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No business can build their customer base on the slim chance of going viral… right? Well, like with most things in the world of social media, there may be more of a science to virality than an art. And, taking advantage of this science and following in the footsteps of other viral content creators may be a powerful first step in securing exposure and credibility through online content, such as videos.
Having created viral videos that have garnered numbers like over two million views, 47,000 shares, and 38,000 likes. One of my videos even gained 7.2 million views. And, even better — these videos led to recognition for both me, and my business (which of course, led to new customers).Here are a few must-know tips to help anyone who is looking for a fresh marketing perspective to create compelling, viral-worthy content, and to turn all of the viewers into paying customers.
1. It’s all in the headlines.
The average consumer is inundated with constant content every time they open their phones – so what makes them stay on your content has to be something that grabs their attention within the first few seconds. Specifically, the headline is what tells the consumer what they’re about to learn or gain from the video, and may also be the reason they click on the video to begin with. If the headline is boring, and it doesn’t yet have the ‘social proof’ (i.e., tens of thousands of views, likes, or shares, which are all visible to a consumer), it’ll be easy to scroll right past – simply because they think the video won’t be of interest to them.
The trick of the headline to capture their attention is to “tell a story in one sentence.” While that may sound difficult, try a few variations of the story, making it as pithy and compelling as possible. People simply want to know what to expect from the video they’re about to invest time into watching. If the headline can spark interest, they’re more likely to watch the entire video to see what they’ve been told they will get from the video.
2. Capitalize on the first few seconds of your video
On TikTok, the video creation and sharing platform, creators are continuously told by growth experts that those ‘first three seconds’ of the video are imperative in keeping a viewer watching. This advice I will reaffirm is crucial to implement.
“If you can keep the consumer watching, your number of views will go up, and they’ll be more likely to engage with the video or share it. The same is true for sharing a video anywhere else online, too. Nix all the slow starts, and get into the action or the message immediately.”
3. Have a call to action.
Imagine this: one of your videos goes viral, but it doesn’t tell consumers what to do now that they’ve watched it! That can result in potentially tens of thousands of lost opportunities. Whether the call to action is following you, subscribing to your channel, or buying your product, consumers also need to be told what it is you want them to do. So, make sure to add a call to action in the video description or – even better – at the end of the video itself. Also asking the viewer to comment on the video works, because it provides social proof that can accelerate the video further.
“Furthermore, use this content as a way to invite inbound conversations.” “Sometimes it’s unlikely that a viewer will immediately buy something from you just from one video. But if they can be interested in having a conversation with you, and you or your team can market or sell to them from that conversation, you’re more likely to convert that viewer into a customer.”
Regardless of whether or not your first few videos gain the virality you’re looking for, incorporating these three key pieces of advice can spark more engagement, longer watch times, and a greater value-add from you to your viewer in the content that you create.
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