What’s the Secret to Viral Success on YouTube?
How do you find a balance between passion and virality?
My friends got into an argument the other day about whether or not being a content creator on YouTube can be considered a real career. I lean firmly toward the idea that, yes, it can be considered a real career. However, it can sometimes be mind-boggling to think about the sheer effort and luck involved when developing a video that goes viral.
After all, it isn’t just about that single video, but trying to maintain a successful run past the initial viral submission.
YouTube is one of those platforms that’s something of an enigma. On one hand you have incredible content creators that are noticed and steadily grow in popularity until they can make a living off of their success (the number one content creator, Pewdiepie, certainly does). On the other hand, you have incredible content creators that remain stagnant despite their best efforts.
Having watched the rise and fall of people on the platform for a very long time, as well as watching plenty of YouTube videos regarding the subject, it’s fascinating to think about the kind of mettle it takes to achieve viral success on the platform.
The idea of a video you want to share
For myself, most of the videos I like to share involve cute animals. There’s one where a curious baby seal bumbles its way onto a cameraman’s lap and it’s absolutely heartwarming. However, if that was all it took to make videos — and creators — go viral, then content creators in general would be crazy rich. Unfortunately, only a certain percentage of people can successfully monetize their videos and make anything decent.
That said, I believe the idea of a video you would want to share still matters when it comes to viral success. YouTube content partnership manager Maryam Mossavar writes about how charities can build viral videos:
“What we’ve noticed at YouTube, is that people are more likely to share content when it says something meaningful or valuable to them. Think about how your charity can say something in its video that people can relate to, and which strikes a chord.”
It’s a sensible tip, though it can differ wildly based on what the video is about. For the aforementioned Pewdiepie, he got his start recording himself playing games, so much of his content today still involves gaming.
It’s all about who you know
Many of the larger content creators today got their start from shoutouts by other creators who were much bigger at the time. When YouTube was still a young platform around the mid-2000s, many people depended on the shout outs they would receive from bigger channels to get the attention they needed.
“Find users on YouTube who are active and adding value through their participation in the social network. Get your video in front of them without spamming so that they can do part of the work for you,” writes Alhan Keser of Blue Fountain Media.
Much of the luck involved when it comes to attaining viral success on YouTube regards whether or not the bigger channels are willing to play ball. While there have been cases of content creators slowly but surely building their fanbase through a steady work ethic and a willingness to see things through despite the low traffic, many of the more successful channels turned their luck around with the help of more popular channels.
Viral content is about passion, not the intent
For most people who intend to find as much success as possible on YouTube, it can be a challenge as much of the process is a slow crawl. Even the largest channels took many years to grow, and you likely will not receive much in the form of monetization if you are starting out.
The people who found success within the platform did so because they love to share things with others — not because they wanted to be successful. Passion and drive don’t necessarily come from the need for success, as there is typically a foundation underneath.
“This activity reflects who we are, in all our glory and ignominy,” says Kevin Allocca, author of Videocracy: How YouTube is changing the world. “If aliens wanted to understand our planet, he’d give them Google. If they wanted to understand us, he’d give them YouTube.”
The YouTube platform is an odd one as it has the capacity to churn out success stories, but the heart of the matter isn’t necessarily about how successful you can be. It’s about your willingness to focus on what you love that will eventually resonate with your future fanbase.
Some references in this article are affiliate resources.
