Not every destination has the budget for large-scale advertising campaigns. With TV commercials and production teams often out of reach, viral video marketing offers a cost-effective way for travel marketers to promote their destinations—sometimes with even better results!
Take Iceland, for example. The "Let it Out!" campaign generated 2.5 billion impressions in just two weeks, making Iceland the #1 preferred travel destination among its target audience despite being outspent by competitors 8 to 1. More eyes on your destination mean more visits, and viral video marketing can help achieve that without breaking the bank.
So how do you do it? Let’s dig in.
Techniques to Create Content for Viral Video Marketing
Use Emotions
Studies show that decisions, including sharing content, are often driven by emotions. Videos that tell a compelling story and evoke strong emotions—joy, excitement, even nostalgia—are more likely to be shared. An example is Visit Galena’s heartwarming friend-anniversary video, which resonates with viewers on an emotional level.
Tap Into Trends
Aligning videos with trending topics, cultural moments, or popular memes can increase relatability and shareability. If sustainability is trending, create a video showcasing eco-friendly travel spots. If a song or editing template is trending on TikTok, incorporate it into your campaign for higher engagement.
Focus on Content Over Quality
Authenticity often outperforms polished production. Viewers, especially Gen Z, value real, in-the-moment experiences over staged perfection. A strong hook and compelling content matter more than high-end production quality.
Capitalize on Trending Visuals
Trending visuals—such as specific transitions, editing styles, or viral effects—can boost a video's reach. Stay updated on platforms like TikTok Creative Center and Google Trends to find what’s popular. Be timely; trends fade quickly, so act fast!
Experiment with Different Formats
There’s no one-size-fits-all format for viral video marketing. Consider:
Interviews & Profiles: Showcase local personalities with engaging, informal interviews.
Supercuts: Flashy, fast-paced videos packed with aesthetic shots set to trending music.
Memes: Adapt trending meme formats to promote destinations in a fun, relatable way.
POV Walk-throughs: Take viewers on a first-person journey through a destination or experience.
Listicles: Engage niche audiences with “Top 5” or “Best of” travel recommendations.
Optimize Videos Across All Channels
Different platforms attract different audiences, so tailor content accordingly. Avoid posting TikTok videos with watermarks on Instagram, as platform algorithms deprioritize them. Adjust captions, music, and visuals to match each platform’s audience.
Don’t Forget About Video SEO
The algorithm is always crawling your content and trying to categorize it based on the keywords it finds. This means anything written or spoken in your content plays a big role in helping your video surface in search results in-app. Even Google search has started showing Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube videos on their front page results!
Include keywords in your video voice over, post caption, and thumbnail image, and on-screen text. Also, always include captions/transcripts if someone is speaking — this improves accessibility, allowing more people to enjoy your content while also giving it an SEO boost.
Tap Into Audience Affinity
Understand what your audience craves. Analyze past engagement metrics to identify preferred themes, video lengths, and editing styles. Creating content that aligns with audience interests increases the likelihood of virality.
Include a Strong Call to Action
Engagement drives visibility. Encourage interaction by adding CTAs like “Tag a friend you’d travel with” or “Share your favorite travel memory in the comments.” Increased engagement boosts a video's chances of being seen and shared.
Check out how Explore Minnesota jumped on a viral moment in sports to promote their destination:
Key Takeaways
Virality is Unpredictable, But Best Practices Help
There’s no guaranteed formula for virality, but these best practices can improve your chances:
Quality Content: Clear visuals, good lighting, and crisp audio enhance shareability.
Emotional Connection: Content that elicits strong emotions is more likely to be shared.
Relevance & Trends: Incorporate current trends and popular themes.
Strong Hook: Capture attention in the first few seconds.
Engagement & Interaction: Encourage comments, likes, and shares.
Consistency: Regularly post engaging content to build audience momentum.
Viral Videos Offer High ROI
Virality provides cost-effective exposure, often outperforming paid ads. While viral popularity may be short-lived, it can lead to long-term brand awareness and increased followers.
How CrowdRiff Creators Can Help
Creating high-quality short-form video content can be challenging, especially with limited resources. That’s where CrowdRiff Creators comes in. This platform helps travel marketers scale their short-form video output by sourcing, onboarding, managing, and compensating local creators.
By using CrowdRiff Creators, you can access a network of talented video creators who produce fully licensed content tailored to your marketing needs. This allows you to go forth and create fresh, engaging videos without the hassle of managing production logistics yourself.
Viral video marketing is a powerful tool for travel marketers. By applying these strategies consistently and leveraging tools like CrowdRiff Creators, you can increase the chances of creating engaging, shareable content that drives real-world results.
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