The role of emotions in viral marketable online content
Right before an online content is shared, there is a series of thought processes that are induced on the viewer. It is almost like a trend, where each time an emotional state is sparked; may it be in the form of a laugh, cringe, sadness or happiness. The content gets shared around with others. The way we feel due to certain content is what drives us to press the share button. Human beings are keen to share their emotional experiences, it is our unconscious desire to influence others into a similar experience.
Contents that trigger emotional responses are more likely to get spread around, which leads researchers to form a report on factors that garner links and social shares. It was discovered that successful campaigns are 3 times more likely to cause an emotional stir within their audience. And that is what leads them to secure higher placements. In a nutshell, it is for a fact that emotional influence is what differentiates a successful brand campaign to a campaign that is not successful.
At the very core of every viral content, you will find an emotional state that drives the campaign. In truth, you must know what emotions are going to benefit your content. As a Wikipedia page writing service, you might find a variety of combinations, out of which only some will be effective at inciting the viewer’s interests.
High arousal emotions that make viral content marketing
An extensive study was carried out where over 100 images and 800 people were surveyed. People ranging from ages 18 to 54 were observed to develop an understanding of how images activate emotions. Emotions were categorized into a set of responses, Robert Plutchik’s wheel of emotions was used to classify and differentiate between each emotional state.
As a result, it was found that positive emotional reactions are more susceptible to catching attention that negative ones. People across different age groups, preferences and genders; all indicated the significance of wholesome internal states. Emotions that piqued the most were amusement, surprise, delight, pleasure, joy, and hope
It became evident how these emotional states were acting a vital sentiment, drawing attention from the audience. The more positive the content was the greater the chances were of them sharing the content and retaining to it.
This further emphasizes on the significance of positive emotional experiences and how it impacts brand visibility. To explain it furthermore, a video got viral recently where a woman wearing a Chewbacca mask caught attention, where she was witnessed laughing hysterically. According to the social media algorithms, audiences responded positively to the content and expressed a desire to pass on the video content to others.
Contrasting emotions drive sharing
It has also been noticed that people have a soft spot for complex emotional states, ones that influence more than one emotion to take place. Not only are contrasting emotions impactful at gaining responses but balance content in equilibrium by inducing positive emotions and negative emotions both. Complex feelings enhance passion, given how more than one-sided experience interest’s viewers more than experiencing a single-dimensional involvement.
This phenomenon was tested through an experiment, where a campaign showcases the dualistic dogmas of beauty standards. Exposing unrealistic expectations enabled the campaign to catch viewers off guard, the emotional stir caused the audience to feel more connected. Which leads to an enhanced sharing of the story. The campaign received over 900,000 shares on social media across the globe, garnering the limits of attention.
Surprising audience through random elements
One of the most favored emotional states that support and catalyze the popularity of content is the element of surprise. Audience are more likely to share content if it delivers unexpected and counterintuitive narratives. The alluring aspect of surprise is highly crucial for viral content, not only does it add unique angles but presents topics from different perspectives.
With the element of surprise, audiences can be caught off guard, surpassing their expectations intrigues them even more. Giving more than what the viewer expects is probably one of the best methods to lure them in. Evoking imagination and creativity spontaneously provides greater incentives to the audience to share content.
To combine it all
Researches that have been conducted to establish a causal effect relationship between emotions and viral content teaches us a few things such as; feel-good content is the primary focus of every audience. In addition to that, pairing contrasting elements that induce different emotional states of diverse arousal levels to drive content sharing. Last but not least, elements of surprise retain the most attention and that leads to viewers to share content with others.
By learning from the factors mentioned above, you will be able to craft content that adeptly infuses emotions in the right form and through the right methods, increasing the chances of your content getting viral.
