by by Nolan Smeds
If you’re looking to create a viral short video, you’re in the right place! While going viral can seem mysterious, following these five essential steps will boost your chances of creating a video that captures attention, engages viewers, and encourages sharing. Let’s dive in!
Step 1: Know Your Audience and Spot Trends
Identify your target audience and learn about the types of videos they engage with most. Do they love humor, heartfelt stories, or quirky facts? Knowing their preferences will guide your creative direction.
Pay attention to trends on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, as they change frequently. Spend some time exploring popular challenges, sounds, and hashtags. Adapting a trend but putting your own twist on it is a great way to make a familiar format fresh and exciting!
By aligning with popular content while adding your unique take, you can create something that feels timely and fun for viewers to share.
Step 2: Grab Attention Quickly with a Strong Hook
To maximize engagement, start your video with a strong hook that catches viewers’ attention in the first 2-3 seconds. In the fast-paced world of short videos, you only have a brief moment to make an impression before viewers scroll away.
Create curiosity: Open with something intriguing—a bold statement, a question, or an unexpected visual. This will make viewers want to stick around to see what happens next.
Use text overlays: Adding text to convey a catchy phrase or question can pull viewers in, especially if they’re watching with the sound off.
A good hook is essential for keeping viewers engaged, especially on platforms where swiping away is easy.
Step 3: Keep It Concise and Compelling
In a world of short-form content, brevity is key. To increase your chances of going viral, your video should be concise, well-paced, and straight to the point.
Stick to a clear story arc: Even if your video is just 15–30 seconds, a simple structure with a beginning, middle, and end helps keep viewers engaged.
Add captions and trending music: Using captions boosts accessibility and can hold attention, while popular music tracks can make your video more dynamic and connect with viewers on an emotional level.
A quick, well-told story or sequence keeps viewers interested and enhances shareability.
Step 4: Optimize for the Platform
Each platform has unique features and optimal formats, so tailoring your video to the specific platform is essential.
Use the right format: Short-form platforms favor vertical (9:16) videos. Ensure your video fits this format to enhance viewing on mobile.
Utilize platform tools: Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube each have specific effects, filters, and stickers. Using these can make your video feel native to the platform and help it gain traction.
By optimizing for the platform, you increase your chances of fitting into the algorithms and making your video accessible and enjoyable to viewers.
Step 5: Include a Call-to-Action (CTA)
Encouraging viewers to engage directly with your content is crucial for virality. A good CTA can inspire viewers to like, comment, share, or follow—actions that can push your video even further.
Ask for engagement: A simple “like if you agree” or “share with someone who needs to see this” can make a big difference.
Encourage responses: Asking a question or prompting viewers to leave their thoughts in the comments can lead to more interaction, signaling the platform’s algorithm to promote your video more.
Engaging directly with your audience not only boosts your video’s reach but also fosters a connection that keeps viewers coming back.
Following these five steps gives your video the best chance of resonating with audiences and going viral. Keep creating, experimenting, and engaging with your audience, and soon enough, you’ll find yourself with a short video that hits all the right notes. Happy filming!
I especially agree on the importance of understanding the audience as the first step—it’s so easy to overlook who you’re creating content for, but it’s crucial for connecting with viewers. Nowadays, people scroll quickly and decide within seconds whether to watch or skip. I’d love to know if you have any further insights on how to determine which hooks work best for different audiences or platforms.
Hey Nolan! I found your blog to be very informative and useful. One of my jobs outside of school consists of posting on social media and some videos get more engagement than others. It makes me wonder: How would these videos do if I used a different format or asked for engagement? Although I might’ve posted relatable content, it still might not be as interesting to my audience if it isn’t following the up-to-date trends. I am going to be sure I use the five steps you provided and see how the work account does with likes, comments, views, etc. Thank you for sharing!
I really liked your step by step of making a viral video, and I think it is very relevant. I liked that you not only included paying attention to trends but also advising that people are active and responsive on their page even after posting the video. The one thing I think you are missing is a small disclaimer letting people know just how hard it is to go viral and that there is sometimes a luck aspect. Great work!
Thank you for your detailed guide! I feel like with the rise of social media and the career field I want to enter, it’s important to know these steps on how to boost engagement not only for yourself but for your clients as well.
Hi Nolan! I loved your detailed guide on becoming an internet sensation. I’ve always wondered how videos go viral so quickly. The only time I went viral was with an embarrassing, funny video I never expected to blow up. Thanks for sharing tips on how to go viral on purpose—so helpful (and funny)!