What’s Viral Marketing, and How Does It Work?

Creating a viral marketing campaign means making engaging posts that people can’t help but share. Even though it’s not always possible to predict which ads will go viral, following a few best practices increases your chances.

Read on to discover how viral content marketing works and why trends generate real engagement. 

What’s Viral Marketing?

When brands and creators make branded content people want to share — such as a funny clip, an unreal moment, or something that hits an emotional chord — that’s viral marketing. Instead of pouring money into traditional ads, companies rely on organic reach and let the internet do the heavy lifting. One person shares a post, then their followers do the same, and suddenly it’s everywhere.

When a post gains momentum, it builds brand awareness and creates real opportunities, like partnerships or product sales. Viral marketing rewrites how content gets attention: Instead of paying to push content out, you create something that naturally pulls people in.

How Does Viral Marketing Work? 

Viral marketing combines smart content with platform algorithms and human behavior. When a post gets engagement, the algorithm notices and pushes it to more people. As it spreads, social proof kicks in — people are likelier to watch and share something that already looks popular. Then, viewers send it to friends or repost it, keeping the momentum going. 

Viral marketing usually comes down to creating something people genuinely want to pass on, giving the algorithm a reason to help. Here are the key elements that contribute to virality. 

Creates Emotional Connections

When a marketing video provokes strong feelings like joy, outrage, or inspiration, it instantly makes people stop scrolling and start sharing. People pass content along because it feels meaningful, relatable, or reflective of how they see the world. 

To create that effect, anchor your posts in a specific sentiment. For instance, use retro visuals to spark nostalgia or humor to make people laugh and connect. The more your content makes viewers feel something, the more likely they are to share it with friends or repost it with their own spin.

Shares Memorable Stories

Storytelling makes messages more memorable and motivates people to share, fueling their spread. When a video conveys a narrative, viewers keep watching because they want to know what happens next. 

To make your story memorable, focus on a precise moment of change or mood. Start with a hook, raise a question or conflict, and end with a resolution or twist.

What Are the Advantages of Viral Marketing?

Imagine sharing something online and it catches fire — your brand is suddenly everywhere without spending a penny on ads. That’s the power of viral marketing. Here’s why creators and brands are always aiming for that kind of reach.

Saves Advertising Funds

Viral marketing is budget-friendly because rather than paying for each click or impression, you make something once, and then the audience (and the algorithm) take it from there. A low-budget video shot on your phone can actually outshine a fancy ad campaign if it hits the right notes. So, test out short-form content that’s easy to produce but has big potential for organic reach — something tangible, quick, or emotionally engaging.

Builds Authentic Engagement

Raw viral content feels more human than a perfectly polished post because it’s less like an ad or a brand trying to sell something and more like a conversation or moment shared between peers. As a result, people are motivated to comment, share, and remix your content.

Expands Brand Reach

One of the driving forces behind viral marketing is how social media algorithms prioritize content. The more engagement a post gets — through likes, comments, and shares — the more the platform pushes it to new users. This creates a snowball effect: As each new wave of viewers interacts with the content, it continues to spread, reaching audiences far beyond your existing followers.

Cross-posting across different platforms boosts your reach even further. By repurposing the same content for multiple channels, you can reach a much broader audience with minimal extra effort, significantly boosting your visibility.

3 Viral Marketing Campaign Examples

Let’s look at three examples of viral marketing campaigns and why they worked so well.

1. ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge spread awareness for Lou Gehrig's disease, also known as ALS. The idea was that people would film themselves dumping ice-cold water over their heads, nominate friends to do the same, and donate to ALS research. 

This challenge became a social media sensation because it was fun and easy to do, had a clear call to action, and got big-name celebrities involved. The campaign secured $115 million in just six weeks — an incredible 3,500% more than the usual annual fundraising total.

2. Dollar Shave Club 

Dollar Shave Club launched in 2012, shipping quality blades straight to customers for $1 a month. Founder Michael Dubin brought the concept to life with a hilarious $4,500 video that went viral fast, crashing their site and landing 12,000 subscribers in one day. 

The video features Michael walking through a warehouse poking fun at traditional razor brands while explaining Dollar Shave Club and its benefits. The casual, witty tone makes the video feel like a friend recommending a deal, not a sales pitch. 

Dollar Shave Club kept that tone consistent across all content and leaned into a direct-to-consumer subscription model that prioritized convenience and loyalty. The result was a billion-dollar buyout by Unilever and a brand people still talk about.

3. Duolingo’s Viral TikTok Account

Duolingo’s TikTok page blends absurd humor, trending audio, and low-budget chaos to create posts that entertain before pushing products. 

Duolingo taps into TikTok fads with relatable, entertaining content that connects with its audience, such as collaborations with other mascots like Scrub Daddy and the Teletubbies. The company also notes that success comes from knowing what resonates and empathizing with its followers.

Create Viral Social Media Marketing Campaigns With Captions

Captions gives you the tools to make your marketing ideas go viral. Our AI Video Editor helps you save hours of valuable editing time by using AI to adjust your raw footage. If you’d rather skip filming altogether, try our Business Video Maker instead, which generates ads based on your product links.

Skip the learning curve and make viral-worthy posts faster with Captions.

FAQ

How Do You Make Money If a Video Goes Viral?

If your video takes off, you can earn money through ad revenue (like on YouTube or TikTok), affiliate links, or driving traffic to your product or service. The key is having a monetization plan before the views increase. Include clear calls to action that help you turn views into income as soon as the attention hits.

What Are the Steps to Start a Viral Marketing Campaign?

While no marketing plan is guaranteed to go viral, here are some steps you can take to improve your chances of success: 

• Understand your audience — Learn what content style and platforms your ideal shoppers prefer, then meet them there. 
• Set SMART goals — Choose a goal that’s Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. For instance, you could aim to increase sales by 5% within the next three months. 
• Produce quality content — The key to going viral is not sounding too much like an ad. Create a funny skit, share a heartwarming story, or make informative tutorials. These posts provide value beyond sharing product specs, which may encourage more shares.
• Track your progress — Monitor your social media metrics to see whether your existing strategy is working. If not, try making a change and seeing if that plan gains any more traction.

What Are Good Tools for Viral Marketing Campaigns?

Captions is your one-stop shop for creating viral marketing campaigns. Use our integrated AI models to generate eye-catching visuals and B-roll clips. Then, create a custom uploading schedule with Social Studio.