Every brand hopes their content will become the next online sensation. But the reality is that true viral content is rare and challenging to achieve.
A report by WSI, 2 Surprising Truths About Viral Content, deep dives into what it really takes to create viral content.
Going viral isn’t easy (or cheap).
For brands, there’s usually a behind-the-scenes story when a video goes viral. This means that they may be supported by numerous campaigns or paying large sums of money to advertise it.
While this isn’t always the case, the bottom line is you should be prepared to invest a lot of time and resources in activating viral content.
Always gauge your audience.
Knowing your audience isn’t just a viral marketing thing, but a general rule of thumb for marketers. You’ll never be able to gauge your target market if you don’t know them.
If you’re creating content with your audience in mind, then it’s more likely to be shared and in turn has better odds of going viral.
Set realistic goals.
Chances are you don’t have the budget to go viral to reach a wide fan base so set more obtainable goals. If you are steadily gaining an audience, you’re moving in the right direction.
Don’t focus all your attention on creating viral content.
While creating viral content can have huge benefits for your brand, such as awareness and increased site traffic, try not to fixate all of your time and resources on it. Continuing to create content that engages with your fan base is just as important.
Before you try to go viral ask yourself how it will benefit you or the company. Will your audience enjoy a little but of purposeful dishonesty? Are you being realistic with my goals? Do you have the budget? Does viral content provide more value to my customers or are you just chasing customers?