Whether you’re a musician, comedian, or something in between, every entertainer dreams of becoming a viral sensation. Many people believe that this dream is impossibly difficult and expensive, but that is absolutely not the case. It is very possible to become a viral sensation, and there is a plethora of free ways to do it.
Here are nine free ways to go viral on YouTube.
1. Make social media your best friend.
Today the world runs through social media, and you should take full advantage of it to find success online. Create Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages specifically for your channel. Be sure to constantly update these pages with pictures, videos, and messages about your work, and you will reach several new audiences.
2. Go to media conventions like VidCon.
In order to gain success, you need to build your entertainment network, and an excellent way to do this is to go to media conventions like VidCon. VidCon is an annual convention in which YouTubers meet from all over the world and connect. It’s a great opportunity to meet like-minded entertainers with whom you can collaborate to grow your audience.
You can also talk to fans and even hand out business cards or merchandise to spread the word about your channel. Not to mention, these conventions are really fun and can teach you a lot about entertainment.
3. Collaborate with other entertainers.
Collaborating with others is essential to your success as an entertainer. When you collaborate with another entertainer, you can reach two different audiences. In addition, you and your friend can promote each other and help each other gain success.
Viewers love to see entertainers collaborate, and a few ways to collaborate include doing duets or YouTube challenges. All great entertainers count on their friends for support.
4. Comment on popular videos.
It may not seem like much, but commenting on popular videos can actually be very helpful in gaining popularity. Look for popular videos that are of a similar style to yours (e.g. similar comedic style, music genre, etc.). First, compliment the video, and then lightly encourage fans to check out your channel for similar content.
This grassroots marketing method can be very effective because thousands of people with similar taste could see your comment. These chances are even more likely if your comment gets a lot of likes.
Check out this video on how to promote yourself without seeming obnoxious.
5. Create awesome thumbnails.
It’s incredibly important to create awesome thumbnails for your videos. The thumbnail is the first image that a viewer will see before clicking on your video, and it has to draw the viewer in.
Make sure that your thumbnails include large text that summarizes the video in a few words. It is also effective to make your thumbnail colorful, exciting, and personal.
Check out the thumbnail for this Epic Meal Time video. Doesn’t that thumbnail make you want to click on this video?
6. If you’re a singer or comedian, perform at open mic’s.
Open mic’s are excellent opportunities for aspiring musicians and comedians to gain popularity. They’re designed to give entertainers exposure, and all you have to do is prepare a few songs or routines and sign up.
Performing at open mic’s gives you practice in front of a live audience, and if you perform regularly, you can gain a following. It’s an excellent way to gain fans and immerse yourself in the entertainment community.
Many extremely successful musicians started out at open mic’s. Check out this performance by Stefani Germanotta, now known as Lady Gaga.
7. Interact with your fans.
Interacting with your fans is a great way to build connections and make your fans love you even more. There are so many ways to do this. You can make Q and A videos, ask for video requests, ask fans questions, create contests/giveaways, and even arrange meet-ups.
Viewers will be ecstatic to see that you want to get to know them. If you interact with and feature fans in your videos, they will excitedly tune in.
Check out this Q and A video by Tyler Oakley.
8. Tag all of your posts.
The hashtag is a profoundly powerful device that all entertainers should use. When you tag a post with a certain word, your video will come up when someone searches that word. This spreads content around the Internet like wildfire, and these tags can give your videos much more exposure.
Add relevant and common hashtags to your YouTube videos, Instagram posts, Facebook statuses, and tweets.
9. Create intriguing titles for your videos.
Last, but definitely not least, make sure that every video you post has an intriguing title. A video title is often what makes a viewer decide whether or not he or she is going to watch a video.
Video titles should generally be concise and in all capital letters. Good titles also evoke curiosity, and contain an exciting “hook” with search-friendly keywords.
The idea of becoming a viral sensation may seem like a distant dream, but it is absolutely possible. There are so many free and easy ways to get your YouTube channel off and running, and you just need to work as hard as you can.
You could be the next Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, or Miranda Sings. Try any or all of these methods, and never give up.
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David Yaghutiel is a Bay Area native who enjoys traveling, theatre, playing the ukulele, and learning as much about the world as he possibly can. He also occasionally daylights as a senior at UCLA.
