How to Create Viral Content That Boosts Engagement

Have you ever wondered why some people can post a piece of content one day and get thousands of views, likes, or shares the next? It’s not just luck; they have probably understood how the mind works. How to combine platform algorithm signals with human emotion, information hierarchy, and content value in a way most photographers and filmmakers fail to see.

Viral content works in multiple layers; from value, sharability mechanics, to call to action or a hook in the first 2-3 seconds. We are going to share exactly how to create viral content that goes beyond typical informative pieces and tap into higher-level sharing and user engagement.

Understanding the Science Behind Sharing 

It’s a common misperception that people share content because of logical value, i.e. because they found a highly useful tip. That part is only one piece of the puzzle. Studies reveal that awe-inducing, surprising, and amusing content is more likely to be shared. But that alone is still just scratching the surface. When we dig into the psychology of viral content and sharing, it all comes down to one thing: human emotions. From the need for social acceptance, fear of missing out, to feeling curious or surprised, all emotions are built-in algorithmic ranking factors.

Engagement is not random but triggered by a mix of cognitive and emotional needs and cues. Even small elements like visual colors, background music, first-second captions or frames influence if someone will stay, comment, or hit the share button. For example, colors like reds and yellows increase attention retention, while cooler tones subdue emotion. That’s one of the reasons why most viral TikTok or Instagram reels have complementary colors with a high contrast in the first 2 seconds.

Choosing content that people actually notice 

Most content stays in the noise because it does not address a specific need, and most of it is generic “tips” or “how-tos” with a clickbait title. People are already exposed to a ton of info daily, and just because it’s useful doesn’t mean they will see or care about it. To stand out, you need to hit three points: originality, relatability, and usefulness.

Don’t just talk about the most common known information like “tips” or “how to”. Dig deep and bring insight that is less known. For example, instead of “camera lighting tips”, you can do “cinematic lighting hacks from everyday objects that even pros don’t know”. This is both surprising (they likely don’t know about this unique trick), useful, and less generic.

Posting time and activity hours also matter. Posting right when people go online maximizes your chance of gaining immediate engagement. Most algorithms also push your post if people start engaging with it early. Tracking analytics will show you the exact hours when your target audience is online. Most people check their Instagram and TikTok at night or in the morning hours.

The Role of Format in Viral Content 

Videos perform better than any other format because the human brain processes moving pictures much faster than text, which is also one of the reasons why videos on TikTok and Instagram reels under 30 seconds get more views. Infographics and carousels have high virality for shareable and “savable” actionable content, while polls, quizzes, or challenges trigger interactions.

A sneaky tip many miss is using captions even for videos. The captions increase time-spent and shares because many people on the go watch videos on mute. Adding slide-voiceover with step-by-step, easy-to-understand visuals also improve retention.

Headlines, hooks, and first impressions 

Less than 3 seconds, most viewers will decide if they are going to engage with the content or move on. In the written word, it’s the headline, in videos, it’s the first 2-3 seconds of visuals. The hook must not be generic, instead use a curiosity-driven or results-driven statement that signals an actual gain to the reader. A clear opening does not mean over-promising. It means providing evidence of value instantly. 

A good example of this in action is an opening frame or first second that reads, “Most photographers don’t know this one trick for perfect lighting”. We hook with our audience’s lack of knowledge and promise that we are going to fix it. Combined with a thumbnail of before/after imagery, you significantly increase click-throughs, and potentially shares.

Psychological triggers to boost sharing 

Viral content often uses subtle psychological tricks to influence sharing and engagement. Reciprocity, for example: by providing free value, we influence the viewer to engage in return. Scarcity also triggers action; limited-time offers, early access guides, or unique insights can push viewers to watch it immediately.

Social proof matters as well. Content that is already visibly “seen” by many others gets more shares. The problem is, no one wants to be first. The more visible a trend is in terms of engagement, the faster it will go viral. Simple and relatable triggers like humor also subconsciously affect people in ways many do not see. Just humanizing your brand through self-deprecating humor, behind the scenes fails, or real-time reactions and surprises can make your content more shareable.

Don’t sacrifice your uniqueness by blindly following trends, but do leverage them in your way. If a trending audio is going viral, for example, it means there is already high organic search for that type of content. Instead of just piggybacking it, think about how you can use the popular audio to demonstrate a technique or shortcut aligned with your expertise. The key here is that you have something that is undeniably you, while also tapping into the existing trend to get additional reach.

Structuring content for maximum engagement 

Content needs to be highly structured in a way that makes it easy to digest. The main tip, takeaway, or punchline needs to be immediately shown. For videos, this means putting the actual value in the first 10 seconds; for blogs or articles, scannable subheadings and action takeaways. Simplify your posts with lists, bold key concepts or tips, and more digestible information chunks.

Call-to-actions and questions are also very important. Asking for viewers’ opinions or preferences, encouraging shares with friends, or tagging subscribers who might like your content not only increase engagement but often multiply it because of network effects. Instead of a generic CTA, you can use micro-CTAs in your video or article. For example, “try this for your next shoot and leave a comment on how it worked” rather than the traditional “if you found this helpful, like and subscribe” message.

Advanced techniques you can use 

Content clusters are a set of interrelated content that connects and builds on each other. When you create content, think how you can use it to refer viewers to similar videos that connect on a higher-level and tie them together into a larger theme. For example, if you have a video on filming interviews, you can link to another tutorial or tips to use in your next post.

User-generated content is extremely viral and provides social proof while also expanding reach. The easiest way to encourage UGC is creating photo challenges or hashtag campaigns that tap into users creating their own content in response.

Algorithm signals are actually very important in terms of engagement and content reach. To hack it, post when most people are active to get immediate engagement and request users to share your content in their stories or with friends.

Cross-platform optimization also plays a part; the same content should be repurposed for each social media channel with unique characteristics that improve engagement. For example, a reel on Instagram can also become a TikTok clip, a YouTube Shorts or long-form video, or an infographic that works well on LinkedIn.

Measuring, iterating, and refining 

Viral content is not 100% predictable, but you can track your performance on engagement metrics like reach, shares, comments, watch time, and click-through. Analyze the patterns on your best-performing posts, and apply them to the next ones.

Consistency is crucial; the more you publish, the more likely you are to go viral as the audience gets familiarized and primed for future engagement.

Summary 

Viral content combines a mix of originality, psychology, data, and timing. It’s not a matter of luck but a skill set of trial and error, observation, and adaptation to human emotional needs and content consumption behavior. The better your video or blog is optimized for shareability, human curiosity and emotion, and providing valuable content that can be related to or applied to people’s everyday lives, the higher the chances are it will go viral.