01 July 2024 | By - Sudha Mariappan

Source: flybluekite

What Turns a Moment Viral? Let’s Decode the Power of Online Sharing

Have you ever shared a video of someone or something that made you laugh out loud or perhaps an important cause that compelled you so much as to share it with everybody you know?

Well, that is what a viral moment does.

This means content that draws our attention, something that lights the wick of our emotions is what makes us hit the'share' button.

But what might exactly go viral?

There is no magic formula for virality, but several elements do increase the chances. One of the large ingredients you can sense is emotional resonance. If something is funny, elicits joy, makes a person angry, or does something else that provokes some type of emotional response, people will be much more likely to share it.

For example, you can already sense the joy that comes when you see those heartwarming animal videos, or feel the pride when it comes to the powerful social justice campaigns that make one stand up and cheer or take action.

Uniqueness and surprise are at work here as well. People just love something out of the ordinary, unseen. It could be the perfectly timed cat falling into a laundry basket or some mind-blowing scientific discovery that gets our interest and makes us share it with other people.
There's also social currency at work. Sharing viral content makes us feel connected and keeps us updated. We engage in digital trends to feel part of the conversation.

Finally, there is power in optimising any social media platform. We go viral when we know how different social media channels work. If a catchy dance trend is going on, it will gain much more circulation on Instagram, and a heartfelt essay will do much better on Facebook.

How do different social media channels fuel viral growth?

Every social media platform has its own peculiar dialect and audience. The following are ways you can harness them for viral success:

Instagram: Attention is eye candy for everyone. So make sure to use high-quality shots in your stories while you tell your brand story.

Twitter: Trending hashtags are there for a reason. Join the conversation, hop on the trending topics, and keep the content short and punchy.

Facebook: This is where long-form content and community building come alive. Share those really long informative articles, bring meaningful discussions to the forefront, and get connected with them.

Engagement is power: Generate Your Content in such a way to Create a global impact.

When it comes to virality, great content lies at its core. Not only does it have to be of real value to your audience, but it should also be:

Relevant: You need to hop on current trends and connect with what's happening now, what's trending, or what your audience is talking about.

Authentic: Being more of yourself to be more authentic and Personality-driven. Being relevant can bring massive changes to your content.

Valuable: Deliver value to them in some way. By providing factual insights and giving them what they need at the right time, we bring out their inspiration while also gaining entertainment.

Visually Appealing: Don't skimp on strong visuals, visually appealing posts will be at the top during these days of short attention spans. People will stop by to look at your content when you post colourful and appealing content.

Actionable: Not only posting good content is enough, you should also give your audience a chance to ponder the content and give a reason to take actions such as sharing your content, commenting, or engaging in any other participation activity.

The Power of Emotion: Tapping into Human Connection for Memorable Moments

Humans are emotional creatures. Content that evokes strong emotions is more likely to be shared and remembered.

Think about the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. This viral campaign didn't just raise awareness for ALS, it fostered a sense of community and compassion. People participated because they cared, and the emotional connection fueled the campaign's virality.

User-Generated Magic: Get Your Audience Involved to Go Viral

Don’t underestimate the power of UGC! Let your audience create and share their content associated with your brand to gain exposure right out of the box.

Here are some tips for doing this:

Run contests and challenges: Who doesn't love to compete? Set up a provocation that's creative, and then reward the best individual so that the others will be very productive when it comes to creating content for you.

Leverage user-generated hashtags: Create a specific hashtag for your campaign and encourage users to use it while sharing their content.

Feature user-generated content: Publish your audience's work in your social media channels to make them feel significant and celebrated.

The Power of Emotion: Leveraging the Human Connection to Make Moments Memorable

Humans are truly emotional beings. Content that elicits emotions will stand a great chance of being shared and remembered.

Think of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. It was not an awareness campaign, per se, it engaged people on a sense-of-community and compassion level. People participated because they cared about it, and it is that emotional connection which fueled virality in the campaign.

Laughing therapy via content: The Lighthearted Approach to Building Brand rapport

Laughter is a universal language. Humour can be a powerful tool for building brand awareness and relatability.
Take the "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign by Old Spice, for example: These way-out, gut-busting viral videos refreshed the image of this brand and appealed to younger consumers.

Companies and Their Smart Digital Marketing Campaigns

Now, let's see some real companies that rode the wave of viral marketing:

1. Dove:
Real Beauty Sketches Campaign 2013, Dove's Real Beauty Sketches campaign was not just brilliant, it turned out to be a social trial with a very strong message. They set up an artist who could not see the participants. Women describe themselves, and the artist draws what they hear. Then strangers, on first meeting the women, describe them. These sketches rather dramatically differed. What these strangers' sketches showed was these women were much more beautiful compared to what they had ever imagined or considered themselves to be. This strong message about self-perception and beauty standards shared on Facebook has been driving conversations on self-acceptance with over 180 million views to date.

2. Nike: Just Do It Campaign, 1988-present:

The "Just Do It" campaign from Nike is a real class in Brand Storytelling. To back this powerful, simplistic slogan are stories of inspiration about athletes pushing their limits. In addition to that, celebrity endorsements that appeal to the audience were published worldwide. In chatter across different digital platforms, Nike uses a good dose of social media, influencer marketing, and emotional content to inspire people and bring about strong brand association with perseverance, achievement, and athleticism.

3. Apple: Shot on iPhone Campaign (2014 - Present):

Apple did things a little differently when it came to touting the potential of their iPhones by putting the users front and centre. Their " Shot on iPhone" campaign gives amazingly beautiful photography and video, all done on iPhones by real people. So the UGC strategy connects here to the power of authenticity and real-life experience to show the quality of the iPhone camera in a much more relatable way. The campaign lives on through social media platforms deprived of Instagram.

4. Zappos: Delivering Customer Service Excellence (Ongoing):
When most of the online shopping experience started becoming impersonal, Zappos set up a loyal customer base, which was more than willing to substantiate them with good customer service. They used social media engagements and user generated content as a way to tell people that they really do go extra miles for their customers. Whether it is a light-hearted Twitter banter or a touching story of a customer service representative saving the day, Zappos fosters positive word-of-mouth and brand loyalty by putting customer experience at the top of its agenda.

5. Old Spice: The Man Your Man Could Smell Like Campaign (2010):
Old Spice needed a refresh, and their "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign did just that. A series of unexpected and hilarious viral videos featuring a charming, mysterious character (played by Isaiah Mustafa) resonated with a younger audience. The campaign's humour and unexpected twist on traditional masculinity helped revitalise the brand image and make Old Spice relevant to a new generation.

6. Dollar Shave Club: Our Blades Are F*ing Great Campaign (2012):
Dollar Shave Club launched with a bang thanks to their bold and irreverent YouTube video. With a no-nonsense approach and self-deprecating humour, the video disrupted the traditional men's grooming market by offering a high-quality, affordable alternative. The campaign's success demonstrates the power of a well-crafted online video that speaks directly to the target audience in a way that's both funny and informative.

7. The ALS Association: Ice Bucket Challenge (2014):
The ALS Association's Ice Bucket Challenge wasn't just a marketing campaign; it was a cultural phenomenon. This user-generated challenge had people filming themselves dumping ice water on their heads to raise awareness for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The challenge's viral nature, fueled by social media platforms and the #IceBucketChallenge hashtag, led to massive donations and a significant increase in public awareness of the disease.

Business strategies like this continue to evolve, adapt and continue to create impact on all of our lives in the best possible way. They stay as a guidance to future marketing campaigns, and pave the way for modern business for their success.

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