5 Proven Strategies To Create Viral YouTube Videos [In 2023 & Beyond]

In today's article, you'll learn 5 proven strategies to create VIRAL YouTube videos in 2023 and beyond.?

And let me be clear about something:

These strategies actually work.

In fact, these strategies have helped my clients win gazillions of views and watch time on YouTube:

People who succeed in creating viral content on YouTube, do two things really well:

First, they identify strategies that get them results

Second, they put 100% of their resources into executing and scaling those strategies.

Today I’m going to show you how to create a video that gets:

Hundreds of comments.

Thousands of social shares.

And a gazillion of views and watch time.

Let’s dive right in.

#1 Analyze YouTube Data:

Do you want your content to get discovered in a tsunami of millions!?

Keep this thought at the forefront:

Make Data Driven Decisions but always optimize for humans.

So:

Whether you like it or not, you’ll have to become a student of YouTube Studio.

But this doesn’t mean you don’t optimize content for humans.

The bottomline is:

You’ve to create and optimize content for humans.

Because, ultimately HUMANS will engage with your content.

Now, the question is:

How do you skill up and understand YouTube studio like a pro?

Well, you gotta change the way you approach everything on YouTube.

Stop watching for entertainment and start watching to learn.

“I simply upload my own content on YouTube and pray that the video gets millions of views.”

Is this YOU?

If you want to succeed on YouTube, you've to study other successful YouTube channels and see what's working for them.

If you never go to the trending page, how will you see what is working well on YouTube RIGHT NOW?

The SUCCESS MANTRA is simple:

Start consuming content on YouTube with an intent to understand how successful content works.

Here is my hack. Steal It:

Analyze YouTube Data after uploading your video content.

Based on your analysis, take corrective steps and make adjustments for your next video.

This way you can keep improving your content with each upload. ??

#2 Find Your Audience:

Even before you find your audience, focus on your content.

The Harsh Reality is:

If you’re not making quality content in a niche that you’re passionate about, your channel will fail.

So, the bottomline is:

Create content in a niche that you’re passionate about. Period!

Now that you’ve found content that you’re passionate about, it’s time to find your audience.

While defining your target audience ask these questions:

• How old are they?
• What are their hobbies?
• What are they interested in?
• Where do they come from?

It might sound counter-intuitive but success on YouTube comes from a narrow focus.

In fact, the smaller your target audience in the beginning, the faster you will grow.

Here’s the thing:

Even successful creators don’t know who their audience is,? and it’s holding their channel from really SKYROCKETING!

These10 questions can go a long way in clarifying your Target Audience:

1. Are they female/male or both?
2. How old are they? (Pick a range within 5 years of your own age)
3. What types of jobs and professions do they have?
4. What are their passions?
5. What are the top 3 websites they visit?
6. What are the top 3 twitter handles, Instagram profiles, or Facebook pages they follow?
7. Who are the Top 3 influencers they might watch on YouTube?
8. What is their social circumstance? (Married, singles, children, no children, etc)
9. What is their yearly income range?
10. What products or services they might spend their income on?(Books, digital products, hobbies, etc)

Now, here's my secret sauce:

Create content around your passion. At the same time do it for people who will get value from your content.

Your passion along with your ideal audience creates a powerful combination.

And it gets better:

Add a third dimension. Create passionate content for your ideal audience that appeals to mainstream or popular culture.

Trust me:

This is a Deadly combination for success on YouTube.

Always Remember:

When the YouTube AI understands who your viewers are, YouTube itself will work for you and find viewers with similar viewing patterns for your video.

#3 Strategize & Categorize Content:

image credits: Tubics

Once you understand your target audience and niche really well, you can break down your channel into different categories.

Breaking your content into categories helps your audience understand what they’re going to get with a particular type of video.

And they get value when you deliver on your promise.

Then you can rinse and repeat on each type of video.

And the best part:

If you do it right, you’ll have a high CTR and watch time for your videos.

To be clear:

Categories are related and not random videos.

When you create categories, you’ll find it’s a good way to plan and schedule your content well in advance.

Having said that, don’t be too rigid with your categories.?

Video topics can emerge depending on what’s currently working.

If something stops working, experiment with a new category.

#4 Create Clickable Video Titles:

Image credits: TunePocket

Here is a hard fact:

It takes less than 1.8 seconds to make an impression with your video titles.

And this is the difference between:

Someone watching your video or moving on to the next video that grabs his attention.

As a YouTube creator:

You have to consider the split decision a viewer is making subconsciously when they look at your thumbnail and title.

Your viewer's brain is asking:

• Is this video what I am looking for?
• Do I really feel like watching this video?
• Is this video even worth my time?
• Is this video going to add value?

So what REALLY makes a GOOD VIDEO TITLE?

To simply put it:

Your Video Title Needs to Satisfy The Why and the What.

Let's look at the Macro level first, the Why:

• Why is the viewer coming to YouTube?
• Why is he scrolling the YouTube Homepage?
• Why is he searching videos on YouTube?

Well the why is simple.

And it comes down to 4 things:

1. Entertainment
2. Education
3. Inspiration/Motivation
4. Relaxation/De-stress

The micro level is the what:

1. What do they need to learn?
2. What entertains them?
3. What do they look for to motivate themselves?
4. What will help them relax?

And most importantly:

What will encourage them to click?

What is your channel's value proposition to get people to click and watch.

The WHAT is the final trigger that clicks in the viewer's brain to actually take action.

This macro and micro exercise will help you as a creator to dive in and get to know your viewer's persona.

Understanding what the viewer cares about gives you an advantage in creating clickable titles.

Always remember this Thumb Rule:

Create video titles that are easy to remember, simple to explain and easy to share.

Ask Yourself:

WHAT video titles deliver the value proposition for your audience's WHY?

#5 Create Eye-Catching Thumbnails:

Many YouTube creators ask me:

What is the most important metric for YouTube success?

Well, the answer is super simple:

Getting the THUMBNAIL STRATEGY RIGHT!

It doesn't matter how good your video content is, if nobody clicks looking at your video's thumbnail.

Let's be clear on one thing:

Objective of any thumbnail is to create curiosity in the viewers that ultimately earns you the clicks.

Now, the million dollar question is:

How do you create a thumbnail that earns more clicks?

Here is an overview of the entire process:

Ask yourself:

How do I explain my video without adding text?

Then go through the brainstorming session and zero down on 2 or 3 different formats to design thumbnail images for your video.

Now:

Do a photo session before pressing the video record button.

Take pictures from different angles.

Once you've completed the photoshoot and the images are edited and ready to go, you can go through the thumbnail options and ask yourself:

• Which image is more clickable?
• Does it actually portray the video content?
• Does it get the audience excited or intrigued?
• Would you actually click on that thumbnail?

Identify the best thumbnail option and upload it for your YouTube video.

Always remember:

The more expressive you are in displaying emotions in the thumbnail image, the more clickable it will be.

And simplicity sells.

Conclusion:

What I shared with you is only the tip of the iceberg.

That said, these strategies can skyrocket your video’s growth and your fanbase.

Now I will turn it over to you.

Which strategy would you like to incorporate to create your next viral video?

Let me know what you think by posting your comments below.??

Let’s Connect:

Tell me what you envision for your YouTube Channel.

Don’t you want your YouTube success to be seamless without having to rack your brains? I am ready to deliver that for you.

Build your YouTube dream list.

Give me your perspective.

Throw your aspirations at me.

I thrive on aspirations.

That is what keeps me awake and inspired!