Trending in Social

What type of video goes viral on social media? You will see a video shared by friends and family members, racking up thousands, sometimes millions of views. It could be something simple that makes you laugh, or a video that inspires the audience. No matter the genre, you’re going to see it and hear about it more than once thanks to the power of social reach. What most people don’t see or realize is the impact a viral video can have on business.

 
https://www.facebook.com/candaceSpayne/videos/10209653193067040/
 
The Chewbacca mask made popular by Candace Payne, a mom from Texas, has been sold out at most retailers. It was quickly labeled a best seller on Amazon, and is already being resold for almost 5 times the original price. Candace was at Kohl’s that day returning a shirt when she found the mask and made the video using Facebook live. Kohl’s received some serious free advertising with Candace mentioning them in her video, and also touching on their return policy. Once the video quickly went viral with over 100 million views, Kohl’s gave Candace and her family matching masks and a plethora of Star Wars merchandise. This generous move from Kohl’s helped their brand further.
 

https://youtu.be/4BfAIR3eWK0
 
Earlier this month, the University of Wisconsin had a live snapchat story on their campus. Anyone that was on or near that campus could post to the story, and anyone with snapchat could view the story. Two people admiring each other started communicating through their posts, and soon the entire story was about getting the pair to meet in person. The montage of the story has since been shared on Facebook and YouTube, collecting more viewers. Snapchat created a platform for users to get involved with what was going on in Wisconsin. People were glued to their phones waiting for live updates of the couple, using custom filters that made the story fun to follow. This is a great example of how Snapchat can be used to not only reach a wider audience, but also make engaging with the audience an entertaining experience, something all businesses should strive to do with their advertising.
 

https://www.facebook.com/cincinnatizoo/posts/10154082080110479
 
This weekend, a young boy fell into a gorilla exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo resulting in the gorilla being put down to safely retrieve the boy. This story has quickly gone viral due to the public’s strong opinions on how the situation was handled. The Cincinnati Zoo was quick to address the issue, taking to Facebook to explain what happened. The post has been shared nearly 20 thousand times and has over 20 thousand comments on it and growing. The conversation is happening on social media, so the best place to address this issue was on their Facebook page. This is a great way for businesses to let their audience know their side of the story and thoroughly cover an issue and answer any questions all from one place….
 

https://www.facebook.com/BuzzFeed/videos/10154669692570329/
 
The Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center recently posted a video showing their dance students practicing their Hip-Hop and Ballet hybrid they call Hiplet. The video has millions of views and has comments expressing their love for the new dance. The women in the video performed on Good Morning America, and were featured on Buzzfeed. Videos can go viral for a lot of reasons, and sometimes simply posting about what you’re passionate about can catch someone’s eye. Think beyond the sales aspect of your business. Think about what you are passionate about and use it to your business’ advantage by showing that you are more than just a product or service.
 
Without the power of social media, would you have ever seen these videos? Social media is such a powerful tool that can be used for more than personal gain. Businesses can use social media to get reach that they could never dream about paying for. But remember, it’s not about what you want, it’s about your audience. Find things that your audience is passionate about and use it in your marketing. The more relevant you are; the more chances you have at going viral.