , Downfall spoofs, "Keyboard Cat" mashups , and many, many more.
    • Viral Tip: If you want to get popular off of an existing meme, your best bet is to put your video out as soon as possible. The popularity of video memes usually burns bright, but short. For example, the "Harlem Shake" video craze of early 2013 peaked in mid-February with millions upon millions of daily views. However, by as early as the start of March, viewership had fallen drastically. [15]
  6. Can you turn your eyelids inside out? Can you shred like Hendrix on guitar? Everyone's good at something, so take the time to sharpen up with a little practice and show the world what you've got! Musical performances can make for amazing viral videos, but there's no limit here — for instance, videos of incredible sports moves, martial arts skills, Rubik's cube-solving, and much more can all achieve viral success.
    • Examples: "The Evolution of Dance," "Chocolate Rain," etc.
    • Viral Tip: For the best chance at success, try to limit yourself to things that people can't see from anyone else. For example, being able to dunk on a regulation hoop is pretty amazing, but it's something anyone who watches basketball has seen before. Being able to dunk over a friend's head, on the other hand, is a lot rarer and more impressive.
  7. Believe it or not, some of the biggest viral stars in the world are people who simply record themselves playing video games, then share the footage with their live commentary added in. These types of videos, which are called "Let's Play" videos, are a form of entertainment that's rapidly grown in popularity in the last few years, so you'll already have a built-in audience if you're able to put out funny, well-made content.
    • Examples: YouTube channels like Markiplier , PewDiePie , etc.
    • Viral Tip: If you gain popularity with a Let's Play channel, convert your viral success into cash! For example, some Let's Play-ers make revenue-sharing deals with advertisers, others get sponsored by established video content providers, and still others use digital payment systems like Patreon to take donations from their viewers. [16]
  8. There's no beating a cute animal for working your way into your audience's hearts. Cute animals have an almost universal appeal — there's something about watching a baby puppy take its first steps, for instance, that can warm even the coldest hearts. If you have an adorable pet or you happen to stumble across a heartwarming interaction at the zoo, take your phone out and start recording!
    • Examples: "Sneezing Panda," "Otters Holding Hands."
    • Viral Tip: Recording a funny or cute animal video often requires a little more luck and patience than it would take to capture a young relative doing something funny, for instance. It's difficult to predict exactly how animals will behave, even when they're well-behaved, so be patient and keep your camera running!
  9. DIY and "How-to" videos are immensely popular online. Though these types of videos may not be as likely to get you the internet super-stardom that funny Let's Plays or meme videos are, they can bring their brand of popularity. For instance, the YouTube channel "DaveHax," which contains short how-to videos for basic crafts, routinely gets hundreds of thousands of views per video (sometimes even several million.) [17]
    • Examples: "Life Hack" videos , "WonderHowTo" videos, etc.
    • Viral Tip: For maximum popularity, you'll want to address problems that lots of people have a hard time dealing with. For example, common computer performance issues like slow loading times, bad Wi-Fi connections, and so on are among the very most common customer support issues. [18]
  10. It's amazing how quickly pop culture that seems cutting-edge at the time becomes embarrassingly dated. Older music, fashion, TV shows, and so on can be absolutely cringe-inducing with a decade or two of hindsight. Unearthing an old, forgotten gem of retro cheese and uploading it to the internet can be an unorthodox path to viral success, but it's one that can truly pay off if you hit the jackpot — consider how the practice of "Rickrolling" became a cultural touchstone based off of a decades-old music video by Rick Astley.
    • Examples: "Rickroll" videos , "Super Bowl Shuffle" clips, "Everything Is Terrible," etc.
    • Viral Tip: Though every decade has its fair share of cheese, for many, the neon-soaked 1980s take the cake. Try watching forgotten 80s junk-cinema classics like Miami Connection for a taste of just how corny the Reagan years seem today.
  11. While feature-length movies are typically beyond the time and budget constraints of most viral video producers, short films offer a more attainable target. There are no rules here. You can go for a dramatic narrative, a simple comedy setup, or even take an experimental approach by stringing together images and textures without a traditional storyline — it's all up to your vision as the director.
    • Examples: Five Second Films, SNL Digital shorts, etc. [19]
    • Viral Tip: Sometimes, the key to achieving viral success with a short film is to make it a really short film. For example, the "Five Second Films" YouTube channel, which makes humorous clips that run just five seconds in length, has millions of subscribers.
  12. These videos are a step above and beyond basic staring-into-the-webcam lip-sync videos. Good music videos pair a memorable concept with a catchy song for potent results. Though it's by no means easy to plan, choreograph, and shoot an awesome music video, the results speak for themselves: as of 2014, seven of the eight most-viewed YouTube videos of all time are music videos.
    • Examples: "Autotune the News" videos , "Here it Goes Again" by OKGO , etc.
    • Viral Tip: While you don't necessarily have to make a music video for your own original music to go viral, be prepared for difficulties if you make one for someone else's music — song copyright holders are quick to issue takedown notices for content they believe uses their material unfairly.
  13. People everywhere love seeing amazing feats of strength, intelligence, and creativity. Though you'll have to literally be the best in the world at something to break a world record. If you're willing to pick a very narrow category, it may not be that big of a stretch to break the record, so get creative!
    • Examples: "Guinness World Record: Most Shirts Worn at One Time," "Tightest Parallel Park Record Broken," etc.
    • Viral Tip: You don't necessarily have to break a record on your own — records like "Biggest Sock Hop," for instance, recognize community organizing rather than one person's individual skill.
  14. Viral videos don't necessarily have to be of real people and places. If you're skilled with animation software (like, for instance, Adobe Flash), you can put your skills to use by making cartoons , animated gags, music videos and more. Best of all, animation allows you to depict things that would be impossible to actually shoot with a camera, so you're free to be as creative as you like.
    • Examples: Potter Puppet Pals , Charlie the Unicorn , etc.
    • Viral Tip: Don't know how to animate? See our to start learning about one of the most popular animation programs in use today.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    What other tips do you have for making a viral video?
    Wayne Dang
    Fast Food & Social Media Expert
    Wayne Dang is a Fast Food Expert & Video Creator specializing in sharing restaurant and fast food reviews. Wayne has a follower base of over 90,000 YouTube subscribers and his videos have over 21 million views. He also has over 1.2 million followers on Tiktok. Wayne is known for his high energy and entertaining content. Some of his most popular content includes secret menu reviews and trying special items at restaurants.
    Wayne Dang
    Fast Food & Social Media Expert
    Expert Answer
    You have to know your fan base and target audience. For kids or teens, humor and cringe-worthy acts will be popular, whereas for mature adults, providing information-rich content that they didn't know about before would be great. Always try to think of what would keep your audience interested and not clicking away; change up clip scenes every few seconds to keep them interested.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 1
  • Question
    Which is most attractive to viewers among -- only voice, only face, or both at the same time?
    Community Answer
    You should have your face in film while you sing. People will like that better.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    How do I make a viral video if I'm ugly?
    Community Answer
    Looks do not always matter when it comes to a viral video. Just try to be as interesting or as funny as possible.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • vidIQ is one of the best free YouTube stats tools out there. It's certified by YouTube, and is a great program to keep in mind while developing your own videos.
      • Try to do something rare that no one else has done. To really be famous, do something that's really difficult and that others will not put the effort to do.
      • Try using the Clips app if you have an iOS device. It's great for making videos!
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      Warnings

      • Whatever your viral video is, to give it the greatest reach, make sure it meets the terms of use for popular sites like YouTube (typically, nudity, gore, and so on aren't allowed).
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      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about making a viral video, check out our in-depth interview with Wayne Dang .

      References

      1. ↑ Wayne Dang. Fast Food & Social Media Expert. Expert Interview
      2. ↑ https://vidiq.com/blog/post/youtube-video-title/
      3. ↑ Melissa Rodriguez. Marketing & Advertising Specialist. Expert Interview
      4. ↑ Melissa Rodriguez. Marketing & Advertising Specialist. Expert Interview
      5. ↑ https://demoduck.com/blog/viral-video-length-really-matter/
      6. ↑ Wayne Dang. Fast Food & Social Media Expert. Expert Interview
      7. ↑ Wayne Dang. Fast Food & Social Media Expert. Expert Interview
      8. ↑ http://www.forbes.com/sites/ilyapozin/2014/08/07/6-qualities-to-make-your-videos-go-viral/
      9. ↑ Beth Cormack. Social Media Manager. Expert Interview
      1. ↑ Wayne Dang. Fast Food & Social Media Expert. Expert Interview
      2. ↑ Wayne Dang. Fast Food & Social Media Expert. Expert Interview
      3. ↑ Wayne Dang. Fast Food & Social Media Expert. Expert Interview
      4. ↑ Wayne Dang. Fast Food & Social Media Expert. Expert Interview
      5. ↑ Beth Cormack. Social Media Manager. Expert Interview
      6. ↑ https://visual.ly/community/Infographics/entertainment/harlem-shake-data-and-stats
      7. ↑ http://www.patreon.com/
      8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/user/DaveHax
      9. ↑ http://www.pcworld.com/article/2047667/how-to-solve-the-10-most-common-tech-support-problems-yourself.html
      10. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkGyhCwp93E4KItUIGQWzUj-AzBBSjFds

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To make a viral video, try filming yourself while doing something funny, like pulling a harmless prank on someone or lip-syncing to your favorite song. You can also try to capture cute, sweet moments, like puppies playing together or your kids saying something silly. Alternatively, record yourself talking about something important to you or showing off a talent you have, as long as it’s unique and impressive. No matter what type of video you post, keep it under 3 minutes in length so you can easily keep people’s attention. For tips on how to post your video on sites other than YouTube to improve your chances of going viral, read on!

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