There are a ton of how-tos out there on how to go viral on YouTube, but sometimes having a simple list is all you need.
And that, my fellow gamer, is what I’m going to give you here.
So, let’s cut the fluff and jump straight in.
Here are 7 tips on how to go viral on YouTube:
1. Focus on One Emotion
All successful viral videos tend to focus on one emotion.
This is how you keep people watching and sharing your video.
It doesn’t matter how amazing a video might be, if it covers more than one emotion, it’s going to miss the mark.
Don’t believe me?
Look at some of the most popular YouTube videos of all time.
They each focus on helping you experience one emotion.
This could be:
- Laughter
- Empathy
- Gratitude
- Love
Make your audience feel something in your video and, trust me, they’ll share it with their friends.
And they, in turn, will share it with their friends.
This, in a nutshell, is how to go viral on YouTube:
Create a video that’s good enough to be shared OVER and OVER and OVER.
How to Make Your YouTube Video Go Viral For Free
2. Keep Your Videos Short
Wondering how to make your YouTube video go viral for free?
Keep it short.
Listen, the longer your video is, the less likely it is to go viral.
Viral videos, in a nutshell, are short.
Now, I know that it’s tempting to create a how-to video that lasts 30 minutes…
…and I’m not saying don’t ever do this…
…but if you’re aiming for virality, try to keep your video around 3 minutes long.
This, my fellow gamer, is how to go viral on YouTube for free.
Why?
Because:
- Shorter videos are watched more often.
- They’re shared more often.
- And they perform better in YouTube’s search results.
3. Model After What’s Working
Okay, this is key.
If you really wanna know how to go viral on YouTube for free, you need to follow this 3-step process:
#1: Look at other viral videos in the space you’re in.
#2: Model after them.
#3: Put your own unique twist on them.
You do NOT have to reinvent the wheel here.
Simply look at what’s already working – at what’s already viral – and then use that as inspiration to create your next YouTube video.
Look at the video’s content.
Look at its length.
What emotion does it want you to feel?
What is its overall message?
And what about its headline?
How to Go Viral on YouTube in 2022
4. Create Curiosity-Inducing Headlines
This, plain and simple, is how to go viral on YouTube in 2022.
You create a curiosity-inducing headline for your video.
Something that leaves an unanswered question in the mind of your viewer.
‘What’s this about?’
‘How did he do that?’
‘Why on earth is she going to eat that?’
‘What happens next?’
People will click purely because they want to know what happens next – based on your headline.
This, my fellow gamer, is a curiosity-inducing headline.
Just make sure, though, that’s it’s relevant.
In other words, you’re not just creating a catchy headline just for the sake of creating a catchy headline – that’s called clickbait, and your viewers will hate you for it.
Instead, make sure the video ties in with the headline.
5. Create an Eye-Catching Thumbnail
You’ve probably heard this a million times before, but I’m going to say it again:
If you want to go viral on YouTube in 2022, you need to create an eye-catching thumbnail.
A thumbnail that, again, leaves your viewers wondering what the hell your video is all about.
Why?
Because, plain and simple, when someone visits YouTube’s search results page and sees 20 videos with 20 different thumbnails, they’re going to click on the most compelling thumbnail – the one that draws them in.
So here are a few tips on how to do just that:
- Keep your thumbnails colorful.
- Have a person in your thumbnail experiencing a strong emotion.
- Make sure the image ties in with the headline.
- There should be an overarching “story” across your title and thumbnail – that “one thing” your video is about.
- Make sure your thumbnail is high resolution.
How to Go Viral on YouTube Shorts
6. Promote Your Video on Social Media
Wondering how to go viral on YouTube shorts?
Well, you need to promote your video on social media.
Don’t just add it to YouTube and “hope” it gets some traction.
Actually go out there and let people know about it.
You’ve put in a tremendous amount of work to create the video, so put in the same amount of work to promote it.
So do this:
- Create an eye-catching post on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Reddit).
- Let people know the MOMENT it’s live.
- Add in the link to the video itself.
7. Measure Your Success (and Keep Trying)
Now, this is important:
Before you can share any of your results, you need to measure them.
So create some sort of analysis/ key performance indicator (KPI) for each video you produce.
Did the video go viral?
If not, why not?
Did it get more views than your previous videos?
If so, did it make you money?
What was the cost of production vs. revenue earned (ROI)?
How many views did it get?
What was the like to dislike ratio?
Did your viewers watch the entire video?
If not, why not?
You need to deep dive into the analytics of your video and try to figure out what your audience liked and disliked, so you can tweak future videos based around those metrics.
Remember, YouTube is an evolving platform.
So the more you learn about what works, the better your chances are of going viral on YouTube in 2022.
In conclusion:
That’s it!
These are 7 tips on how to go viral on YouTube in 2022 (if you’re a gamer).
Now, get out there and share your new video with the world!
Just make sure, though, you apply what we’ve discussed here and stick to it.
Some videos you think will do well – won’t.
Others you think will tank – will do well.
This is science as well as art.
So test, test, and test some more.
And, as always, have fun gaming!
-The Zombie Writing Team