Gaining traction on Instagram can be tough for new content creators, especially given the fact that the platform's algorithm is still kept a carefully guarded secret. That said, there are some things that viral posts generally have in common, and following in the footsteps of other successful content creators can be a good way to get ahead. This article will offer a few actionable tips for how to go viral on Instagram.
1. Get a Head Start
Even well-established, popular brands rarely get more than 2,000 likes on their posts. To those shooting for the coveted 100,000-like milestone, that doesn't sound like much, but to content creators who are totally new to Instagram, it does. The problem is that newcomers to the site rarely get the number of organic likes and views required to boost their posts in the algorithm and get them in front of enough eyes to make going viral even possible. The best way around this problem is to buy IG likes here and give that perfect post a head start.
2. Find Out What Users Like
There's little sense in throwing random hashtags in a post just because they happen to be popular at the time, but content creators can and should find out what their specific audiences like. Content creators can do that in a few ways. They can perform competitor research by seeing what type of posts go viral on other similar profiles, conduct audience surveys, or leverage the power of data analytics to find out what types of content a specific target audience interacts with the most.
3. Use an Authentic Voice
New bloggers often go out of their way to maintain a professional image on Instagram and other social media sites, but that's not always the best approach. Getting noticed on social media requires showing some personality, which means that viral posts are more likely to feature an authentic voice and pictures of real people than anonymous language and graphics.
4. Be More Active
Getting a post to go viral requires gaining traction with an engaged audience. There's no better way to get an audience engaged than to interact with comments, leave unique replies and messages, and stay active with competitors and collaborators. All of that extra work means that once a post does start to really gain traction, more users will see it and interact with it, creating a virtuous feedback loop that eventually leads to the coveted 100,000-like mark.
5. Recreate Viral Content
Content creators should already be checking in on their competitors to see which posts are performing the best, not just on Instagram but across all popular social media platforms. Once it's clear what works for competitors who target the same audience, that makes it easier to recreate content in the brand's own unique voice and style. Users can't just copy and paste content, but they can find simple ways to create high-quality posts that mimic other viral posts.
6. Keep an Eye on Trends
Instagram trends change very fast, so content creators who want to jump on board with them to give their posts a boost must remain diligent in their competitor research. Whether the current trend within an industry is to use a new content format or to add a specific, trending song to a reel, jumping on the bandwagon will only help a post go viral if it's still relevant.
7. Partner with Influencers
Going viral can be a serious challenge for new content creators with relatively small followings. Partnering with an influencer can get posts more exposure. Try co-creating content, asking for reposts, or requesting mentions from influencers in the same niche. The right influencer partnership can send a post's popularity skyrocketing.
Don't Give Up
Not every post is going to go viral, and that's fine. It takes some time for new brands to gain traction on the platform, and most content creators post a lot of duds before finding out what works. Keep at it and don't be afraid to utilize available tools and partnerships.
