Every viral video began as an idea. In order to get to the top of the trending page, you have to start by putting your pen to paper. Brainstorming can help you generate more videos in a shorter amount of time.
Here are four tips for brainstorming viral video ideas.
1. Scroll through your video comments for viewer-submitted ideas.
Sometimes, your fans may have done the heavy lifting for you. Scroll through your video comments and Twitter mentions for video ideas your viewers have shared with you. Screenshot your favorite ones so you can properly credit the person who came up with any idea you decide to use.
Jenna Marbles gets a lot of her popular video ideas from fans. No matter how outlandish the idea, she finds a way to make it happen. For example, when a fan suggested on Twitter that she paint her face to match her living room chairs, she went for it.
2. Look at your popular videos and think about how to do the same thing but bigger.
Look at the past videos you’ve created and make note of which ones have been the most popular. Take note of any running themes or commonalities. Then, think of ways to do the same thing but bigger.
Cristine from Simply Nailogical grew her channel with nail art tutorials. For fun, she decided to take her nail art to the next level by painting a hundred layers of polish on her nails. The video inspired the iconic hundred layers challenge.
3. Try to answer a question you’ve always wondered about.
Many viral videos start with a question. The creator’s curiosity is strong enough to lead them to run an experiment or start a new project. Millions of viewers click play because they’ve been wondering the same thing.
For example, like many viewers, Mark Rober had always wondered if it was possible to fill a swimming pool with Jello. So, he dedicated a good few months to making it happen, resulting in more than forty-four million views.
4. Collaborate with creators from wildly different niches.
As the saying goes, two heads are better than one. When you collaborate with another creator, you can come up with twice as many good ideas. To really make your video out-of-the-box, work with a creator from a niche that’s wildly different from your own.
One of the most popular YouTube collabs of all time was the first documentary Shane Dawson and Jeffree Star filmed together. Shane was a veteran comedy creator, and Jeffree was a mysteriously successful beauty vlogger. No one would’ve expected them to work so well together, but when they joined forces, they created a series that drew in tens of millions of viewers.
To brainstorm viral video ideas, take inspiration from both your fans and your collab partners. Think bigger, and don’t limit your imagination.
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Kristen Harris enjoys listening to a wide range of music, from Taylor Swift to, on occasion, Celtic instrumental. She also spends her time writing, reading, and baking.
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