In the world of social media, going viral is the holy grail. For brands and influencers, a viral post means massive exposure, skyrocketing engagement, and increased followers. On Facebook specifically, certain types of posts have higher chances of going viral and reaching this coveted viral status.
What does it mean for a post to “go viral” on Facebook?
A post is considered to have “gone viral” on Facebook when it receives an abnormally large number of reactions, comments, and shares in a short period of time. There is no definitive threshold, but a post with tens of thousands or even millions of engagements across Facebook in a matter of days has likely gone viral.
Viral posts seem to take on a life of their own, spreading like wildfire as people share them with their own networks. This leads to exponential growth in reach and engagement. The more viral a post becomes, the more people see it, react to it, comment on it, and share it – sending it further and further across Facebook.
Why do certain posts go viral?
Many factors contribute to a post becoming viral on Facebook:
- Emotional appeal – Posts that tap into strong emotions like happiness, surprise, sadness, anger, or fear often spark high engagement.
- Entertainment value – Humorous, cute, inspiring, or entertaining posts tend to be shared more.
- Controversy – Controversial, provocative, or sensational posts get people talking.
- Relatability – Posts people identify with perform well.
- Creativity – Fresh, unique perspectives capture attention.
- Timeliness – Posts tied to current events or trends capitalize on interest.
- Influencer power – Leveraging influencers with big followings helps reach virality.
It ultimately comes down to creating content that resonates with people enough that they feel compelled to react, comment, and share with their own networks. An emotional gut reaction is often key.
What types of posts tend to go viral on Facebook?
Certain categories of posts have proven to be particularly viral on Facebook time and time again:
1. Humor/Memes
Humorous posts like funny videos, jokes, memes, and witty observations often go viral thanks to their entertainment value. Laughter is universal, so humor that lands with audiences gets widely shared.
2. Challenges
Viral challenges like the Ice Bucket Challenge, Mannequin Challenge, and more recently TikTok challenges take off like wildfire on Facebook. The social component encourages participation and sharing.
3. Nostalgia
Posts tapping into nostalgia, like throwback photos, childhood memories, and reminders of beloved cultural moments have viral potential due to their relatability.
4. Animals
Cute, funny, and amazing animal posts are wildly shareable. People just can’t get enough adorable cat videos!
5. Babies
Like animals, baby content tends to spread easily, especially cute babies or funny baby moments. These posts appeal to the innate human reaction to babies.
6. Epic fails/wins
Posts showcasing outrageous fails or amazing wins capture attention thanks to their shock value. The more extreme the fail or win, the more viral the potential.
7. Celebrities
Fans love celebrity gossip, behind the scenes looks, and relatable celebrity moments. For huge stars, these posts can gain momentum quickly.
8. Controversy
Controversial, inflammatory posts ignite debate and conversation. The split reactions and arguments over opposing views lead people to share these posts.
9. Life hacks
Simple tips and tricks that make life easier tend to be highly sharable. People want to pass on useful life hacks to others.
10. Food
From indulgent recipes to drool-worthy food photos, food is forever viral. People can’t help but share mouth-watering foods.
Case Studies: Viral Facebook Posts
To showcase examples of viral posts in action, here are case studies of some of the most viral Facebook posts of all time:
Will Smith’s Bucket List
In 2018, Will Smith posted a bucket list video checking off skydiving, learning guitar, and visiting the Taj Mahal. The inspirational video earned over 31 million views and 1.1 million shares.
Tom Brady Cliff Jump
NFL star Tom Brady posted a video jumping off a cliff in Costa Rica, showing off an extreme athletic feat. The shocking video reached over 4.2 million views and 97k shares.
#TrashTag Challenge
This viral challenge encouraging people to clean up litter accumulated over 46,000 uses of the hashtag. Photos of community cleanups resonated thanks to the positive social impact.
Steve Harvey Miss Universe Fail
Steve Harvey’s epic pageant fail announcing the wrong Miss Universe winner hit over 2.5 million views and 32k shares. The shocking, funny moment was perfect viral content.
Chewbacca Mom
Candace Payne’s contagious laughter trying on a Chewbacca mask in her car became one of the most viral Facebook videos ever at over 167 million views and 2.4 million shares.
How to Create Viral Content on Facebook
While going viral ultimately comes down to timing and luck, here are some best practices to optimize content for viral potential on Facebook:
- Know your audience – Create content tailored to your audience’s interests.
- Use emotions – Tap into emotional triggers like humor, nostalgia, inspiration, etc.
- Make it relatable – Use storytelling people can identify with.
- Try trends – Capitalize on current event topics and trends.
- Craft clickbait headlines – Use intriguing headlines that grab attention.
- Use eye-catching visuals – Vivid photos and videosperform best.
- Get influencers involved – Partner with influencers to give content a signal boost.
- Write clear, concise copy – Make content scannable and easily digestible.
- Time it right – Post when engagement is highest for your audience.
- Boost engagement – Encourage reactions, comments and shares.
Conclusion
On Facebook, humor, challenges, nostalgia, animals, babies, celebrities, controversy, life hacks, and food posts have the greatest viral potential. While going viral comes down to luck, optimizing content for relatability, emotions, and shareability gives it the best chance of taking off. With smart viral content strategies, brands and influencers can hope to be the next viral Facebook sensation.