How to Make a Viral Video: Tips, Ideas and Examples

How to Make a Viral Video: Magic Formula

Do the viral videos have some common things? Let’s find out how you can make a video viral following these 10 simple steps.

Step 1. Title Matters

Here is a simple test. How would you finish the phrase: “Hey, have you seen the video about …?” Fill in the gap. It’s your title.

• Bad title: How I learned to dance. Progress after a year.
• Good: I learned to dance in a year.
• Better: The girl learned to dance in a year.
• The best: The girl learned to dance in a year (time-lapse).

I want to recommend you Headline Capitalization service that helps generate a title for your video. It is used to check whether your titles for blogs, posts, and news articles are correct and appropriately capitalized. You may use it in the future to correctly create the headlines.

Step 2. Create a Catchy and Branded Thumbnail

If one of your goals is to make a video viral, you should create an eye-catching thumbnail. The thing is that when your followers share the video, the first thing other users see is a thumbnail. It is particularly important for social networks since they don’t use an auto-play feature.

You have to create a thumbnail that will make people click on the clip. If it is possible, don’t use any signs because you don’t know how they’ll look on various screens and users may just skip your video without watching it.

Step 3. Publish a Video on Monday or Tuesday

People read news and watch YouTube videos sitting in the office so share your viral videos on Monday or Tuesday for them to spread across till the end of the week. Don’t publish a video when the audience is at work.

On the other hand, on Monday, people may be busy reading working e-mails while Tuesday is the best variant. Moreover, it’s better to publish your content on a quiet day when there are no emergency situations.

4. Make a Short Film

While the majority of viral video producers can’t afford to shoot feature-length movies, short ones are within their budget. Here, you are not limited to any rules. You may create a comedy setup or a dramatic narrative, experiment with images and textures without a storyline ‒ it’s totally up to you what to show in your video clip.

• Pay attention to these Studio Lighting Kits.

Step 5. Make Your Video Shorter

• When playing a video, first of all, users evaluate how long it is and then decide whether they should watch it.
• 10 mins ‒ no
• 2 mins ‒ maybe
• 30 seconds ‒ perfect!
• Make your video clip as short as possible preserving the story. A short video is shared better.

Step 6. YouTube or Vimeo: Don’t Try Too Hard

First of all, study the main social platforms where you can post your video. Most likely, you will choose between YouTube and Vimeo.

Do you think all those viral videos were specifically made to break the Internet? Of course, not. Therefore, if you decide to create such content, think about the message you want to convey. Develop a strategy.

Don’t get obsessed with the video virality. You should always remember the true purpose of your video ‒ help you achieve your goals. If people all over the world watch and share your clip but will not buy your products, it doesn’t make any sense.

I recommend you to give practical pieces of advice. It is described in Jonah Berger’s book, Contagious: Why Things Catch On.

Step 7. Analyse the Fastest Videos

Watch someone else’s viral videos and analyze them. Why is it so popular? What does it attract people with? In addition, there are many videos on the net on how to promote videos on YouTube, Vimeo and other media resources.

They will also help you boost your chances of success. For example, you may watch the Video Influence Channel, where skillful video influencers share the experience of running a YouTube channel and creating viral content.

Step 8. Use the Best Equipment Possible

If you decide to make a viral video, take care of the quality. It is not prohibited to upload average or low-quality clips on the net but still it’s better to create clear, high-resolution video pieces. To begin with, invest in professional equipment.

Don’t get into debt buying the most expensive camera and accessories. Your task is to get a decent HD camcorder which will cost you approximately $500.

I recommend paying attention to Panasonic Full HD Video Camera Camcorder. It has a 20x Optical Zoom and HDR Movie function. This camera boasts decent performance in bright and dark conditions.

It features 1080p resolution and captures the tiniest details. Moreover, thanks to the Wi-Fi function, it is capable of remote shooting and you can control the process via Panasonic smartphone application. I think it is a great variant to record YouTube videos.

• Read more about the best vlogging camera to film your viral videos.

Step 9. Make Professional Video Editing

Perhaps video editing is a very important aspect in the making of any video or clip. But in order for the video to become viral, you need to turn to professionals. After all, only they know the secrets of perfect video editing.

For example, one of the basic rules of video post production is not to make long frames, tiring for the human eye. The average frame duration is 5 seconds. You can check this rule by watching any movie or TV show. I advise you to contact the professional from FixThePhoto, because these guys really know how to make a viral video editing from your raw footage.

Step 10. Advertise Smart with Facebook

Over 2 billion people actively use Facebook today. More than 80% of people around the world are registered on Facebook. They usually spend 32 minutes scrolling the feed and posting something. 32% of users promote their brands on FB.

Every day, more than 8 billion users watch videos on Facebook and 85% of them watch it with the sound off. That is why visual design is super important especially when it comes to video virality.

Step 11. Share Videos on Other Social Media Channels

Being a video blogger, you should have several social media properties for your YouTube or Vimeo channel. In such a way, you will attract followers from other channels or social networks and get direct traffic from them. Pay attention to the following sites to promote your YouTube or Vimeo videos: Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest.

Uploading your clips on several platforms, you get more chances to make your video viral.

• Find out how to have a successful Instagram.

12. Film a Prank or Practical Joke

Such video clips usually attract viewers regardless of their nationality and origin. It’s not important what language you speak and what country you live in since someone in a monster mask popping out from the bush trying to scare his/her friend will make you smile.

The thing is that practical jokes are a universal method to make a person watch your video till the end. Everyone likes to laugh. Moreover, such videos are very simple to shoot ‒ even a smartphone camera will be suitable for this task.

13. Record a Monolog

Simple monologs are one of the easiest viral videos to shoot. You only need a camera on your PC or laptop and a funny idea to begin with. The majority of viral monologs are funny (sometimes accidentally), so stay away from serious speeches and political upheavals to get more chances to make a viral video.

The most difficult thing with video monologs is that your audience has nothing to look at except for your face and the background. It means that you have to show creativity to hold the attention of your viewers. Use humor or emotional presentation to distinguish yourself among other bloggers.

• Choose the best video tripod.

14. Capture an Adorable Family Moment

One of the successful viral content examples is a cute family clip. Don’t be shy to show your wife/husband and kids. Warm videos like this are absolutely popular among users because they are sincere and show genuine feelings.

If you have small children, show them to your followers. Kids are very candid and can’t pretend so you may easily shoot great videos involving them.

15. Participate in a Popular Video Meme

Are you in a creative rut and don’t know what to talk in your video about? Don’t worry since you may present your own vision of the idea that is already viral. As a rule, there are one or two videos that are going viral on YouTube or Facebook right now, so don’t miss this chance and use it to your benefit. Interpret it in your own way and voila ‒ your video is shared by thousands of users.

On the one hand, such video memes are verypopular, but on the other ‒ it doesn’t last long. Remember the famous "Harlem Shake"? It broke the net at the beginning of 2013 and in February it achieved the highest popularity with millions of views every day; in March, viewership has significantly fallen.

• Read about the best free video editing software.

16. Show Off an Amazing Talent

You are completely wrong if you think that you don’t have any talents. Everyone is good at something and the only thing you have to do is to uncover your abilities. You can make a viral video,shooting musical performances. However, you are not limited to some particular activity, you may easily show your sportsskills, Rubik's cube-solving, etc. It should be something that may interest viewers.

Besides, a proven way to achieve success is to show something that other people can’t do. It’s cool to dunk on a regulation hoop but it’s not a novelty for basketball fans. However, if you dunk over a friend's head, you may attract people’s attention.

17. Show the World an Especially Funny or Cute Animal

Even the most serious man can’t resist watching a cute video involving puppies or kittens. If you want to make a video viral, it is a sure-fire way. For example, film your own pet or your neighbor’s. Or you may shoot some cute animals in the zoo.

However, if you decide to make a viral video, involving animals, be patient since you will need some time to capture the necessary moments. The thing is that you can’t predict animals’ behavior so you will have to wait. Even if things go wrong during the shooting, keep calm and continue recording! The reward is fast approaching.

• Look through these animal photobombs.

18. Teach Your Audience How to Do Something Amazing

It’s not a secret that DIY videos are 100% popular among users. To gain popularity, you need to help people solve problems they can’t handle alone. For example, widespread problems with computer performance like slow download, poor Wi-Fi connection, etc. are the most common ones.

19. Try to Break a Record

Everyone wants to see impressive feats of strength and great achievements. People are willing to get amazed with enormous intelligence and creativity. However, if you want to attract a narrow audience, you shouldn’t break the world record.

It may be something not so grandiose and you shouldn’t necessarily do it alone. For example, such records as "Biggest Sock Hop" show community organizing but not one’s personal skills.

20. Make an Animation

Viral videos don’t always show real places and people. It may also be an animation. If you are an advanced user of animation apps like Adobe Flash, you may create cartoons, animated gags, music videos, etc. It is a great way to uncover your creativity since you are free to show the things you won’t be able to record with a camera.

• Read my Adobe Flash Player Review.

Best Viral Videos Ever

Viral videos are an integral part of the marketing world and a key to popularity. What makes a video go viral? The answer is simple ‒ people like and repost them. Check out the list of the best viral videos on the net.

Dumb Ways to Die (Metro Trains)

At first, this video seems silly and ridiculous but the final message clears everything up. The success of this video is not just about the contrast between the form and the message. Music is also very important. You may have this song in your mind for days and even weeks. This video has been viewed more than 170 MILLION times while the song was downloaded thousands of times.

The Epic Split (Volvo Trucks)

When a thriving Volvo company decided to demonstrate its stability and success, they used a safe bet ‒ created a video with Jean-Claude Van Damme doing the splits between their trucks. It was their key to success: Van Damme, Enya’s song, and a fantastic sunset. Of course, it’s not within the budget of an ordinary viral videos producer, but they can record something they can afford paying for. Such clips attract people especially when an exciting stunt is depicted.

Gravity Cat (PlayStation)

Gravity Cat is a video created to make hype for the release of a well-known game Gravity Rush 2. The thing is that this clip shows in-game footage only for around 30 seconds in the end and it is not typical for such ads. The developers decided to attract people’s attention without focusing on the game.

They used a story of two sisters and their gravity-fighting cat. This unconventional approach didn’t only make this video viral and people excited about the game but also won several awards and a Gold Pencil is among them.

We’re the Superhumans (Channel 4)

When you start watching this video your attention is captured by the man playing the drums with his feet. Exactly this moment makes you continue watching the clip. In several seconds, you are even more excited about it since it shows people with disabilities doing fantastic things. The clip is accompanied by the song ‘Yes I can’ by Sammy Davis Jr. Moreover, ‘We’re the Superhumans’ has become the second most shared Olympics video on the net ever. According to the research, after watching this video, it became easier to discuss disabilities for 74% of viewers and 59% of them improved their perception of such people.

Will It Blend? (Blendtec)

The question people ask themselves looking at various objects “Will it blend” has become a great idea for the video. The blender company, Blendtec, created a YouTube series that became an incredible success. These segments are shot in an old-fashioned manner featuring Times New Roman font and cheesy intros. All this attracts viewers again and again. Moreover, the company involved potential clients in their campaign and asked them to write their suggestions regarding future videos on Facebook.

Freebies for Making Viral Videos

I can tell you from my own experience that videos with decent color correction have more views than non-edited ones. Therefore, look through the list of FREE LUTs that will help you successfully enhance your video.

• Find out what is a LUT.

Hawaii

Improving yellow and blue colors, Hawaii LUT will breathe new life into your videos. Ideally works with footage featuring blue, for example, water. Apply it to clips recorded at the beach or somewhere near the ocean.

High Tide

Apply this LUT if you want to add richness and expressiveness to your videos.

City Building

This LUT features a beautiful blue shade. It is perfect for clips shot outdoors.

Cinematic Flavin

Looking for a great film effect? Apply this LUT and you will get it! Moreover, this tool will professionally saturate a video.

Film Blue Night

Use this tool to regulate the balance and control temperature in the frame. Colors will be pure and saturated.

Ann Young

Hi there, I'm Ann Young - a professional blogger, read more