17 Surefire Tips to Make Viral Website Content
Table of Contents
Introduction:
In today’s digital age, creating content that spreads like wildfire is the holy grail of online marketing. Going viral can skyrocket your website’s visibility, drive massive traffic, and boost your brand’s recognition overnight. But what’s the secret sauce? How do some pieces of content catch fire while others fizzle out? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this blog post, we’ll explore 17 practical tips to help your website content go viral. Get ready to watch your content spread across the internet faster than you can say “share”!
1.Know Your Audience Inside Out to Make Viral Website Content
The first step to creating viral content is understanding who you’re creating it for. Dive deep into your audience’s interests, pain points, and desires. What makes them tick? What keeps them up at night? For example, when Dollar Shave Club created their viral video “Our Blades Are F***ing Great,” they knew their target audience – young men frustrated with expensive razors – would appreciate the humor and directness. As content marketing guru Ann Handley puts it, “Good content is not about good storytelling. It’s about telling your story well.” So, get to know your audience, speak their language, and watch your content resonate.
2.Create Emotion-Driven Content
Emotions are the fuel that drives viral website content. Whether it’s joy, anger, awe, or nostalgia, content that evokes strong feelings is more likely to be shared. Think about the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge – it combined humor, shock, and a feel-good charitable cause to become a global phenomenon. Jonah Berger, author of “Contagious: Why Things Catch On,” states, “When we care, we share.” So, aim to create content that tugs at heartstrings or tickles funny bones. A heartwarming story about a rescue dog finding its forever home or a hilarious take on everyday office frustrations could be your next viral hit.
3.Leverage the Power of Visuals to Make Viral Website Content
In a world where attention spans are shrinking, visual content reigns supreme. Infographics, memes, and videos are more likely to go viral than plain text. Remember how the “Distracted Boyfriend” meme took over the internet? It’s a perfect example of how a simple image can convey a relatable message across cultures. According to HubSpot, tweets with images receive 150% more retweets than those without. So, spice up your content with eye-catching visuals. Create an infographic summarizing industry trends or a funny GIF that captures a common experience in your niche.
4.Craft Irresistible Headlines
Your headline is the gateway to your content. It’s what makes people decide whether to click or scroll past. BuzzFeed, known for its viral content, often uses curiosity-gap headlines like “You’ll Never Believe What Happened Next” to entice readers. While you don’t need to be that sensational, do strive for headlines that pique curiosity or promise value. Upworthy’s co-founder Peter Koechley reveals, “The difference between a good headline and a bad headline can be just massive. It’s not a rounding error. When we test headlines we see 20% difference, 50% difference, 500% difference.” So, spend time crafting compelling headlines that make your audience want to click and share.
5.Timing Is Everything
Posting your content at the right time can significantly boost its chances of going viral. Study your audience’s online behavior. When are they most active on social media? For B2B content, posting during work hours might be ideal, while consumer-focused content might perform better in the evenings or on weekends. Also, keep an eye on current trends and events. Oreo’s famous “You can still dunk in the dark” tweet during the 2013 Super Bowl blackout is a perfect example of capitalizing on the moment. As marketing expert Gary Vaynerchuk says, “Content is king, but context is God.” So, besides viral website content, time your content right to maximize its viral potential.
6.Make Sharing Easy
If you want your content to go viral, make it as easy as possible for people to share it. Include prominent social sharing buttons on your website. Use click-to-tweet plugins for standout quotes or statistics in your blog posts. For example, when the New York Times implemented social sharing buttons, they saw a 20% increase in sharing. Neil Patel, digital marketing expert, advises, “Don’t make people work for it. The easier it is to share your content, the more likely it is to be shared.” So, remove all barriers to sharing and watch your content spread effortlessly.
7.Harness the Power of Influencers
Influencers can be the rocket fuel your content needs to go viral. Identify influential figures in your niche and build relationships with them. When fashion blogger Chiara Ferragni shared her collaboration with Guess on Instagram, it reached millions of her followers instantly. You don’t need a celebrity influencer – micro-influencers with engaged followings in your specific niche can be just as effective. As marketing strategist Jay Baer puts it, “True influence drives action, not just awareness.” So, partner with influencers whose audience aligns with yours to amplify reach of your viral website content .
8.Create Actionable, Useful Content to Convert into Viral Website Content
People love sharing content that provides real value. Create guides, tutorials, or life hacks that your audience can immediately put into practice. For instance, Tasty’s short recipe videos went viral because they showed viewers how to make delicious dishes in a simple, easy-to-follow format. As content marketing expert Jay Acunzo says, “The goal is to provide the most value to your audience, not to create the most content.” A step-by-step guide on how to start a successful blog or a video tutorial on mastering smartphone photography could be your next viral hit.
9.Embrace Controversy (Carefully)
Controversial content can spark intense discussions and sharing, but it’s a double-edged sword. Take a stand on industry issues or challenge conventional wisdom, but do so thoughtfully. When Gillette released their “The Best Men Can Be” campaign addressing toxic masculinity, it generated millions of views and sparked global conversations. However, it also faced backlash. Marketing guru Seth Godin advises, “Playing it safe is very risky.” So, don’t shy away from controversial topics, but approach them with sensitivity and respect.
10.Optimize for Mobile
With more people consuming content on mobile devices, ensuring your content looks great on small screens is crucial. When BuzzFeed optimized their site for mobile, they saw a significant increase in social sharing. Google’s Mobile-First Indexing makes this even more important. As Rand Fishkin, founder of Moz, puts it, “Mobile is not the future, it’s the now.” So, make sure your website is responsive, your videos play smoothly on mobile, and your images load quickly on slower connections.
11.Use Storytelling Techniques
Humans are hardwired to respond to stories. Use narrative structures in your content to make it more engaging and shareable, and viral website content. When charity: water tells the stories of individuals impacted by their work, it resonates more than mere statistics. As author Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Craft your content into compelling stories that evoke emotions and stick in people’s minds.
12.Leverage User-Generated Content
Encourage your audience to create content for you. It not only provides you with fresh material but also increases engagement. GoPro’s strategy of sharing user-submitted videos has been incredibly successful in creating viral content. As Marketoonist Tom Fishburne notes, “The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing.” When users see content from people like them, they’re more likely to engage with and share it.
13.Create Challenges or Contests
Challenges and contests can be incredibly effective in generating viral content. The Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS awareness is a perfect example. It was simple, fun, and for a good cause, which made it irresistible to share. As marketing expert Neil Patel says, “Contests are one of the most effective ways to generate buzz and get people talking about your brand.” Consider creating a challenge related to your product or industry that encourages participants to share their entries on social media.
14.Use Humor Wisely
Humor, when done right, can make your content highly shareable. Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign went viral thanks to its absurd humor. However, ensure your humor aligns with your brand voice and doesn’t offend. As author Andrew Tarvin puts it, “Humor is a great way to make a strong, positive connection with your audience.” A funny take on industry trends or a clever parody could be your ticket to viral website content.
15.Tap into Current Trends
Staying current with popular trends and memes can help your content gain traction. Oreo’s quick response to the Super Bowl blackout with their “You can still dunk in the dark” tweet is a classic example. Gary Vaynerchuk advises, “Marketers need to build digital relationships and reputation before closing a sale.” By tapping into trends, you show that your brand is relevant and in touch with your audience.
16.Create Comprehensive, “Skyscraper” Content
Sometimes, the most shareable content is the most comprehensive. Create in-depth guides or resources that become the go-to reference in your industry. Brian Dean’s Skyscraper Technique involves creating content that’s better than anything else out there on a topic. As he says, “It’s not enough to simply create ‘great content’. Your content needs to be substantially different and better than what already exists.” A definitive guide to SEO or an exhaustive list of productivity hacks could become a widely-shared resource.
17.Analyze and Iterate
Finally, keep a close eye on what works. Analyze which of your content pieces get the most shares and engagement. Use tools like BuzzSumo to see what’s going viral in your industry. As Peter Drucker famously said, “What gets measured gets managed.” Learn from your successes and failures, and continually refine your approach. Maybe your how-to videos consistently outperform your written content, or your audience particularly loves your infographics. Use these insights to inform your future content strategy.
Conclusion:
Creating viral content isn’t an exact science, but by following these 17 tips, you’ll significantly increase your chances of hitting that viral sweet spot. Remember, it’s about understanding your audience, creating valuable and emotionally resonant content, and making it easy to share. Keep experimenting, stay authentic to your brand, and who knows? Your next piece of content might just break the internet!