When the term “viral” is attached to a video, the numbers are desirable due to skyrocketing reach. But how do we determine what is considered a viral video? Well, it can have multiple definitions that aren’t limited to views. It also reflects awareness, interest, and conversion – aspects that matter more when you’re trying to create impact and become demandable.
When is a video considered viral?
When you’re scrolling through social media apps like TikTok or Instagram, you’re more likely to pause on videos that are already doing well. If you see thousands of likes, comments, and shares on a video, your brain immediately stops scrolling.
A viral video has got everything to do with the numbers first and then other ways it can reap. A video that gets good engagement is further pushed by the algorithm for more people to engage with it.
Going viral suggests you’ve uploaded a piece of content that is constantly increasing in engagement. Every form of engagement further amplifies how the video is pushed to a newer audience.
While likes and comments are the most visible factors, shares are where a video gets more traction than other engagement formats. When a social media algorithm understands a piece of content is shareable, it considers the video helpful to a larger audience.
Engagement in a video also depends on Saves and Watch Time. Audiences save a video for future reference giving the algorithm an idea that the video is helpful. Watch time on the other end shows how long audiences are watching your video and where they tend to lose interest.
If more people are watching a video till the end, the algorithm pushes the content piece to more people. Many times, videos with low engagement but high watch time get good reach compared to ones that don’t.
When all these aspects align, forcing social media algorithms to keep showing your video, that’s where your content goes viral.
What is considered a viral video?
Considering whether a video is viral or non-viral is not one-size-fits-all. The impact matters and it varies from one marketing video to another. There are all types of videos going viral every day, but what matters is how they create a lasting impression.
Imagine creating a video that garners over 1 million views, engages people for a day, and becomes forgettable. It gives you no leads, follows, or queries but looks pretty with numbers labeled at the bottom of the video. It still is a viral video, but all it did was make audiences take a glance and forget your brand.
On the contrary, imagine getting 100k views on another video that doesn’t seem viral to you. However, it gets you collaborations, leads, follows, and an audience wanting to see more of what you have to offer.
While numbers define what we call viral, they are just a vanity metric that isn’t necessarily useful. Yes! Viral videos get you a lot of eyeballs. But if people don’t engage by following you or buying from you, it keeps you away from your ultimate goals.
How many views is considered going viral?
Celebrity posts are the best examples to define what it really means to go viral. They are people who have fans and large followings, so every time they post there are views from all over the world.
For example, in 2024 Cristiano Ronaldo started a YouTube channel. Within 24 hours, he gained 10 million subscribers breaking previous records of all times.
But celebrity influence isn’t the only way to go viral in 2026. Audiences look for connection, relatability, and sometimes absolute cringe that they can’t believe they’re watching.
Yes! Some viral reels don’t make sense but they gain traction because of weird storylines no one expects. So, if we have to put a number to what is considered a viral video, we have to explore the platform first. Let us check out the average number that is regarded as viral across popular video-sharing websites:
YouTube
YouTube gets 1 billion hours of streaming every single day making it the most popular platform for video consumption. Going viral on YouTube highly depends on the niche. For example, a music video can be considered viral when it has 10 million views, while a product video with only 100,000 views is also viral.
An independent musician depending on YouTube income and recognition to get gigs will earn differently compared to a B2B entrepreneur who has a targeted reach. On average, getting 1 million views within a week on YouTube is considered successful.
The lifespan of videos on Instagram is short and requires instant validation to make it viral. The first 24 hours are the most crucial time to define how a video performs. An average of 100,000 views within a day of publishing is considered viral. The platform further boosts a video that performs well and alternatively increases the lifespan of the video.
TikTok
While TikTok and Instagram are similar in terms of content formats, trending music, and engagement strategies, TikTok offers better reach. If a video gets 10,000 views on average within 3-4 hours of publishing, there are chances of the video going viral. The ‘For You’ page on TikTok is tailored to videos of user’s interest, and that’s how it lets you reach your target audience faster.
Others
X (Twitter) and LinkedIn are also video-sharing platforms. Since they are primarily text-dominated social media sites, it is difficult to determine what videos are considered viral. X has a massive reach across post types, while most LinkedIn users still prefer writing. LinkedIn did see a boom in videos when they rolled out the feature, the platform has gone back to text-based posts.
What makes a video viral?
A viral video is a piece of content that gets quick viewership within a short time since posted. It has a rapidly increasing upward graph of consumers who are streaming and watching the complete video (or most of it).
Every viral video has reasons to make the viewer feel hooked to their screens. Interestingly, there are some factors that match the formula of what makes a video viral. Here is what primarily works:
1. Shock/suddenness
Short-form videos that are discovered while scrolling, tend to use this feature a lot. Their immediate desire to send a sense of shock within the first three seconds keeps audiences invested throughout. It creates curiosity and a need to subside the shock that makes viewers pause for a while. But after the first few seconds, viewers only stay back if they find the content useful or relatable.
2. Relatability
Most videos that go viral depend on relatability that connects emotionally. When viewers relate to a video, they know it is meant for them. Relatable videos tell stories and solve problems – two characteristics that matter when you’re using video marketing to create awareness and sell.
3. Entertainment
Videos that entertain have stories, celebrities, or comedy to keep audiences watching. Audiences want content that can give them a good time and comedy is the best genre to go viral. Most celebrities tend to have a higher following than commoners, making their content accessible to more people than usual.
4. Video quality
When you choose a video production company, you outsource creating an audiovisual that is professionally produced. A video company uses its knowledge and experience to design a content piece that has elements to retain an audience. They would use animations, designs, patterns, colors, and tell a story that would engage viewers with both usefulness and aesthetics.
How to go viral on video-sharing platforms?
There is no secret sauce that makes a video viral, but there are aspects that can predict such an outcome. Based on the platform used for sharing videos, video marketers help video producers understand what they expect from the layout. Here are factors to keep in mind when chasing numbers with video content:
Knowing how a platform works
A video marketer constantly tries and tests what video works and what doesn’t to understand a platform. For example, a short-form content platform like Instagram keeps you on your toes because trends change every quarter. On the other end, a YouTube marketer needs to put SEO to best use to increase visibility.
Social media platforms have distinctive demographics, content formats, and preferences. This is best explored when one piece of video content goes viral on one platform but doesn’t on another. So, it is crucial to build a strategy around one video-sharing platform and repurpose it to others without similar expectations.
Follow trends
Anything that’s trending on social media gets more traction as they leverage momentum marketing. Using trends to your advantage when creating videos lets you have an opinion on a topic people are currently invested in.
Grow a community
If you don’t have a community of followers who look forward to your content, your videos can’t go viral consistently. Content first reaches existing followers and waits for their engagement to make it more discoverable for others. Growing a social media profile gives you a brand voice, recognition, and awareness. A dedicated following builds trust and only that can eventually lead to multiple videos going viral.
What going viral gets you
What is considered a viral video can also be a fluke that happens once or twice out of plenty of videos you post. However, there is a lot of potential for social media profiles that consistently get good reach. Here is what going viral can do for you:
Educational content
Most B2B companies need explainer videos that inform, aware and educate potential customers. Problem-solving videos like “How-To…” or “DIY…” make your products understandable and accessible.
Increase in followers
The first thing that going viral does is get you recognition you didn’t have so far. It can be just one video that reaches millions and leads to thousands following you. Your next video might not go viral, but it will have more reach than it had earlier because of its newfound following.
Business opportunities
A viral video brings awareness that can ultimately help you mint money. You first cross the introductory stage, pique interest among viewers, and position yourself to sell your offering. Viral videos can get a lot of inbound leads and when this happens in B2B, you have the upper hand.
Cultural identity
Videos that tell a story use elements audiences can relate to. It is a way of expressing what a brand believes and follows. Marketing videos that go viral create a cultural impact as they influence how people think and react. Trends are set based on virality and that’s how a brand can exhibit who they are and what they stand for.
How outsourcing video production can help you go viral?
Collaborating with someone who knows what it takes to go viral helps you achieve goals two times faster. This is where you need video producers and marketers who are well-versed with how video-sharing platforms work. Here is what you can expect:
Video Strategy
Video producers will sketch a strategy that aligns with the video format, targeted platform, and type of video. The design, sound, and animation will walk your audience through a story that makes them stop the scroll.
Professional expertise
Chasing virality isn’t new to video marketers. They’re trying to achieve this with every piece of content and that’s what makes them well aware of what might work. The consistent trying is what finally hits bull-eyes and the numbers follow.
Distribution strategies
Video producers have experience across multiple niches and that helps them figure out which platforms work well for which niche. Their suggestions to distribute videos come with experience and higher chances of content getting desirable reach.