This Infographic Shows Why Your Viral Content Isn't Working

Figuring out the perfect formula for getting a piece of content to go viral is kind of like trying to crack the super secret recipe for Coca Cola. It's a seemingly impossible task, even with trial and error! Fortunately, if you don't know all of the ingredients, you can still create something delicious. Many of Coke's competitors found their niche by developing a recipe that was as close as possible to the flavor and consistency of the popular soda. When creating content on the internet, it's a similar comparison: you may not be able to make something that is guaranteed to go viral, but there are steps you can take to improve your formula, and increase the likelihood that your content gets noticed.
The folks over at Who Is Hosting This put together a great infographic on what it takes for your content to go viral, and why your efforts may be failing. Here are a few of their tips:

Viral content relies on emotions and social shareability

One of the biggest mistakes marketers make when creating content is that people simply don't care about it. The key to success starts in your headline or title. If you're sharing something with the world, you need to captivate your audience. This can be done in multiple ways, such as by offering a new spin on old information, getting your audience to question their habits or beliefs about a certain topic, or presenting something that is absurd, funny, or both.
One such example that did well recently was the Las Vegas airport music video guy. We're all used to the airport being this crowded, stuffy place, and he managed to make a video when no one was there. As viewers, we end up with a funny parody of what the airport is like when it's empty, because all of us can relate to the central theme: being alone.