In this huge digital world, it is common for people to become overwhelmed with unlimited streams of information, and among them, they find some content to be spreading like wildfire. This pops up the question, “Does content become viral due to accident only?” The simple answer to this question is “Not Really.” There are many psychological factors that help content in becoming engaging and resonating with a wider audience. Content becomes viral only when it manages to evoke some strong emotions, particularly high-arousal ones, including amusement, anxiety, awe, and anger. Some other psychological factors that play crucial roles are relatability.
Reasons Why People Share Content
Every person loves to share content, and people pass along only that content that feels like spreading or sparks strong emotions. According to a study, it has been discovered that 72 percent of shares arise from emotional reactions instead of logic. If you find a video to be hitting home, then it becomes tough for people not to share it.
The Role Emotions Play
Emotions play a vital role in the virality of content. Content that stirs awe, joy, and anger too spreads quicker. Posts that evoke high-energy emotions, including excitement, get shared more compared to the neutral ones. Hence, emotional triggers make a huge difference.
Surprise too has a Role to Play
Some unexpected twists also make content stick. If you find content to be delightful or shocking to people, then it will surely become viral. Always be mindful that surprising posts get 25 percent more clicks compared to the ones that can be predicted. This is a jolt that helps content to become viral.
Stories Should Connect
Humans can’t stay away from stories, and viral content habitually narrates one. When you see a good tale, you can be assured that it will pull in people. Narrative-driven posts enhance engagement by 18 percent in comparison to plain advertisements. Storytelling never fails in digging deep into the psychology of viral content.
Not to Forget Humour
Humour too sparks interest among the audience. Laughter spreads online fast. People love to connect with funny content as they feel good. Hence, people make it a point to share these kinds of content so that they can make someone’s day brighten up. If you see an advertisement of a soda that shows a goofy dance, it will surely crack up your viewers. Afterward, they will share it with their groups.
Relatability is an Important Factor
If content mirrors life, then it gets traction. If a person sees himself in a post, he will surely share it. Relatable content drives 22 percent higher engagement in comparison to a generic post. Hence, at no point in time, can you deny the factor of relatability, as it makes content go viral.
FOMO and Social Proof
Humans follow crowds. Hence, if they find that a post has got many likes, they become compelled to watch it and share it too. Content that has a higher engagement rate gets a 15 percent boost from social proof only. FOMO (fear of missing out) plays a big role in making content viral.
The Final Thoughts
Virality of content doesn’t depend on luck. When you get a good understanding of the factors that make content sharable, it spreads organically. When content gives value, taps into emotions, narrates great stories, and leverages social proof, it can stand out in today’s digital landscape.
