What Makes a Video Go Viral

What makes a video go viral? With 100 hours of video being uploaded to YouTube every day, it's easy for your video to get lost in the shuffle. Forbes lists 6 qualities that define most viral videos today:

1. Be Short and Sweet.
2. Be Upbeat.
3. Be Timely.
4. Be Involved.
5. Be Informative.
6. Be Inspiring.

While I agree with the list provided, I think one major quality is missing: humor. My favorite viral videos are meant for entertainment. If you can make someone smile, laugh, and have fun, they are more likely to share it with their friends or on social media. One of my all-time favorite viral videos was made by the average Joe. They used music, humor, and a family aspect to connect with their audience, which made the video that much more enjoyable. I'd like to present "Baby Got Class"!

Besides humor, the other emotion to channel in your video is empathy. By pulling at heart-strings or tapping into your audience's emotions, it makes your video more memorable, and thus more sharable. In "World's Toughest Job", the audience is led to believe interviewees are hearing the most insane job requirements. At the end of this advertisement for American Greetings, the interviewer reveals the job's real title: Mom.

Overall, creating a video that will go viral is difficult. However, if done right, any video has the potential to be the next internet sensation.