Think about this scenario: you made a new video for your social media platforms, as you do every week. You post it as usual and then go down your business as normal. Based on your strategy, you expect the performance to be the same as your other good videos.
This is why you might be surprised that your channel is more popular. You are starting to get TikTok views more than usual, and you are getting more likes and comments. Within a few hours, you gathered hundreds of new followers without knowing what happened.
The answer is simple: your video went viral. With more and more users visiting your profile, you must take advantage of this. In this post, you will find out what happens after your video goes viral and how you can continue engaging with your audience.
What Happens If a YouTube or TikTok Video Goes Viral?
When some content goes viral, it will reach a much wider audience. This means your viral video will also drive traffic your way, increasing the number of plays, followers, and comments. This happens quickly, taking only a few hours for a catchy video to go viral.
Mostly, if a video is likely to go viral, you will see the signs in the first hours after posting it. This is especially true if you post it on platforms like TikTok or YouTube. As the content gets views, Tiktok’s algorithm will catch on to this and promote your content. This will bring you more views and watch time.
You should get as much traffic as possible in the first hour. It will help you reach the suggested corner more often, bringing even more viewers. You aim to make the content viral and keep it on this level to gain more visibility.
Once your content goes viral, things can also get pretty overwhelming. Before your booming popularity, you could have posted anything you wanted, and every regular user would be content. However, now that you have a bigger audience, you must keep posting good-quality content. Otherwise, people will not be watching, and the YouTube or TikTok algorithm will push you down.
How Many Views and Likes Are Considered Viral?
The Internet environment constantly changes, so the viral concept is flexible and fluid. Many videos posted by TikTok users out there have millions of views, but they are not viral. At the same time, there are the ones with fewer views but a higher viral status than others.
The influencer market has doubled since 2019, so going into the millions is no longer as challenging. There are so many videos with millions of views that social media platforms no longer consider them unique. It’s safe to say that about 5 M views will help you go viral, but it also depends on how fast your viral video spreads.
The Lifecycle of a TikTok or YouTube Viral Video
All videos on YouTube or TikTok go through the same stages. You may determine if they have viral potential or not depending on how they behave.
The First Hour
The first hour of all your new videos is very important because YouTube and TikTok will offer you a heavy boost. This is done to see what the wide audience response will be. The higher your channel authority, the bigger the boost will be.
First Week
How the video behaves in the first week will depend on the first day. For the most part, on the second or third day, your video will reach its lowest point regarding views. Therefore, if your video had no views initially, the platform “killed” it. On the other hand, if people interact with your content and you interact with them, you can maintain its viral nature.
First Three Months
After about three weeks, if your viral videos get a decent number of regular views, the platform will label it “good” and continue climbing it up. Depending on your channel authority, it should reach its full potential in six months and up to a year.
What to Do After Your TikTok or YouTube Video Goes Viral
The hour after your YouTube video went viral is crucial, so you need to act. Here are some tips to ensure your other content performs just the same.
Try to Figure Out What Caused Your Viral Video
TikTok creators all over the world try to go viral through various techniques. They are very careful about creating unique content of the perfect video length, hoping they will eventually get a successful video. However, viral content is not easy to predict, so you should determine what caused your viral status in the first place.
It should be simple if you posted a completely different video than what your consuming content usually brings. However, if the videos are similar, it might be trickier to crack this code. If you posted on YouTube, you may want to check your other YouTube videos to determine what exactly you did differently with this one.
Try Replicating the Success
The YouTube algorithm will likely remember your path with that past video, so if you want to maintain your success, you need to try replicating it. If you go back to business as usual, chances are high that you will no longer get so many views again.
For example, if you have a hair channel and your video went viral by posting makeup content, you should continue doing makeup. Otherwise, you may lose momentum immediately, stopping your channel from reaching a much wider audience.
Engage with People On Your Channel
In the first hours after your video went viral, you need to take advantage of the significant number of views you get. This is the moment you’re supposed to grab your target audience.
For this reason, you may want to hit the comments section and respond to every person there. If they are new users, they will feel welcomed and continue interacting with your content. If they feel like they are ignored, there is a good chance they will immediately forget about your account.
Expect a Drop Off
Videos tend to lose their popularity once the storm passes. You may have received a million views in a flash for one video, but you must prepare for every scenario. You should also expect that there will be some people who will watch only your viral hit without looking at your other videos.
It would be best if you did not take this personally; it can happen. Your focus should be on growing, so concentrate on what’s ahead of you.
Expect Haters on Viral Videos
Once your YouTube or TikTok videos go viral, you will get haters. It happens even to the best of us. Many of those haters are negative Nancys for no good reason, so you should not let them bring you down.
Remember that for every hater, dozens of people will love your content. Interacting with the haters can only bring the negative comments upward, significantly impacting your image.
The Bottom Line
A viral video can be tricky to obtain, as no one knows exactly what will catch the audience at that exact moment. However, the first 60 minutes will determine whether your video will catch on.
If you did not gain popularity even with the platform’s boost, its potential for going viral is low. If the video has potential, interact with your audience to keep it that way.