As of October, 2017, YouTube has over 1 billion users logging in every single month. That’s more than double the amount of people who use any other streaming platform. Furthermore, almost half of all households in the U.S. have access to this video-sharing site.
In light of this impressive statistics, it’s no wonder that more and more content creators are getting their own channels up and running on YouTube.
If you want to create a successful channel and gain followers, you need to keep your eye on what’s going viral — because there’s a good chance those same trends will resonate with your viewers as well. Here are 5 tips for viral content on Youtube that will help your channel take off at lightning speed:
1. Create Content That’s Unique to You
The first step in creating viral content is to actually create content. It may sound silly, but many YouTubers create content that’s similar to what other creators are already doing — and there’s absolutely no point in trying to compete with someone else. You need to develop your own style, your own niche, and your own voice.
Brainstorming for content is difficult for a lot of people, so here are some ideas to get you started: What’s your educational background? What skills do you have? What are your hobbies? What are your passions?
You don’t have to be a famous person to create viral content. In fact, the more relatable your content is, the more people will be drawn to it — and the more likely it is to go viral.
2. Create a Show, Don’t Just Make Videos
YouTubers who are creating viral content are doing so by creating shows, not just throwing random videos up onto their channel. Shows are a lot more in-depth, and they require a lot more effort to create and host.
However, they also give your viewers the chance to really get to know and relate to you on a much deeper level. Obviously, you’ll want to start with a pilot episode, but after that, you can take your show in many different directions.
You can create weekly or monthly shows, or you can even create a show that runs for a specific amount of time (say, for example, a show about your favorite vacation). Keep in mind that creating a show is going to take a lot more time and effort than just making a few videos.
It’s important to be sure that you’re ready for that commitment if you want to really get your content to go viral.
3. Partner With Brands You Like
If you have your own channel, you can partner with brands that you like and would like to promote from time to time. This is a great way to get your name out there and gain followers — plus it’s also a great source of revenue.
You can work with brands you already have relationships with, or you can reach out to companies that you think your viewers would like. You can host live events or do video reviews of products, or you can even do a combination of both.
You can also do sponsored challenges, such as workout challenges or challenges where you show off your skills. There are tons of different ways to partner with brands, so don’t be afraid to get creative.
4. Produce Short Editions of Your Show
Another great way to create viral content is to produce short versions of your show and post them on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This will help you reach a wider audience, and you may even want to consider reposting the videos on your YouTube channel as well.
Shortened videos are a great way to test the waters and see if your content is interesting enough to go viral. It’s a risk-free way to see how your viewers respond to your show, and it’s a great way to get a feel for what type of content might be most successful for you.
5. Don’t Forget the Importance of Audio
One mistake that many YouTubers make is focusing solely on the visual aspects of their videos, which is a huge mistake when you’re trying to create viral content. You should also be paying attention to the audio of your videos.
The quality of your audio can make or break a video. One of the most important parts of your audio is background noise. You don’t want to have loud, distracting noises in the background of your video, as this can make it very difficult for your viewers to hear you.
6. Find Out What Really Appeals to Your Audience
If you want to create viral content, you need to figure out what really appeals to your audience. Do they want to learn something? Are they looking for entertainment? Are they more interested in a specific topic?
What do they want to see? You want to make sure that whatever you create really resonates with your audience. Make sure that your content is relevant, has educational value, and most importantly, has a purpose.
7. Be Authentic, and Don’t Be Afraid to Fail
Finally, if you want to create viral content, you have to let go of your fears and be as authentic as possible. It’s very easy to tell if someone is faking their emotions or if they’re trying too hard to be relatable — and your viewers will definitely notice.
Be yourself, and don’t be afraid to fail. You don’t have to get everything right the first time, and you should definitely be open to feedback and constructive criticism. It’s very important that you stay true to who you are and don’t change who you are just to appeal to your audience.
8. Produce Content for Viewers, Not Just Advertisers
A lot of YouTubers make the mistake of creating content to appeal to advertisers rather than their own viewers. This is a big mistake, and if you really want to create viral content, you need to remember that you’re creating content for your viewers, not potential advertisers. Also, be sure to label your videos appropriately.
Content that’s incorrectly labeled can be incredibly frustrating for your viewers, which means they’re likely to abandon your channel and not come back. Ideally, you want your videos to be easy to find and find the easiest way to succeed is to use a video SEO tool.
9. Try Paid Promotion
If you have the budget for it, paid advertising is another great way to promote your channel and create viral content. You can try out paid advertising on various streaming platforms such as YouTube or Facebook, or you can try to get your video in front of new audiences by paying for advertising on other websites.
Paid advertising is definitely not a cheap venture, but if you have the funds to do it, it’s an excellent way to get your name out there and build up your channel quickly.
10. Always Test and Track
Finally, if you really want to create viral content and make sure that your efforts are successful, you need to track the progress you’re making and experiment with different styles until you find something that really clicks with your viewers.
You don’t have to stick with one style, and you don’t have to create one type of content for the rest of your life. Be sure to keep an open mind and experiment with different types of videos until you find something that really resonates with your audience. Once you find a style that really works, make sure that you stick with it.
Don’t keep switching up your content just for the sake of changing things up. This will confuse your viewers and make them less likely to come back.
11. Add subtitles
Subtitles can make a huge difference in the amount of views your video receives. If your content is primarily visual, it may not make as much impact on people who don’t understand the language you’re speaking in. Adding subtitles to your video can make it accessible to a larger audience.
You can use subtitles to your advantage by making them humorous or outlandish so they will likely appear on the end-credits of your video. Alternatively, you can make the subtitles instructional or informative so they can be used for educational content. This is especially important for your first few videos, when you don’t have a significant number of subscribers yet.
Getting your content in front of as many people as possible from the start will help you get a head start on your subscribers. Subtitles can really work wonders in this regard.
12. Don’t forget the sound
There is nothing more jarring than an amazing video with an amazing concept, but no sound. People will automatically click away if they cannot hear what’s going on, and they will not come back. This isn’t just true for your first few videos on your brand new channel — it’s true for every video you ever post.
You can get away with a few video without sound here and there, but if it’s a recurring issue, you will definitely lose viewers. Sound effects will also enhance your video. You can find audio online, or if you’re looking to go the extra mile, you can record sound effects yourself using a high-quality microphone.
13. Be consistent
This might seem a little obvious but consistency is key for viral content on YouTube. You’re going to want to post videos on a regular basis — at least once a week, if not more frequently.
Schedule out your videos in advance, and try to stick to that schedule. This will help your viewers know when to expect new content, and they can subscribe to your channel to make sure they don’t miss it.
Consistent posting will keep your channel active, which will also help it grow. Additionally, you should try to keep all of your videos within a consistent theme. If you’re creating a series, try to stick to the same format with each episode.
If you’re posting non-related videos, they should still follow the same theme as one another. This will help your channel look more professional, and it will also make it easier for your viewers to navigate the content.
14. Keep up with trends
YouTube trends change all the time, and some will last for longer than others. If you want to take advantage of the viral content on YouTube, then you need to keep up with the trends. This will help you find content that will likely resonate with a large portion of your viewers.
You can keep an eye on the trending videos both on YouTube itself and in your Google Analytics account. You can even sign up for email or text message alerts to let you know when a new trend is emerging. This can help you get ahead of the game before you even create your first video.
You can also check out websites like VoodooVox or Buzzsumo that allow you to search through YouTube content based on keywords. You can then see what videos are trending, and you can also check out videos that have recently been posted but haven’t blown up yet.
15. Have more than one video for your channel
Many new YouTubers will create one video and try to get as many views as possible, and then move on to another video. This is a mistake. You need to create more videos than just one if you want to take advantage of the viral content on YouTube.
You should try to have more than one video on your channel before you ever publish your first one. This will give you something to fall back on if your first video doesn’t perform as well as you hoped.
It will also help you get your viewers hooked on your channel from the start. You don’t want to put all of your eggs in one basket. Even if your first video gets great views, there’s no guarantee that the second one will do the same. Having multiple videos on your channel will help make up for those videos that don’t do as well as you’d hoped.
16. Make use of advertising and promotion
This is a good way to get your content in front of a wider audience. If you’re not sure where to start with paid advertisements, there are a few things you can do. You can start by targeting your advertisements towards your demographic.
For example, if you’re making a video about beauty, you can target women between the ages of 18 and 35. You can also try to find websites related to your content and contact them to see if they will run your advertisements.
Make sure you check with the website about their advertising policy, though, because some websites don’t run ads for any product or service. You can also post about your ads on social media.
This can help you reach an even larger audience, and it can also get your subscribers engaged in the content even before it’s been published.
17. Have Realistic Expectations
If you want to take advantage of the viral content on YouTube, then you need to have a goal in mind from the start. What do you want your channel to accomplish? What do you want your channel to become?
What is your ultimate goal for your YouTube channel? This can be anything from getting as many views as possible to making enough money to quit your day job. Whatever your goal, make sure you have it in mind from the very beginning.
One way you can do this is by keeping track of your metrics. You can keep an eye on your views, likes, and dislikes, as well as your subscribers and the amount of time people spend on your channel. This will help you keep track of your progress and know when your channel is ready to take off.
18. Go Live Immediately
If you’re just starting out, then the best tip for viral content on youtube is to always go live.
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