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Last Updated on November 23, 2015 by Work In My Pajamas
Content never goes viral thanks to pure chance. Sure, content virality is something that can happen due to unexpected circumstances (remember that Superbowl blackout Oreo action?), but it always takes critical ability to really make the most from a moment. Jonah Berger is a a marketing professor from the Wharton School of Business who spent years examining the phenomenon of content virality and came to the conclusion that popular pieces of content do share common characteristics. Here are 10 key traits which seriously improve the chances of content going viral.
- It’s positive
It should come as no surprise that negative content is never as popular as positive content. Even if slightly negative content can be powerful (think of all those ironic posts that instantly capture user attention), positive content will almost always receive more shares. It’s just logical – people like to share good things with her friends and family, not depressing or sad stories. Viral content can be positive or simply verge on negative.
- It has a practical value
Many audiences appreciate content which helps them to solve real-life problems or offers suggestions on how to be better at what they do. That’s just something users like to read about – and they’re more than happy to share such valuable content with their networks, helping their friends and colleagues to achieve the same. Content which offers a practical value, be it in the form of current industry news, comprehensive list posts or insightful how-to articles, has a greater chance at going viral.
- It makes use of storytelling
Storytelling is a powerful strategy used in all kids of marketing and branding, and you can expect it to work for content creation as well. People just like stories – they’re easy to understand and relate to. A collection of amazing data is as good as nothing if you cannot represent it with a storyline running in the background. Storytelling instantly boosts shareability of content.
- It evokes intense emotions
Content which provokes no emotions at all will never gain popularity. It can be positive or negative, but the reaction is key to content in virality. High-arousal content will receive more shares and users are more likely to engage it with it. Even if it makes them feel angry. Of course, negative emotions are always tricky to handle – just like anger, fear or irritation can work only for specific audiences and in certain contexts.
- It acts as a trigger
Users like content which tackles topics that are already at the front of their minds. Choosing such a subject, you’ll significantly improve the chances of your content to receive more shares and likes – it will simply be much more engaging. This is an insight that has long been a part of the media industry – journalists would always strive to create articles which are topical, relevant and highly shareable.
- It offers an interesting perspective
Viral content often presents a new perspective on a topic everyone is already talking about. Such types of content get people talking even more. If your interpretation is unique and offers a novel approach towards a problem or a phenomenon, you can easily promote it among fellow bloggers and even journalists to extend its reach. People are always interested in topics which sell, so finding a unique angle and using it in content creation is a real strategy for success.
- Influential figures find it attractive
You will never get to know every single member of your target audience, but if you know who they follow, you might learn what kind of content makes them tick. A piece of content about a topic favored by group of industry influencers will have much greater chances at becoming popular. Audiences like content promoted by gurus and thought leaders. If those people share it, it means that it’s worth a look. Their followers will pay enough attention so it goes viral.
- It compliments others
Content which functions as an ego bait will easily go viral. People like to be complimented – content like this will attract a lot of internet traffic and offer you an opportunity to build a meaningful relationship with the audience. Content which is based on complimenting others for something that they did works wonders – you can only imagine that those people will want to reciprocate and consequently share it to their networks, ensuring a wider reach.
- It makes good use of controversy
Viral content is often controversial, but it takes a certain skill to make the most from controversy. It’s best to choose topics which cause some reactions, but aren’t too controversial or likely to offend the audience. Topics which are too hot sometimes kill the online conversation – and your job is to stimulate it with your content. You need to inspire people to share and talk about it. When offered in small doses, controversy can be an excellent ingredient for virality. But always be extra careful when presenting such content. Make sure to cite authoritative sources and double check with others that your content won’t offend anyone.
- It offers a social value
People don’t share content only because they genuinely like it and want others to appreciate it as well. Sharing, liking and commenting are all social activities – and those are seen by other users. Understood in this way, content bears a social value and it represents us to other people. That’s why we like sharing things that make us look good – be it fun, sophisticated, knowledgeable or smart. Pieces of content which serve as social currency have a potential for going viral.
All these characteristics are essentially based on the science of human behavior. If you study and understand it, you’ll be able to predict and direct the reactions of users to drive benefits to your marketing strategy. Creating viral content is easily within your reach.
