Getting a piece of content, especially a video, to go viral is pretty much everyone’s dream. Especially marketers and small businesses. Having a piece of content or a video go viral for you means unprecedented exposure for your company and brand. The bump in traffic can mean some immediate conversions as well as the prospect of attaining many long term customers. So, what do you need to do to go viral besides a kitten catching a tan at the beach?
- What really gives you the best chance to go viral is emotion. This is what people respond to. So many marketers and salespeople forget this. People respond, and buy, based on emotion not logic or reason. That is why a sales rep can stand in font of a potential customer and list all of the great benefits of a product or service and still walk away with nothing. You must make them feel. You must make them immediately respond to that emotion. You are not selling a weekend getaway. You are selling the romance of a weekend getaway.
- Headline writing is crucial to the success of going vial. If you don’t understand that then find someone who does. The headline is what decides if anyone wants to read or see the content. Remember, you must drive their emotions. Solve a problem for them or bring some added value to their lives. You may have a really great piece worthy of going viral but if you can’t get them to look at it then you have wasted your efforts.
- Finally, distribution and sharing is everything. Post it where you believe your target market is going to be. Even get out at those sites and platforms where you have never been. Even if they aren’t potential customers, they may send it along their social network chain to people they think will respond to it. Also, be up front and ask people to actually share the content. You just may be surprised at how many will.
-Written by Kevin Sawyer