This blog discusses the psychological factors behind viral content and how the marketer can make use of these principles to create campaigns that connect, engage, and go viral.
Viral marketing is a tactic in which material is created to be so appealing, emotional, or helpful that individuals are moved to pass it on. The intention is to create a chain effect, whereby customers become ambassadors, and the content spreads naturally among platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X (previously Twitter), and Facebook.
To create content that goes viral, marketers need to access intrinsic human behaviors and cognitive biases. Viral marketing is not about being humorous or provocative—it's about knowing what emotionally compels people to share.
One of the strongest psychological forces behind viral marketing is emotion. Research conducted by Jonah Berger, author of Contagious: Why Things Catch On, demonstrates that high-arousal emotions like awe, amusement, anger, anxiety, and excitement strongly boost the chances of sharing.
Awe: Inspires and awes. Consider beautiful images or technological breakthroughs.
Amusement: Funny content is shared because laughter generates social bonding.
Anger or Anxiety: Material that is inciting outrage or worry also spreads rapidly, particularly on issues that are political or social.
Pro tip: Determine a central emotion your material will create and construct your message around it.
They enjoy sharing what makes them appear intelligent, witty, or "in the know." This is called social currency—a psychological phenomenon where one gains social standing through what they share.
For instance, when a person shares a hack or a new trend, they're broadcasting intelligence or trendiness to their group.
Pro Tip: Produce content that will make the audience feel they're providing something useful or insider.
Humans are hard-wired for stories. The brain remembers information more easily when it's framed in a narrative setting. Stories stimulate empathy and enable audience members to engage with the message emotionally.
Example: The Dove "Real Beauty Sketches" campaign went viral because it shared real women's stories on an emotional, relatable level.
Pro Tip: Apply narrative structures such as the Hero's Journey or Before-After-Bridge to frame your content.
A psychological trigger is an item that puts people in mind of your brand or message on a daily basis. For instance, a jingle, saying, or visual reminder that lingers.
Berger's research demonstrates that highly triggered content remains top-of-mind, which puts it more likely to be shared.
Pro Tip: Connect your content to something that people experience frequently in their daily lives.
Individuals don't want to miss out on a trending issue or viral challenge. FOMO is an influential psychological motivator for participation and sharing.
Limited-time offers, countdowns, and trending hashtags create urgency and a sense of community that encourages people to engage.
Pro Tip: Run time-sensitive campaigns or exclusive content releases to fuel sharing.
Viral content is often simple, visual, and easy to consume. The human brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text, and short, eye-catching videos or memes are easier to share and understand.
Consider how TikTok short videos with less than 60 seconds take over with billions of views.
Best Practice: Make your message short, visually engaging, and easily consumable.
While organic sharing is preferred, rewards or incentives to share content can also drive it to the viral zone. Referral programs, contests, or privileged access can leverage people's intrinsic motivation.
Dropbox's initial success stemmed from offering additional storage space to users as referrals—this tactic fueled explosive growth.
Pro Tip: Embed incentives into your content delivery strategy directly.
Humans copy what others are doing—this is referred to as social proof or the bandwagon effect. If individuals view a post with thousands of likes, they are more likely to view and share it as well.
Reviews, influencer sponsorship, and viral challenges pick up steam because individuals unconsciously follow the crowd.
Pro Tip: Emphasize statistics such as views, shares, or influencer participation to encourage additional interaction.
Emotion: Humor, empathy
FOMO: Participants didn't want to miss out
Social Currency: Celebrities and regular folks took part
Outcome: Raised over $115 million for ALS research
Trigger: Year-end summary
Social Proof: Everyone's posting their numbers
Personalization: Makes customers feel special
Result: Triggers huge yearly engagement and word-of-mouth promotion
Humor: Surprising and clever
Storytelling: Short commercial sketches
Visuals: Exaggerated scenes captured attention
Result: Overhauled the brand's image and boosted sales
Follow this easy checklist:
Select the proper emotion – Target high-arousal emotions.
Share a strong story – Apply relatable, emotional stories.
Make it visually engaging – Employ compelling imagery or video.
Keep it straightforward and shareable – Don't be too complex.
Create association triggers – Connect your brand to users' everyday experiences.
Create urgency or exclusivity – Inspire quick action.
Use social proof – Display engagement, reviews, or influencer involvement.
Knowing the psychology behind successful viral marketing techniques equips marketers to create content that resonates on a deeper level. It's less about being cool—it's more about understanding human nature, emotions, and behavior patterns.
By using proven psychological triggers with your digital marketing messages, your content has a much greater likelihood of getting shared, discussed, and remembered.
