The popularity of video content skyrocketed after Facebook and Twitter decided to add an autoplay option to their feeds. Today, viral videos are the most popular form of entertainment and they come with a huge worldwide reach. Just look at this list of the most viral YouTube videos in 2016:“Adele Carpool Karaoke” – 135.9 million + views;
- “Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen/PIKO-TARO” – 95.5 million + views;
- “What’s inside a Rattlesnake Rattle?” – 59.5 million + views;
- “Nike Football Presents: The Switch ft. Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane, Anthony Martial & More” – 57.2 million + views;
- “Grace VanderWaal: 12-Year-Old Ukulele Player Gets Golden Buzzer – America’s Got Talent 2016” – 46.4 million + views;
You’ve probably noticed that only two of these videos are made by big corporate names and all others are more or less independent production. The rest of the Time’s The 10 Most Popular Viral YouTube Videos of 2016 list is not much different. This makes us think that anyone can make a viral video and earn millions of dollars on YouTube commercials. Of course, this is far from truth, so I’ve decided to find out what makes a video go viral.
Good Timing
In order to find out all the secrets that hide behind viral videos, I’ve consulted the experts from Alexander Thomas Media Company. They think that the good timing is an essential criterion for any digital marketing campaign and viral videos are no different. In most cases, the viral nature of the video depends on the timing of its release. For example, the “Sad Ben Affleck” video garnered more than 21 million views, partly because it was released a few days before
For example, the “Sad Ben Affleck” video garnered more than 21 million views, partly because it was released few days before Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice hit the theaters. The video was posted on YouTube after the movie critics shared their first impressions. At that time, thousands of DC Comics fans were trying to find information about the latest release.
‘You have to see this’ Moment
Videos that feature universally known stars and trends can easily become viral. That’s because they play upon common cultural knowledge. Sharing the latest Haken video won’t make you cool among cheerleaders, but it definitely improves your credibility among death metal fans. This tendency motivates us to share videos that feature universally known things, situations, brands, people, songs etc.
“I Know You Were a Goat” video is a remix of Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble” song, which was the most popular song in the United States in 2014. Since this is a very popular song, people manically shared its remix with their friends in order to make them laugh and to get social acclaim.
Weird Stuff
Weirdly enough, the videos that make you ask yourself: “What did I just watch?” can become very popular. They require additional viewings so people can insure that they didn’t miss something. Viewers often show these videos to their friends, to ask them whether they’ve understood the message the video is sending, or to laugh together at its off-the-wall creativity.
As one of the most shared ads from the Super Bowl, the #PuppyMonkeyBaby commercial for Mountain Dew is the best example of this trend. Older YouTube crowd will also remember crazy animated videos like “Common Woman Get on my Horse” or “Charlie the Unicorn”.
Sharing Habits
Some videos get viral because they play into common social media sharing habits. For example, people like dogs and that’s why there are dozens of highly viral videos that feature them. Just type “Ultimate Dog Tease” or “Mishka the Talking Husky” and check how many views these videos have. Unfortunately, many marketers and entrepreneurs make mistakes when they want to exploit popular social trends.
Putting a dog or cat in your jingle or a teaser won’t make it viral. Dog, cat or a baby needs to feel organic and necessary for the video plot. Ok, except in the case of #PuppyMonkeyBaby video, but that’s a totally different category.
Any video that feels natural and organic can become viral. Perfection won’t bring you millions of views. In order to make your video viral, you need to satisfy at least one of the criteria we’ve mentioned above and the rest depends on timing and luck. Amateur videos that went viral, weren’t made for this purpose. They are usually spontaneously filmed, which makes them authentic and relevant.
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