Author: Issa Asad.
Making an Instagram post go viral is one of the best ways to get your brand and business name out there. One viral post can turn your world around as a business owner, can lead to new business opportunities new followers and customers and of course far higher profit margins over time.
Making a post that will go viral on your Instagram account is not as easy as it would be through other social media and video sharing sites. For instances, using the right words, descriptive title and the right screen shot when you post an image on YouTube might lead to millions of views in a week’s time.
With Instagram videos this is not the case. However, it is not impossible for your videos that you post through Instagram to go viral, so long as they are properly uploaded, properly shared, and seen on as many outlets as possible. If you do choose to use videos on your Instagram account, and choose to share this content with your followers, videos that do go viral are going to do wonders for your business and are going to lead in an increase of Instagram followers in no time as well.
If it is difficult for video content to go viral, just imagine how much harder it will be for images you share on Instagram to go viral. It is important to create an experience, showcase your brand in a way no other company or competitor can compete with and to come up with ideas that are going to go well beyond the imagination of your followers.
Although it is difficult, it is possible. With the right planning, the right look and the right approach to posting video and images on Instagram, you can create content that will go viral and that will help you gain that online recognition. This will draw in more followers to your account, and will eventually lead to the increased sale figures that you want to see as a business owner.
Create an Experience
One such company that has used Instagram to their benefit in terms of their posts going viral, is Sharpie. The company uses their markers and other products to show their customer how to create something fun. From drawing images on a canvas, to creating a whole new world with a few different colored markers, most of the images that are posted on the company’s feed use a variety of colors, show images popping up off the screen and show some form of creativity flowing off the page.
Sharpie Instagram Profile, @sharpie, September, 2014 by sharpie on Instagram
Why do this? First off, it gives your followers something fun to look at and shows them that the possibilities are endless when they are using your products. Whether they are working on a school project or a new idea to present to a client, with the product they are using they are going to be able to complete any task.
Using creativity is also a great way to increase discussion. The more people who like a video or an image, the more comments that are left in a feed and the more people who see such feeds, the more likely the chances are that these images or videos are going to go viral.
Something that goes viral is pretty much something that garners conversation; whether that conversation is positive or negative, it is good for a business. It allows people to hear the company name, it will force people who are not familiar with the company to go look it up and learn more about it and it will even draw people to visit a company site.
This is the end goal for all companies who are using Instagram and other social media sites. So why not incorporate a bit of creativity, even if it results in conversations? As long as people are talking about the business and as long as they see different possibilities with the business, then there is something interesting that your business can offer (which another business can’t offer).
Let Creativity Lead the Way
No matter what the product or service is that you sell, when posting content on your Instagram account and other social media outlets, businesses should allow their imagination to run rampant. Imagine creating something that your customer could see themselves using. Whether it is a sharpie or any other product, show the customer how that product is going to better their lives, or how it is going to allow them to become a happier person if they own it.
If you can’t think of something creative and unique about your own product, how can you expect your customers to do so? You are the creator of the product, therefore you have to show customers some of the countless ways it is that your product is going to improve their life, is going to give them something they do not have and is going to give them something that they are not going to be able to get from any other company or product that is available on the market.
Make It Unbelievable
Content that goes viral is generally content that people can’t believe they are seeing on the screen. It is something they would never post themselves, or it is content that has never been seen before. Just imagine the early videos that went viral; animals doing crazy things, babies dancing and other content that had never been shared in this past.
Being creative is a part of thinking outside the box, and coming up with something that has never been done in the past. Remember, a viral video can do as much harm to your business as it can do well. So when creating content that is unbelievable, make sure to avoid putting other companies down (and definitely DO NOT insult their customers), or to potentially segregate a certain demographic group.
You want the content to be fun, you want it to be unique and you want it to have that “wow factor”. You have to remember that too much of anything, even if it is fun and good, can be viewed as a negative. In creating your content, make sure it has that “wow factor”, make sure it gets people talking and make sure it shows people how much fun and how they can create with your product.
Showcase Your Company as a Leader
Again, the videos and images that are going to go viral are the ones which have never been seen. The images that are unique, creative and out there, will create something that viewers have never seen in the past. You want to showcase your business as an innovator, as a company that is a leader and as a company that is going to take charge in the industry that it is in.
Your industry has to be beloved, if you want visitors to go to your site and to view your content. The more people like the company, the brand and what it stands for, the more likely it is they are going to appreciate the content.
Even if it is a product a customer does not need, or something they are not currently looking for, if you are a leader, an innovator and if the customer loves you, it is going to lead to more viral content and eventually more people seeing your site and products that your company offers for sale.
Include Customers
Sharpie takes their followers on a ride. With each image they draw (which goes viral), their Instagram followers actually see the hand that is drawing the image. They see the image come to life, and they take the audience on a journey with them. If the customer does not feel as if they are a part of the journey, no matter how creative it is, they are not going to get on board with the product you are trying to sell to them.
So, in creating the videos for Instagram and in deciding which images you are going to post to your page, make sure your audience feels as if they are a part of the product, of the journey and of the content that you are sharing with them.
If a video or image feels forced, or as if it is being shared simply for the company’s self-gain, followers are not going to get on board. You want people to like and comment on content so that it is shared, and so it eventually goes viral. The only way for people to do this, is for them to feel as if the product you are selling has something to offer to them. Make your content engaging, and think about your posts through your followers’ eyes to ensure you are posting content that they are going to connect with.
Instagram is a great platform to help your business grow; it gives you more ways to share, and gives you the visual ways to share content which other social media platforms did not offer in the past. As a business owner, you have to take advantage of this if you want your business to grow.
However, creating content that will eventually go viral is far more difficult on Instagram than it is on other platforms and video sharing sites. It is not impossible to do; in fact, many major companies have a number of images and videos which they post (on a daily basis), that go viral.
When content goes viral, it means it is going to be seen by millions, possibly even by people who have no idea what Instagram or any other social media site is. If you want your content to go viral, make sure you use the right tactics. Keep it playful, always sway towards the creative side and keep your followers in mind. If you are simply doing things for the potential of business gains, this is going to show in your content. When you create the content with the intention of being fun for your followers and customers, and to showcase how amazing your product really is, this is what will help push images and videos towards going viral.
Issa Asad is an entrepreneur and marketing strategist from Miami, Florida. Issa Asad has over 15 years of experience in the marketing, technology and telecommunications industries. Mr. Asad has been the Co-Founder, Founder, Managing Member, President, Vice President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of multiple technology, telecom and online-based companies.
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