Going viral on social media is often seen as the holy grail for content creators. The definition of “viral” can vary by platform, but generally, it refers to content that experiences a rapid increase in views, engagement, and shares.
But let’s take a look!
What does it mean to Go Viral?
Answer: Going viral means getting significant engagement in a short period of time, such as getting lots of likes and comments in ~2 hours.
Factors influencing virality include trends, relatability, engagement, and the quality of the content itself.
Definition of Viral Content
Viral content refers to any piece of media—such as a video, image, or post—that rapidly spreads across the internet through extensive sharing, reaching a vast audience within a short period.
This type of content typically resonates widely because it evokes strong emotions, humor, relatability, or surprise, prompting viewers to share it with others, often leading to exponential growth in views and engagement across platforms.
Read more: “VIRAL” in the Cambridge Dictionary.
What does Going Viral mean in Online Marketing?
In online marketing, going viral refers to a piece of content (like a video, post, or image) spreading rapidly across the internet, reaching a vast audience in a short period. Viral content typically gains traction through shares, likes, comments, and other forms of user engagement that propel it across social media platforms, email, and even beyond the original platform.
Here’s what “going viral” means practically:
- Rapid Spread: Content reaches hundreds of thousands or millions of people in a very short time, often through organic sharing.
- Exponential Growth: Each view or interaction prompts additional shares, leading to a snowball effect.
- Massive Visibility: Going viral boosts brand awareness significantly, as the content appears in multiple users’ feeds across various networks.
- Engagement Spike: Viral content draws higher-than-average interaction rates, including comments, likes, and shares, increasing overall visibility.
Going viral can boost brand visibility, engagement, and sometimes lead directly to sales, making it a powerful but unpredictable tool in digital marketing.
How Many Views Count as Viral on Social Media?
1. TikTok
On TikTok, a video can be considered viral with around 100,000 views or more. This platform’s algorithm can quickly amplify content, especially if it resonates with current trends.
- Leverage trending sounds and challenges.
- Post consistently to build your audience.
- Engage with comments to increase visibility.
- Collaborate with other creators for broader reach.
Keep Learning: How to go viral on TikTok.
2. Instagram
For Instagram, a video is often deemed viral with 50,000 views or higher. The platform rewards content that prompts engagement, such as likes, comments, and shares.
- Use hashtags strategically to reach wider audiences.
- Create visually appealing content that catches the eye.
- Engage with followers through stories and polls.
- Post during peak times for maximum exposure.
Keep Learaning: Best times to post Reels.
3. YouTube
On YouTube, a video might go viral with around 1 million views or more. The platform’s algorithm promotes content based on watch time, clicks, and engagement.
- Optimize titles and thumbnails to attract clicks.
- Use keywords effectively for better searchability.
- Encourage viewers to like and subscribe for more content.
- Collaborate with other YouTubers to expand reach.
Keep Learning: How to go viral on YouTube.
4. YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts can go viral with approximately 100,000 views. Shorts’ algorithm allows for quick consumption and sharing, boosting the potential for virality.
- Keep content engaging within the first few seconds.
- Utilize trending audio to catch viewers’ attention.
- Post frequently to increase the chances of being featured.
- Engage with comments to foster a community.
Keep Learning: Best time to post YouTube Shorts.
5. Facebook
On Facebook, a video is often considered viral with 500,000 views or more. The platform prioritizes content that generates comments and shares, making engagement crucial.
- Create shareable content that resonates with your audience.
- Utilize Facebook Live to engage in real time.
- Encourage viewers to tag friends to increase visibility.
- Use eye-catching visuals and headlines.
Keep Learning: Best time to post Facebook Reels.
6. Snapchat
For Snapchat, a story or video can be viewed as viral with around 100,000 views. Snap’s ephemeral nature means that engaging content can quickly spread among users.
- Use engaging filters and effects to attract attention.
- Share exclusive content to encourage views.
- Interact with your audience through polls and Q&A.
- Leverage influencers to broaden your reach.
7. 𝕏 (Twitter)
On X (formerly Twitter), a post can be considered viral with 10,000 retweets or likes. While not strictly based on views, engagement metrics play a significant role in determining virality.
- Use trending hashtags to increase visibility.
- Post during high-traffic times for maximum exposure.
- Create relatable or humorous content to encourage shares.
- Engage with followers to boost interactions.
Understanding what constitutes viral content across different platforms can help creators strategize their posts. Focus on producing engaging, shareable content tailored to each platform’s audience and trends.
What Makes Content Go Viral?
Content often goes viral when it’s highly relatable, emotionally impactful, or surprising, sparking strong viewer reactions like laughter, awe, or empathy.
Easy sharing, catchy visuals, and aligning with current trends or challenges also boost its viral potential by encouraging users to spread it quickly across platforms.
1. Relatable Content
Content that reflects common experiences or challenges resonates with a wide audience, making viewers feel understood and encouraging them to share.
2. Emotional Impact
Videos that evoke strong emotions—like laughter, inspiration, or nostalgia—tend to capture attention and prompt reactions, increasing engagement and shareability.
3. Surprise Elements
Incorporating surprises or twists keeps viewers hooked, making them more likely to share with others to see their reactions.
4. Jumping on Trends
Participating in trending challenges, hashtags, or topics connects your content with ongoing conversations, increasing visibility and engagement with trend-followers.
5. Using Hooks Right
Crisp visuals, dynamic editing, and engaging intros quickly capture attention in a crowded feed, drawing viewers in for longer watch times.
Find out the best hooks for Shorts and the 14 best hooks for TikTok.
6. Asking for Engagement
Content that invites viewers to react, comment, or join a challenge builds a community feel and motivates users to share or recreate it, amplifying reach.
7. Optimized Timing
Posting at peak times and on platforms where your audience is most active increases the chances of your content gaining initial traction, which is essential for virality.
How Viral Content Helps Grow On Social Media
1. Brand Exposure
Viral content reaches a massive audience quickly, exposing your brand to people who might not otherwise find it.
This broad reach helps to:
- Build Awareness: More people become familiar with your brand and message.
- Establish Authority: High engagement can position your brand as a leader in its niche.
2. Followers Growth
Viral content attracts attention from new audiences, leading to:
- More Followers: When people see engaging content, they’re more likely to follow your profile.
- Higher Retention: Consistently creating viral-worthy content helps retain followers by keeping them engaged.
3. Engagement Rates
Viral posts generate higher levels of likes, comments, and shares, which benefits your profile by:
- Boosting Algorithm Ranking: Increased engagement signals to platforms that your content is valuable, leading to more visibility.
- Creating Community: Viral content often encourages discussions and interactions, building a loyal audience around your brand.
4. Website Traffic
By linking to your website within viral content or profiles, you can direct users to your website, which helps:
- Increase Conversions: More traffic can lead to higher conversions on products or services.
- Build Email Lists: You can capture leads from users who are interested in learning more about your brand.
5. Cost-Effective Marketing
Viral content provides organic reach without heavy ad spending, making it an affordable growth tool by:
- Reducing Ad Costs: Organic reach means fewer paid campaigns, saving on marketing costs.
- Maximizing ROI: Viral content has a high return on investment, as the reach often outweighs the resources used to create it.
6. Improved Brand Loyalty and Trust
When your audience sees relatable, engaging content, it fosters trust in your brand, leading to:
- Higher Loyalty: People are more likely to engage with and support brands they trust.
- Positive Brand Perception: Viral content humanizes your brand, creating a positive reputation among viewers.
7. Competitive Advantage
A strong viral presence sets you apart from competitors and can make your brand more recognizable. This advantage translates to:
- Increased Market Share: More exposure can help your brand stand out in a crowded market.
- Positioning as a Trendsetter: Viral content can establish your brand as an innovator within the industry.
Why even Care of Going Viral?
Going viral can significantly boost visibility, helping content creators, brands, or individuals reach a much larger audience than through regular posts.
Viral content can lead to more followers, increased engagement, and improved brand recognition, opening doors for collaboration, sponsorships, and monetization opportunities.
Additionally, viral reach can create long-lasting credibility and establish a strong online presence, which is especially valuable in crowded digital spaces.
Create viral videos with SendShort
SendShort is the perfect tool for creating videos with viral potential. Its features make it easy to produce engaging, high-quality content that stands out and resonates with audiences.
Here’s how SendShort helps you craft videos ready to go viral:
- Fast, Precise Editing: Quickly edit clips for perfect timing and impact. SendShort’s intuitive interface lets you cut, merge, and optimize videos without a steep learning curve.
- Attention-Grabbing Captions and Fonts: Add captions and unique fonts that make your message pop. This is especially useful for reaching viewers who watch without sound.
- Special Effects & Text Overlays: Use effects, transitions, and animated text overlays to keep viewers hooked from the first second.
- Platform Optimization: Tailor your videos for specific platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, making them look and feel native to each audience.
With SendShort, you can create dynamic, engaging videos that capture viewers’ attention and increase the likelihood of going viral.
FAQ
1. What’s the quickest way to go viral?
The quickest way to go viral is to create short, highly engaging content that taps into current trends, evokes strong emotions, and encourages sharing or participation.
Posting at peak times on platforms popular with your target audience also boosts initial reach and engagement.
2. Is 10,000 views considered viral?
Whether 10,000 views are considered viral depends on the platform and the context of the content.
- Platform Variability: On some platforms, such as TikTok or Instagram, 10,000 views might indicate a significant reach, especially for newer accounts or smaller audiences. However, on platforms like YouTube, where content typically garners higher view counts, 10,000 views may not be considered viral.
- Relative Performance: It’s essential to compare the views against the creator’s usual performance. If 10,000 views significantly exceed an account’s average, it may be deemed viral for that creator.
- Engagement Metrics: Beyond just views, high engagement rates (likes, shares, comments) in conjunction with 10,000 views can also signal virality. Content that garners more interaction relative to its views is often considered more viral.
- Context Matters: The type of content and the audience can influence what is considered viral. A niche market might view 10,000 views as a substantial achievement, while a broader audience might expect higher numbers.
In summary, while 10,000 views can be impressive and may indicate a viral moment for some creators or platforms, it’s not universally recognized as “viral” across all contexts.
3. Is 20k views considered viral?
While 20k views can indicate strong engagement, it’s not typically considered “viral” on larger platforms like Instagram or TikTok, where viral content often reaches hundreds of thousands or even millions of views.
However, for smaller accounts or niche topics, 20k views can still be impressive and impactful.
Thanks a lot for reading this,
David Ch
Head of the Editing Team at SendShort
