How to create a viral contents? The golden rules

Here are thus the golden rules for the creation of a viral contents.

"An image is worth one thousand words" – Confucius

If this precious Confucius had known that he was going to inspire Web today … But this quotation could perfectly summarize the current trends regarding contents.

The images and especially videos are more and more appreciated on the social networks, thanks to their capacity to provoke quickly some emotion without the slightest effort of reading. Buzzsumo, the specialist of the data concerning the social networks analyzed the commitment of 100 million videos on Facebook. The study (étude) reveals that videos are leading to 12.05 % of audience share and the most popular are the ones who owed between 60 and 90 seconds.

If you do not feel the soul of a video director, you can opt for computer graphics. Very appreciated, they supply synthesized information and the format is optimized for the Web reading: a plan, colors, drawings … No, we do not speak about a book for children but a lot of playful contents which can be for the destination of the professionals.

"Know each other and know your opponent to take away all the battles" - Japanese Proverb

The Internet user isn’t considered, naturally, as an opponent. But the principle is: to hit the bull's eye, you have to define at first the identity of your company, the message to deliver and know whom you address. Therefore, you have to learn everything of your readers to be better to conquer them:

•          Who are they? Begin by defining the identity of your target may be advisable if you would like to know how to talk with them.

•          When do they go on the social networks and when do they read them? Life-time on the main social networks is only a few hours. If you would like to be visible in the stream of publications, you have to publish your contents at the right time. The rush hours for each most important social network are the moments when YOUR readers react most. For that purpose, you can use Analytics.

•          What do they want to show to their friends? To share a contents revealed naturally a part of their personality. It remains to be seen if it is the facet which we can assume.

•          What do they like? Always in the study of Buzzsumo, the subjects of video which throne on the podium of the most captivating on Facebook are: the food, the fashion/beauty, animals and DiY. The tricks and the tutorials are particularly appreciated and easy to realize.

Example of videos extremely popular on Facebook in the destination of the young people who like to eat without spending hours to be cooked, published every day at about 5 p.m., easy to assume (who does not like the good food?), and affecting a very fashionable subject: the food. Bravo Chef Club!

" Surprise me " – A romantic movie

 You have information on your target, it is now necessary to surprise it. Mark its spirit. Awaken the feelings.

In brief, come  back your unforgettable contents.

This rule is not compulsory but not strongly recommended because the Internet users want strong, lively and positive feelings who make them feel themselves better if only one minute. If you manage to create some surprise, you gained everything. How? By a fall, a gag, an unexpected twist in the drama … Be creative!

The anger and the fear also go but these feelings can fast turn around against you and engender an uncontrollable bad buzz. However, some master brilliantly this concept as 30 million friends with this campaign taken out in summer, 2017 and seen more than 14 million times. The public is invaded by a feeling of sadness mixed with the indignation. At the same time, the humor would be really suited for a sensitive subject as the abandonment of animals? In all cases, we want at once to save these small abandoned creatures.

"Time goes by too fast!" - a mortal of this world

The Internet users do not have time. Nobody has time.

And nevertheless, we want to make always more things! If you want that your contents are read and shared, it is going to need whether it is clear and legible.

There is no size matter here, but a lot of legibility and visual memory. User experience as a matter of fact. No matter the size of your article, it is necessary to facilitate the reading thanks to colors, images, plans, bold words and lists of the type "top 10" or even "20 manners of…". Be a quick read, playful and even sometimes useful, they are often appreciated by the readers. Topito, a blog specialist of the buzz, even made the editorial line "Top".

The watchword: do not make the Internet user lose time with complicated turns of phrase and many illegible texts.

"It is not the matter of quantity but the quality" - a university professor

Contrary to what we could think, it is not necessarily short articles which are the most shared. Some advocate 1,000 words and more when others prefer to reduce the length at all costs. The detail which will give back your viral contents is not only in the length but also its aspect, which we evoked higher, and in its contents.

Some tricks to make some art in the art, or polish up the contents of its contents:

•          The choice of the subject: strong, polemical, tendency to a theme, which talks to the plebs, will always have more impact than a concept known by a handful of people.

•          Make the article useful: simply give your readers what they need.

•          Stand out yourself: handle the subject in depth, its entirety instead of melting in the mass of the paraphrases which constitute the majority of Web.

•          Certify the information: give the real interesting information or the recommendations written by somebody you trust who confirms the words. Be the specialists of your domain.

 Now you have everything in hand to make a viral contents. But creating good contents is not enough to make it famous. What a pity.

Obviously, it is necessary to be aware of the social networks and favor the sharing action by the Internet users on your site thanks to buttons of sharing.

But especially, let have fun!

Article written by Marion Vannelli