Let’s make this go viral – said too many people, too many times.
Most people don’t quite get social media. You simply can’t plan for content to go viral—isn’t that the whole point of viral marketing to begin with?
You can, however, take out some of the guesswork and increase your chances of hitting that coveted number in that coveted time frame.
Below, we share our top 8 tips to make your posts, stories, and reels go viral.
What is a Viral Instagram Content?
A Viral Instagram content is a content that is tagged, liked, commented on, and saved a lot. As of writing this article, an Instagram post will go viral when it has 100,000+ views and likes within the first 24 hours of posting it.
Whether it’s Instagram or other social media platforms, any content format can go viral. But video seems to be going viral the most these days, so we will focus more on video formats.
Now, if you boil it down further, you will find that Instagram Reels seem to be going viral the most. Instagram Reels get a 22% higher engagement rate than other Instagram videos.
Reels are also widely displayed on the platform’s explore page, giving it a higher reach to people who aren’t followers yet.
8 Expert Tips on How to Go Viral on Instagram
1. Leverage Trending Topics and Hashtags
A sure way to increase your chances of going viral is by leveraging trending topics and hashtags. As a majority of the user interest is directed towards trending content, your content will have a higher likelihood of grabbing their attention.
Speed is the secret sauce here—the faster you react, the higher your chances of getting the spotlight. Take, for example, the 2024 Met Gala. Views and engagement for this event peaked and dropped in just a few days.
Keep a close eye on your industry’s trends so that you can strike as quickly as possible. Follow relevant accounts from your industry and utilize platforms like Reddit and Google Trends to stay in the loop.
2. Post Visually Appealing and Share-Worthy Content
Approximately 1.3 billion images are shared on Instagram in a day. The only way for you to stand out in this ocean of competition is by posting photos and videos that are visually spectacular and relevant.
Don’t worry about getting an overpriced phone or a thousand-dollar editing suite. You’d be surprised to learn that videos that get the most views have very few visual designs.
All you have to do is upload content that’s fresh and exciting for your target audience. Find out what your audience wants to see and curate high-quality content based on that.
3. Use Storytelling to Evoke Emotions and Induce Action
People buy feelings, not things.
Your audience will most likely engage in those content that evokes some level of emotion. An additional advantage to this is that you develop a close relationship with your audience, which will most likely make them listen to you in the future.
The best way to achieve this is through storytelling. When you share a narrative, you are able to influence how they feel, thereby making a deep impression on them.
Take Airbnb, for example. Their Instagram campaigns are all about sharing stories of the hosts behind the establishments. With just the right images and words, the brand is able to stir the audiences’ emotions, inducing them to take action.
4. Partner with Industry Partners and Influencers
When you team up with brands and influencers in your niche, you increase your chances of going viral on Instagram.
By collaborating with another Instagram user, you are able to extend your reach. You are being presented in front of probably thousands of potential followers who are interested in your niche.
Brands and influencers may also come up with cool and unique methods to promote your products/services, adding to your likelihood of going viral. Remember to pick those brands and influencers that have a high engagement rate and are trusted by customers.
5. Foster Engagement with Active Interaction
Communicating directly with your followers is one of the most cost-effective methods to increase your chances of going viral.
Take the time to reply to direct messages, comments, and mentions. Before you know it, you will have an army of loyal community and that will help you stand out.
If you take a close look, you will see that most popular brands are popular simply because they prioritize responding to their customers.
When there is active customer engagement in your posts, your account will get more visibility. Instagram algorithm favors content with high engagement which is just what we’re aiming for because this means getting a slot on the Explore page.
6. Utilize User-Generated Content (UGC) to Cultivate Authenticity
UGC can be really helpful in leveraging viral campaigns. When you share UGC on your feed, you open the doorway to a new network of followers.
Currently UGC garners more trust than any type of content. Which means your UGC posts will most likely be viewed as a credible source of information.
7. Run Contests or Challenges to Encourage Engagement
Running Instagram contests or challenges are excellent ways to encourage participation, and cultivate goodwill among followers, thereby increasing the likelihood of your content going viral.
As Instagram is partial to video format, running a video contest is a great idea. When participants will mention you in their entries, your brand name will appear in their feed. As a bonus, you will get authentic UGC, which you can use in your own feed.
Always remember to follow Instagram promotion guidelines to avoid getting banned.
Conclusion
Most people see going viral as a stroke of luck. What they don’t see is the consistent, meticulous work that creators or brands have to put in up until that point.
People do go viral by accident, but waiting around for luck will probably not get you anywhere near your goal. Try to increase your likelihood of going viral on Instagram by giving your audience the right type of content at the right time, and you just might get “lucky”.