Have you ever found yourself scrolling through your FYP on a random day and suddenly noticed everyone following the same new trend on TikTok? Then comes the inevitable question: Why is this going viral, while other posts barely get any exposure? At the end of the day, it all comes down to psychology.

Why Psychology Drives Virality

As you doomscroll through Instagram or TikTok, your brain releases a “feel-good” chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is what keeps you scrolling, refreshing, and wanting more. When you stumble upon a post that makes you curious, laugh, smile, or feel inspired, your brain releases even more dopamine.

This is why understanding how the human brain reacts to content is so important for content creators and social media marketers. When you know why people engage, it changes the way you approach content creation and brainstorming new ideas. Trending content isn’t about getting lucky—it’s about being intentional and understanding the psychological triggers that influence engagement.

5 Psychological Techniques That Help Make Content Go Viral

 #MakeThemFeel 

• If you were to think about the latest trends on social media, what is one thing you could say they all have in common? They effectively spark emotion. Engagement is driven by emotional content, whether it’s nostalgia, happiness, or anger. 
  • Positive Emotions → encourages the development of connection and a sense of belonging. 
  • Negative Emotions → sparks a mass conversation and debate on a specific topic. 
• • Don’t rely on facts or statistics for your content. 
  • Incorporate a storyline, moving graphics, and text. Emotional content is more memorable and tends to travel fast.

 #KeepItRelatable

• • Specific content tends to linger because as humans we enjoy seeing ourselves mirrored through our socials. Idealistic content only shows the best qualities and experiences of a person. Relatable content is what makes viewers feel a sense of, “Omg that is so me!”. 
    • Showcase and talk about real life experiences and daily life, whether it’s good or bad. 
    • Use lifestyle and humorous content to help your audience feel seen. 
    • Initiate conversation with your audience by using key words like, “we” and “you”.

• Authenticity isn’t just a slogan or catchphrase, it’s the new algorithm hack. 

#CuriosityEqualsClicks

• As humans we have the natural desire to crave answers and know more. Evoking curiosity in content is engagement gold. 
  • Use cliffhangers, open-ended captions, or those “wait for it…” moments to keep your viewers hooked on wanting more. 
  • Visual storytelling that doesn’t show the full story captivates audiences, keeping them on their toes.

#ThePowerOfSocialProofing

• As social beings, we tend to follow the beliefs or values of what other people find to be important. This is why likes, comments, and shares are so important!
  • Engagement = Digital validation
  • The likelihood of content attracting new viewers rises with the level of interaction. 

#TheDopamineEffect

• Dopamine is the reward chemical that keeps us going back for more. With each double tap and share it gets released into our brain which is why viral content thrives on the continuous cycle of dopamine release.  
  • Your audience will continue to engage with your content when they feel rewarded. Whether you made them laugh or feel inspired they will continue to engage with your content. 
  • Provide your audience with consistent content. Right before you click “post” think to yourself, “Will this make my audience feel something?”. 

The Takeaway

Going viral or creating trending content is more than just getting lucky, it’s about understanding people. The best creators are those who know how to connect with their audience and spark a sense of emotion. By implementing these 5 psychological techniques into your upcoming content, your next post might just be the next popping up on everyone’s FYP. 

If you’re ready to turn your content into content that will captivate your audience and want help in creating your next viral moment, then fill out this quick form and we can work together one post at a time!