26 Keys to Making Your Content Go Viral (Part 1)
The first rule of making viral content is don’t try to make viral content.
Actually, I lied, that’s key #23 on Patrick Bet-David’s list of 26 keys to making your content go viral.
If Bet-David’s name doesn’t ring a bell, I bet you’ve still seen one of his videos. I first found Bet-David when a friend shared “The Life of an Entrepreneur in 90 Seconds” video on Facebook.
That video hit 2 million views in the first 24 hours when it was published, and now has over 26 million views. With no money spent on advertising and no boosting, how did this video go viral?
Over the next two days, I’m going to share with you Bet-David’s secrets to making viral content.
Feel free to go right to the source — Bet-David published a 56-minute video hereexplaining each of his 26 keys — or, save yourself 51 minutes and read what I wrote below. Your choice.
Before we cover Bet-David’s 26 keys — you need to know what type of content gets shared. Bet-David lists these 10 below. I’ve rearranged the list, adding examples first with principles second.
I did this on purpose because research shows you remember points better if the examples come first. You’ll thank me later.
10 Types of Content that Goes Viral
1. Cats being pulled into bathtubs by babies — when a video is funny, it is more likely to be shared. Think prank videos, animal fails, funny interviews.
2. 1 guy knocks out 5 guys in parking lot — fight videos always get shared. Why? Human nature, bro.
3. Who wore it best: Donald Trump or this ear of corn? — making fun of someone is a tactless, albeit funny, way to get shares.
4. High school girl starts her track race with an epic face plant — embarrassing or humiliating videos always get the share.
5. Top Republicans may skip GOP convention — controversy, change, and conflict are how CNN makes its money.
6. Russian jet within 75 feet of U.S. warship — people love sharing fear. We share bad news with 11 different people; we share good news with 3 different people.
7. Have you seen the Dollar-Shave-Club-warehouse commercial? or Old-Spice-guy commercial? — Any creative product commercial will get shared if it’s good.
8. Busty TV presenter steals the show in business infomercial — EPCM-psi an oil industry logistics firm recently made an advert that should have been the most boring video on the Internet, but… the woman presenting had large breasts. Sex sells.
9. Oprah’s 2016 book list — People share trusted sources or voice-of-reason videos. Think influencers like Oprah, the Pope, the President.
10. Kony 2012 — People love sharing content that is trying to correct an injustice.
Toughest Type of Content to Go Viral
1. How to lose 20 pounds in 20 weeks — just because your content is valuable, doesn’t mean it’s going to get shared. Value is tough to share unless it’s presented properly (more on this tomorrow).
2. Knawwwledge — Khan Academy, Udemy, YouTube, these websites publish tons of great free educational videos. Again, just because a video is educational, doesn’t mean it’s going to get shared.
3. The world is flat, seriously — Ideas don’t share well. Unless, of course, your ideas are controversial.
OK, that was quick look at what type of content goes viral and what type of content doesn’t. Tomorrow I’ll break down Bet-David’s 26 keys to making your content go viral with examples.
Nick Papple
Managing Editor
The Daily Brief
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