How to Create Viral Instagram Content in 2020

5 tips to help your content go viral

Instagram’s algorithm can be fickle, to say the least. Being seen by more people depends upon engagement. The more your followers like and comment on your content, the better your chances of being seen by their followers or showing up in Explore pages will be. Going viral is still a worthwhile goal if you want to expand your following and meet your other social media marketing goals.

You’ll need to use smart strategy in order to craft the best content and obtain the reach you desire. Take a look below to discover how to create viral Instagram content in 2020. Implementing the tips, brought to you by ViralRace, can up your odds of hitting a post out of the park and becoming a viral sensation.

1. Capitalize on What Makes You Different

Going viral depends upon being seen as unique among the competition. There are so many eye-catching images and videos crossing a billion users’ feeds each month. Getting noticed can be difficult, to put it mildly. Take some time to consider what makes you and your brand different. What sets you apart from the rest? What do you excel at? What are your quirks?

Capitalize on those to appeal to your core audience. This is the people who get you. Not everyone will. However, If you strike a chord with a particular segment of your targeted demographic, that can spiral you to success. You won’t stand out if you’re playing it safe. Be authentic.

2. Use Current Events as a Springboard

Piggybacking on current events is a strategy that can really work when it comes to viral marketing. People are talking about certain topics already. They’ve formed their opinions. Find a way to create content around the hot topic of the day and make it noteworthy. You’ll stand a good chance of it taking off.

All it takes to create a buzz is people sharing your post. They’ll want to do that when it’s relevant to their lives. It also helps if the piece is particularly witty, smart or even controversial. Give people something to talk about and make them think. They’ll want to share it with their friends.

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Be Controversial

Speaking of controversy, you don’t have to shy away from it. We live in a political world. People have opinions, and brands are beginning to express what they stand for in their advertising and social media marketing.

You can jump on that bandwagon in important ways that reflect your company’s values and mission. Do some target research and know your Instagram audience. It’s good to be able to anticipate the kind of effect such a move can make. You may lose some followers who disagree with your stance, but you’ll gain the loyalty of many more whose beliefs resonate with your message. Your posts don’t have to be highly controversial, but followers usually appreciate a brand who isn’t afraid to stand for strong values they believe in. This type of content will spread.

4. Provoke Emotion

People want to feel something. The thing most viral content has in common is that it strikes an emotion in the audience. It can also be something that causes them to think or to reflect. Safe and boring don’t sell. They don’t gain attention. And they don’t go viral.

Instead, find a hook that is relevant to your brand and meaningful to your target demographic. Then explore ways to create content that plays on that hook. An image or video that provokes big feelings on the parts of those viewing it will spread like wildfire. Make them cry, laugh, smile or even shriek. When their emotions are touched, people will start talking. Word of mouth and social shares are truly built upon emotion.

5. Study What Works

If you’re feeling stuck on how to bring any of these concepts into reality, the best thing you can do is to study what’s already working in this moment. You can do that in a number of ways. One of the best is to see what’s working for others in your field.

Researching the competition on Instagram and paying attention to the posts that are gaining engagement gives you an idea of what people like to see within your niche. You definitely don’t want to copy what they’re doing exactly. Beyond being unethical, it’s boring and uninspiring. However, you can find a way to add your own angle to the concept or improve upon it some way. Competitors’ content can be great inspiration for your own better concepts that people will love.

Look for trending posts on your Explore tab. Take notes on similarities or patterns you see among these posts. What format seems to be most well received? Is it photo image or video? Perhaps Instagram Stories is gaining a lot of attention for a segment of users right now. Do some hashtag research to see if there are any relevant ones that stand out as a trend you may want to get in on.

Remember, though, the key to making trends work for you is to add your own flair to them. You have to stand out. Try employing a technique that fits with your brand and that you think will resonate with your audience. You never know what might happen.

Give these five tips a go to see if you can’t craft a viral sensation on Instagram for your brand. It only takes on hit to really propel your business to a new level and to get the momentum going. Shooting for a viral post won’t always hit the mark. But sometimes it will.