Going viral on YouTube is the dream, right? A million views overnight, subscribers pouring in, comments flooding your notifications. But the big question is why do some YouTube videos go insanely viral while others barely get noticed? It’s seems so random and unfair. Well, virality isn’t just pure luck. There’s a science to it and today we’ll dive into the key elements that could turn your video into the next big hit on YouTube.
Understanding Virality
There are a lot of misconceptions about viral content. A big one of these misconceptions is the idea of overnight successes. It can appear that it is so easy for others to have hugely successful channels with seemingly very little effort. But that’s usually just not true. You aren’t seeing what is going on behind the scenes or how many channels they have had before this one. Comparison is the thief of joy, so just don’t do it.
Another thing people think is that if I go viral, I’ll be automatically successful. But that’s just not the case. A ton of people are successful on YouTube without having a video go viral. And at the same time there are a ton of “one hit wonders” out there that have one great video and then just really don’t have success beyond that. Viral videos are really not the goal for YouTube success.
Negatives of Viral Videos
Having a video go viral actually has some drawbacks. One negative is the pressure it can put on a person. After you create a video that goes viral, every other video after it can feel like a failure. Even if those videos are performing better than before, the pressure to make another viral video is always there looming over you.
Another problem with viral videos is that they often draw in the wrong audience. It sounds great to have people pouring in, but if they aren’t interested in any of your other content, it’s not really doing much for your channel.
Elements of a Viral Video
So if we haven’t talked you out of trying to make a viral video, let’s get into some of the key elements that go into a viral video. First of all, viral videos are not based on luck. They’re based on nailing a few key elements, which leads to a high influx of positive viewer signals.
Titles & thumbnails are key players in a viral video. There are many ways to entice someone to click without resorting to clickbait. One way is to connect known to unknown. People may not know who you are, but they will know someone famous or something that is trending right now. If you can connect this known thing to you in a logical way, this is a great way to break out of your current niche and be discoverable to a wider audience.
Another way is to visually show emotion in your thumbnail and title. If your viewer relates to your video, they are going to be intrigued enough to click into your video. Now, I’m not saying use the classic YouTube “shocked face.” But pull on the emotion that your video is portraying. Use contrast and scale to really pull the viewer in, without being too over-the-top photoshopped and complicated. (Matt D’avella does a great job of this if you’re looking for examples.)
Uniqueness is also a key component. The element of surprise can really capture your viewers’ attention and make them want to watch. Teasing an additional element of surprise right in your opening hook draws your viewer in even further. At this point, they feel like they can’t click away because they are just so curious how it will turn out. And then, when you deliver on this they have to share it with their friends.
Getting people to click into your video is only half the battle. Now, you need to keep them watching your content to the end. Stories are universal in captivating attention throughout history. Stories drive emotion, memorability, tension and they move the video forward. But storytelling is a skill that needs to be developed. Some techniques you can use is to visually tell the story. Show, instead of tell, wherever you can. Also, use music to build on emotion and make intense moments more intense. Another easy technique is simply saying “but” instead of “and.” “But” draws you in further and builds on a story.
So now that you’ve drawn your viewer to the end of your video, having an effective call to action is vital for virality. If you can keep your viewers watching more it’s going to give extremely positive viewer signals to YouTube. To really pull your viewer in to watch more, you really need a good surprise at the end. You want your viewer to think, “I don’t want this to be over! I want to watch more!” Remember, the end of your video is a hook to draw them into the next video. Ending language is a good way to turn a viewer off. So, don’t say “If this interested you, go watch this next video.” That’s too easy to ignore. Convince them that they NEED to watch the next one. You tell them why.
Going viral is more science than luck. There are no guaranteed formulas for virality. But by understanding what resonates with viewers, you can significantly boost your chances. Each piece of content represents an opportunity to connect, entertain, inform, and potentially achieve viral success. Good luck.
Power Tip
YouTube has updated their community guidelines. YouTube has had a strike system regarding copyright infringements. (Basically, three strikes and you’re out.) But now, if you violate the copyright policy, you can take a training course. And if you don’t violate any other policies in the next 90 days, you can have the strikes cleared off your record.
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Tim Schmoyer
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