Going viral on video platforms like YouTube means reaching a huge audience all over the world. And though luck plays a role in virality, it is certainly possible to increase your odds of reaching more people’s screens. From learning to make engaging content to proper search engine optimization and eye-catching thumbnails, there are many things you can do to help push your videos to more people and boost the odds of your videos taking off.
What is a viral video?
A viral video is a video that achieves a sudden (and snowballing) increase in views and engagement, becoming popular via shares on social media. There are a few characteristics that define a viral video. First, it gains a lot of views outside of the creator’s existing subscriber base. A viral video also gains a lot of views very quickly. And finally, viral videos typically garner a lot of engagement in the form of comments, likes, and shares.
How to go viral on YouTube
- Create high-quality, unique content
- Experiment with short-form content
- Use eye-catching thumbnails and titles
- Optimize video descriptions
- Hook your viewers
- Post consistently
- Share on social media
- Prioritize engagement and shareability
- Keep the audience in mind
There is no one way to go viral on YouTube, but there are several elements that many viral videos share. Here are a few tips to give your videos the best shot at taking off:
Create high-quality, unique content
The YouTube algorithm prioritizes videos that users watch all the way through. By making sure you have high-quality video content, you’re ensuring that viewers won’t click away because of basic issues like audio quality and video resolution. Whether you’re creating a full-length video or a YouTube Short, quality influences views.
Additionally, your videos are more likely to gain traction with viewers if they’re unique. While it can be fun to take part in popular video trends and styles, be sure to put your own spin on it; no one wants to see the same thing over and over.
Experiment with short-form content
YouTube Shorts, the platform's new style of short-form style videos, have more than 70 billion daily views. Shorts are vertical videos, up to 60 seconds long, that are targeted toward mobile viewers. You can create Shorts that are wholly separate from your long-form content, or repackage longer videos into a series of shorter clips.
Use eye-catching thumbnails and titles
Often, the first thing somebody will see when interacting with your video content is the title and video thumbnail. The thumbnail of a video is the small image icon that appears on YouTube’s homepage, or in the sidebar of another video. This is also the image people see when they share the video on social media platforms. An attractive thumbnail and interesting title can entice people to click on your video.
Though there’s no one secret formula to get people to click and drive traffic, many creators include three things:
- An interesting visual design with a person’s face on the thumbnail. YouTube’s algorithm seems to reward videos that use faces instead of just text.
- A text headline that is big enough to read on the thumbnail. You want viewers to be able to understand the video’s content.
- A video title that appears beneath the video. The video title should be both informative and intriguing.
You can always change your thumbnail later under the edit tab in YouTube Studio, so the best thing to do is start experimenting to see what works for your channel.
Optimize video descriptions
Include relevant keywords and hashtags in the video description so that your content shows up in search results. For example, if you run an ecommerce soap company, and you’re making a video explaining the difference between natural and synthetic cleaners, conduct keyword research to understand what search terms people use to find videos on soap ingredients.
Hook your viewers
One trick to making videos viral is to include a strong hook that convinces viewers to keep watching within the first few seconds. There are several ways to make an engaging hook, including teasing a payoff that comes at the end of your video, posing a question early on that you answer in the video, or including something funny and surprising to subvert your viewers' expectations.
YouTube's algorithm rewards videos with a high average watch time and videos with a high average percentage viewed. For short videos under 5 minutes, an average watch percentage of 50%–70% is good, whereas for longer videos more than 10 minutes, this may be around 40%–60%.
Boosting this number and keeping people watching your video helps expose it to more viewers. So, if you create content with a hook that encourages viewers to stick around, you’re more likely to reach a broader audience.
Post consistently
One of the time-tested strategies that seems to help YouTube creators make viral YouTube videos (and build successful YouTube channels) is posting consistently. Whether you’re making videos in batches, or filming something new every day, keep the content flowing consistently so users don’t get a series of videos all at once, and then nothing for a few weeks. Your subscribers see new videos as you release them, so the more often you post, the more your videos will pop up on their homepage and in the recommendations.
Share on social media
One good way to kickstart virality is to promote your video to people who follow you on other social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
Prioritize engagement and shareability
Virality isn’t just about view count—the YouTube algorithm also rewards engagement metrics like comments, likes, and shares by pushing those videos to more people. Whether you’re responding directly to comments from your YouTube subscribers or even commenting on other creators' posts and videos, building a community can help your videos take off quickly.
Another way to boost engagement is by creating videos that are likely to be shared often. While long-form videos like how-tos and explainers are a popular genre and get a lot of views, they may not be highly shareable. Mix this kind of content with relatable content like AMAs (ask-me-anything videos), behind-the-scenes clips, and even popular challenges. Just make sure these lighthearted, shorter videos are in keeping with your brand’s style and tone. You don’t want to gain virality at the expense of brand voice.
Keep the audience in mind
YouTube recommends videos to viewers based on what they’ve watched before, analyzing their search history based on both specific channels and topics. Depending on who your target audience is, you’re more likely to have success with some kinds of videos than others. For example, let’s say your business makes custom photo albums for special occasions. You may notice that your most popular videos are those that elicit strong emotions and are on topics like making memories and baby photos. This may influence your decision to make more heartfelt content rather than funny or goofy videos; you’re likely to reach the right audience if your videos are in keeping with what they’re looking for.
How to leverage YouTube virality for your ecommerce businesses
If you run a YouTube channel as part of your ecommerce business marketing strategy, it’s important to know how to leverage that hard-won virality into a real-life business opportunity. There are many ways to do that, but here are a few to keep in mind:
- Use a call-to-action. Tell your viewers what you’d like them to do. If your aim is to gain subscribers, have a card or graphic at the end asking them to subscribe. If you’re looking to boost engagement, you might pose a question and ask them to answer in the comments section. Or you could direct viewers to your website or blog so they can learn more about your brand; in this case, make sure to add a link in the video description so people know where to go.
- Leverage YouTube Shopping. If your goal is sales, you can use YouTube Shopping to showcase your products in your videos, livestreams, and Shorts, and give users the opportunity to buy pinned products directly.
- Build a reputation. Though virality can be fleeting, it is possible to build a reputation on YouTube as a trusted voice in your field. Whether you’re creating detailed how-tos or funny behind-the-scenes content, find ways to showcase your expertise or your brand’s institutional knowledge on your YouTube channel, and when relevant, explain how that translates into your superior products and services.
How to go viral on YouTube FAQ
How can I make my YouTube video go viral?
There is no single way to make your YouTube video viral, but there are a few tips and tricks to optimize your chances of making viral content. Make high-quality, unique content, package your videos well with catchy titles and appealing thumbnails, and engage with your audience. This can help you build a successful YouTube presence, boosting your odds of a video taking off.
How many views do you need to go viral on YouTube?
There is no single view count that is widely considered viral. Generally, a video is considered viral if it reaches a significant number of viewers beyond your subscriber base, meaning it gets a large number of views in a short period of time, and if it has a lot of engagement—likes, comments, and shares.
How do you increase views on YouTube?
There are a few tricks to increasing your YouTube video views. Encouraging engagement like comments, shares, and likes, posting consistently, and building in a hook for longer videos can help your videos gain popularity and reach a wider audience.
