How To Make A YouTube Video Go Viral

July 19th, 2021

Hey, WHATSUP Youtubers! Your favorite ghostwriter here, and today we are going to talk about how to go viral on youtube and why it will benefit your brand. Don’t worry: I promise it’s not as hard as it sounds. So let’s jump RIGHT in, and if you wanna be on top of all our new content, don’t forget to like and subscribe.

What’s YouTube all about?

YouTube is a video-sharing platform and the way most of the world now consumes video media. Especially among younger audiences, scrolling through youtube happens multiple times a day and often outpaces TV viewership. 

Many TV shows promote on YouTube, posting small snippets of their show on Youtube to tease their content and encourage views on the TV weekly. Unlike the significant investment it takes to get your ad a TV placement, Youtube is free and has over one billion users.

YouTube is the future of TV, and going viral on YouTube can lead to exponentially more viewers than a traditional TV advertisement. 

Capitalize on YouTube viewership 

Here are some actions you can take to boost viewership and subscribers:

Market your channel EVERYWHERE 

You want a maximum amount of eyes on your content. So make sure you link to your Youtube channel or best video on all other social platforms, your email signatures, and your newsletters. Make it impossible to avoid.

Also, tag people on social media related to your video and really market it everywhere to everyone. Even if someone is not interested, an extra view on your video can go a long way to getting someone to view it. Social proof is a fundamental concept and a proven motivator for more people to engage with your content.

Reddit is your Trojan Horse 

Posting on Reddit far and away creates the most traffic. Yet, very rarely do you see businesses using this channel for promotion. Reddit is your Trojan Horse strategy to inject yourself into the social conversation. Trending on Reddit can almost guarantee that blogs will pick up your content and write about it, providing authoritative backlinks improving your SEO. Real people will be sharing your content because they like it, not because of any promotion or paid ads.

Don’t forget your Call to Action 

Make it easy to understand what you are trying to achieve. Engagement metrics are so important for the algorithm. Encouraging those interactions is never a bad idea,

For example, ask viewers to tag someone that would like your video content. Or, tell people to tweet @ your company with comments on the video (and make sure you share it there too!). You increase brand exposure on both platforms, and exposure on Twitter can lead to a lot more eyes, increasing the time you spend trending. Social media is highly connected these days, so when something goes viral, it quickly expands past the original platform the content was hosted on.

Timing is everything 

Releasing your video on a Monday/Tuesday or on a slow news day will be extremely helpful. There is not as much to talk about on those days, leading to more exposure for you. Viewership often peaks on weekday evenings. Therefore, one of the most recommended times to upload your content, between 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in your target market’s time zone. This gives YouTube plenty of time to index your videos and place them in subscriber fees before peak viewing begins at 5 p.m.

Remain up to date on trends 

Follow trends and make sure you adjust your strategy when things are hot, don’t get caught behind the times, and don’t be that cringe-brand that posts referencing a trend from six months ago. Ew.

2021 YouTube algorithm 

Consider the algorithm your guide to success. As with all social media platforms, to increase views and engagement, being familiar with how the algorithm works are critical to expanding your brand’s reach.

For example, on YouTube, 70% of viewers’ time is spent watching algorithm-recommended videos. Ensure that your content will make the cut by building playlists. As with Netflix – once one video in a playlist ends, the next one automatically plays, keeping the audience in the same place. Videos on a user’s homepage or in the suggestions box are the most clicked-on videos overall.

The only exception to that rule is “How To” videos that gain the most clicks from viewers who use the search bar.

The algorithm also prioritizes outside traffic. So make sure you share your content on Twitter or Facebook to make the video more discoverable.

Examples of viral YouTube campaigns 

Take a look at examples relevant to your industry and your brand’s tone and style for content. Look at what made them successful and apply those learnings to your own strategy. Here are a few to get you started:

FOX 46 Nick Kosir

The “Dancing Weatherman” continuously goes viral on youtube. His videos quickly rack up hundreds of thousands of views for his local news station by taking part in the most up-to-date dancing challenges.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association 

One of the most successful and viral marketing campaigns of all time, the Ice Bucket Challenge, got celebrities like Oprah and Justin Bieber involved, dumping ice water over their heads and donating to charity. The challenge began with a video on YouTube and quickly swept across all social media platforms.

Metro Trains Melbourne 

Dumb Ways to Die– a youtube video to promote train safety that spawned games, went viral and had 214 million views just on YouTube. This one is my favorite. I highly recommend checking it out.

Time to go viral 

Going viral is mystical, magical, and a game-changing experience for any brand. Now, who wouldn’t want to experience that?

If you think your brand is ready to blow some shit up, Nowadays is prepared to join your team. We believe in bold, no-bullshit viral marketing campaigns. We finetune the social conversation around your brand and guarantee we can help you go viral. Don’t believe us? Check out our track record.

If you think you can handle it, let us know.

 

Sources:

How to get a link on the front page of Reddit | Digital Trends

Ultimate Guide to Youtube Scheduling | Influencer Marketing Hub

CES 2018: YouTube’s AI recommendations drive 70 percent of viewing | CNET