While a full blown viral campaign may seem unachievable for many, studying what drives the most successful viral campaigns could provide valuable insight to content marketers in terms of creating communicable marketing content.
So what are the key factors for successful traction of marketing campaigns across the web?
Triggering an Emotion
Berger and Milkman (2012) claim that content that triggers an emotional reaction is more likely to gain peer-to-peer traction than functional content. Furthermore, triggering negative emotions, specifically anger or anxiety, increases the likelihood of sharing, although promotional marketing will not often aim to associate these feelings with their own brand (Berger and Milkman, 2012).
via What factors determine the reach of your content? | Content Marketing and Social Media.