As we learned at last night's Social Marketers NYC meetup, The Changing Nature of Viral, there's no magic formula that can guarantee a piece of content will go viral. There are no guarantees when it comes to virality, but there are common elements most viral sensations share.
We put together a playlist consisting of our favorite viral hits of all time. We dug into the reasons behind their success, and found three common denominators - use these tips to make your brand's content more share-worthy!
Pull on their heartstrings
Using a bit of emotional appeal can go a long way. Whether it's humor, nostalgia, or guilt - the more human your content, the more it will resonate with your audience. People share things that make them feel something - happy, sad, and even confused. This is exemplified by funny videos like Gangnam Style, I'm on a Boat, and Chocolate Rain. Not convinced? Consider the rise of Sophia Grace and Rosie - the adorable singing twosome you can't help but "awww" at every time.
Find your groupies
Identify your brand advocates and maximize their potential. Reach out for endorsements, or just to engage with them - it will make them more likely to pass your content along. Take Carly Rae Jepsen's hit song "Call Me Maybe" as an example. Had Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, and Ashley Tisdale not created their own impromptu music video for the song, it's unlikely she'd be on the radar of every teen in America. You may not have celebrity admirers like Carly's, but you can still take advantage of bloggers and influencers in your field.
Encourage Imitation
You may think the Harlem Shake phenomenon is total nonsense, but it's impossible to ignore the 12,000 user-generated videos that were created during the first two weeks of the craze. Not to mention the enormous popularity of gags like "rickrolling" and "planking." In all three cases, the movements became popular because it was easy for people to participate in them. Create content that makes it easy for your audience to interact with or recreate - people love to put their unique spin on fun ideas.