How to go viral on Instagram - 9 effective strategies [2024]

If you are a content creator on Instagram, then it goes without saying that one of your main goals is for you to post on Instagram, and to then see it go viral. But given how there are millions of people who use Instagram, then many users may feel that their chances of creating viral content is a losing battle.

This couldn't be further from the truth. 

After many years of trial and error, and advancements in technological solutions, Instagram users now have an array of different options at their disposal that were never there before, including tried and tested content strategies, and software that can turbocharge your efforts, and bring about much needed streamlining.

But as is usually the case with growth techniques and digital platforms, not every Instagram content strategy or software solution is equal in terms of quality and effectiveness. The good news is that there are certain strategies that stand out from the rest, and have been used to great effect in previous case studies.

This article will therefore guide you through 9 effective strategies that, if followed properly, can bring you that much closer to having one of your posts going viral on Instagram in 2024. 

Let's dive right in!

What is considered viral on Instagram

An Instagram post or reel is considered viral when it gains a large amount of engagement, and rapidly. This engagement can include comments, likes and shares, and the number should be above average for the platform, and should include interactions from outside a creator's existing follower base. 

In terms of why an Instagram post would go viral, a spike in engagement is usually due to the post's ability to resonate with a wide-range of people, whether through novelty, outrage, humour or nostalgia; to name a few.

9 strategies that will make your post go viral on Instagram

The following 9 strategies have been used effectively in the past by many an influencer or brand, and have resulted in Instagram posts and reels gaining big traction across the social media platform. 

So how do Instagram posts go viral?

1) Engage with trending topics, hashtags and search data

Strategy: The first strategy to employ is to conduct research into trending topics, hashtags and search data. This will allow you to tie in your content with trends that are generating lots of hype and attention, and that have the potential to gain you visibility in broader conversations.

Practical approach: You should first conduct research into what is trending on Instagram, and you can use tools like Instagram’s Explore page, or hashtag analytics platforms to find opportunities. You should also use platforms like ExplodingTopics, as this allows you to see what trends and products have viral potential before they even take off. Once done, create content that naturally aligns with these trends.

Benefits: By participating in wider conversations that your research has indicated is generating a lot of attention, your content gains exposure to a larger audience, enhancing its viral potential. 

2) Leverage Instagram Reels

Strategy: Consider taking advantage of Instagram's Reels feature to increase engagement and visibility. Reels are essentially short video clips that are up to 90 seconds long, and quite similar to TikTok video clips. Using Reels will provide more engaging content than just uploading photos, and has been proven to retain viewer's attention more effectively. 

Practical approach: To get the most out of Instagram Reels, you should create engaging, short-form content that is based upon trends that have viral potential. But getting the right trend is not enough, and your video production also needs to be on point. So consider using engaging video equipment and software, catchy music, and try to be authentic, charismatic and entertaining.

Benefits: These formats are highly engaging and favored by Instagram’s algorithm, and therefore offer a higher chance of being discovered by new audiences. What's more, videos are more likely to be shared and can keep users engaged longer, increasing the chances of your content being prioritized by the Instagram algorithm.

3) Collaborate with influencers and brands

Strategy: A common yet sometimes underutilised strategy is to partner with influencers and other brands in order to cross-promote content. This allows you to tap into each other's audiences, and this can give your Instagram profile a powerful boost in terms of visibility. 

Practical approach: The most important part of this strategy is identifying influencers or brands that have a similar target audience, and who would be interested in collaborating with you. To increase your chances of securing cross-promotion, you can either persuade influencers by demonstrating that your own community will be happy to follow their Insta account as part of a contest marketing initiative. But if your community isn't large, then don't worry, as offering a creative and high-quality content proposal can also increase the chances of you securing collaboration opportunities. 

Benefits: Collaborations can significantly expand your reach and lend credibility to your brand, increasing the likelihood of your content going viral. Furthermore, once you have done one collaboration, this will act as a case study that you can show to other potential collaborators in order to build trust. 

4) Create a mystery or puzzle series

Strategy: In an age where gamification is becoming indispensable for community engagement, providing challenges can be a great way of motivating existing (and new) community members to engage with your account, and what better way than to challenge them with a series of mysteries or puzzles related to your brand or industry

Practical Approach: One idea is to post a weekly mystery, puzzle, or riddle, offering enticing contest prizes for correct answers or solutions. Consider using Instagram’s polling and question features to facilitate responses.

Benefits: This strategy boosts engagement through curiosity and gamification. It also incentivizes followers to return to your profile and share your content with others who love a challenge, and can also entice non-followers to interact with your account.

5) Leverage nostalgia with throwback series

Strategy: If your target audience includes Gen Z, Millennial and Gen X individuals, then there is nothing more powerful than tapping into the power of nostalgia by sharing throwback posts that resonate with your audience’s past experiences (or popular culture from a specific era).

Practical approach: Create a recurring throwback series, such as #ThrowbackThursday, featuring vintage photos, old trends, or historical moments in your industry. To ensure that you nail this, be sure to research nostalgic themes, and double check with your friends or close associates, as the odds are that they will be able to verify whether your post is indeed nostalgic. Also, you can invite community members to share their own memories.

Benefits: Nostalgia evokes strong emotions, encouraging engagement and sharing. This approach can help humanize your brand and create a deeper connection with your audience. If you nail this, then your engagement will be much higher than your other posts. 

6) Offer exclusive deals

Strategy: In a world where material goods and experiences are highly sought after, providing your Instagram followers with exclusive offers, prizes, or early access to products/services is a sure way to build a lot of buzz that can result in virality. 

Practical approach: Use Instagram to tease upcoming launches, special discounts, or enticing prizes for those who follow your account. To maximise visibility, consider running a giveaway campaign where participants have to do an array of different tasks in order to enter; including liking and sharing your  promotional post. 

Benefits: Exclusive prizes and perks encourage users to follow and engage with your brand closely, increasing the shareability and virality of your posts. But be sure to make sure that what you are offering truly resonates with your target audience, and a good idea is to run a poll with your existing community in order to find out what types of prizes and perks will most resonate with them; and others outside of your community. 

7) Utilize cross-platform marketing

Strategy: Extend your Instagram content into a cross-platform narrative, using other social media platforms to tell different parts of a truly engaging story/announcement. This will allow you to leverage the algorithms of other social media platforms, as well as their users. 

Practical approach: One idea is to start a Reel or story on Instagram, then directing followers to another platform (like Twitter, Facebook or even OnlyFans) for the next instalment, and so on, before concluding back on Instagram. To motivate participants, you can make it clear on each post that in order to upload the next part of the story/announcement, then each post will need to hit a certain number of likes or comments. 

Benefits: Cross-platform storytelling drives traffic across your social media profiles, increasing your overall engagement and reach. It encourages followers to engage with you on multiple platforms, broadening the potential for virality.

8) Leverage high-profile interviews

Strategy: If you believe you have the connections or hustle in order to secure high-profile interviews related to your niche, then this is a great way to create an allure of exclusivity and insight, as this type of content is arguably one of the most popular types at the moment. These interviews can be with experts, celebrities, or influential figures whose perspectives can captivate your audience.

Practical approach: Identify and reach out to potential interviewees who align with your brand’s values and audience interests. Use Instagram Live, Stories, or even carousel posts to share these interviews, and you should promote upcoming interviews to build anticipation and engage your audience with interactive elements like Q&A sessions. Also, be sure to ask each interviewee to share your interview announcement post with their own social media followers.

Benefits: Interviews with high-profile individuals not only provide your existing (and new) followers with unique insights and value, but will simultaneously allow you to promote your own content and account with their following. Furthermore, this strategy enhances your brand’s credibility and authority within your niche, encouraging shares and discussions around your content, thereby increasing its potential to go viral.

9) Analyze and adapt

Strategy: Last but not least, whatever viral strategy you choose to enact (or it could be a combination of many), you should continuously monitor the performance of your posts and adapt your future strategies based on insights gathered.

Practical approach: Use Instagram Insights to track engagement metrics, and identify what types of content has resonated most with your audience. Be sure to pay attention to metrics such as follower growth, audience demographics, website clicks, reach and engagement rate.

Benefits: By understanding what works best for your audience, you can refine your content strategy to increase the likelihood of virality, ensuring that your efforts are always aligned with your audience’s preferences, thus saving you a lot of time and resources.

Examples of viral Instagram posts

Below are some examples of Instagram reels that have gone viral. Feel free to examine them, and try to see whether they employed any of the aforementioned strategies.

#1 Viral post by Fenty Beauty

This Instagram account made a post on July 6, 2024, and it has since accrued 43,768 likes. 

In this post, Fenty Beauty teamed up with the well-known beauty influencer, Trulee Rodney, and did so to introduce the "Chicken Wing Grease Test" — a creative and relatable challenge that instantly captures viewers' attention.

What this collaboration did was leverage Trulee Rodney's large following, and this effectively broadened the post's visibility and impact. This was further bolstered by the high-quality video production and editing, which not only enhanced engagement, but contributed to viewers wanting to share the post. 

Additionally, because Fenty Beauty focused on a common consumer concern (the durability and transfer-resistance of lip stain), the video effectively demonstrates the Putsicle Hydrating Lip Stain's effectiveness in a memorable and fun way.

#2 Viral post by Robert Kiyosaki

This Instagram account made a post on September 13, 2022, and it has since accrued 55,652 likes. 

In this Instagram Reel, finance expert Robert Kiyosaki delves into the provocative idea that rather than  debt being a burden, it can actually be an asset, summed up by his statement "I'm rich because I'm in debt."

In the interview, Kiyosaki unpacks the complex relationship between debt and wealth, and offers viewers an unconventional insight into finance. Because of his extensive experience and expertise, whatever he says attracts a large and diverse audience who are eager to learn from an authority on this specific subject. 

Additionally, the strategic repurposing of interview content not only exemplifies smart content creation but also extends the reach of his message, making this Reel a sought-after piece of financial wisdom on social media.

Increase your chances of going viral with Tropee

To skyrocket your chances of going viral on Instagram, integrating Tropee into your strategy can be a game changer. 

Tropee is a rewards page (and a great Linktree alternative) that can facilitate a unique blend of motivation and reward that will significantly amplify the visibility and interaction with your Instagram posts (or reels). Tropee does this by enabling you to create a rewards system where your audience earns points by completing various tasks directly related to boosting your post's performance on Instagram.

So by setting up tasks (you can choose from 80+, or customize your own) for your audience that directly contribute to your Instagram engagement goals—like increasing likes, comments, or sharing your Reels—Tropee harnesses the power of incentivized action to drive virality. Moreover, the ease of sharing a unique Tropee URL link across your Instagram bio, stories, or posts ensures seamless participation, broadening the potential for your content to go viral. 

The genius of Tropee lies in its ability to turn your followers into active promoters of your content. By offering tangible giveaways and rewards, like exclusive content, merchandise, or shoutouts, you not only encourage your current followers to engage more deeply but also attract new eyes to your profile through the built-in sharing capabilities.

Conclusion

Although the challenge of going viral on Instagram might seem a little daunting, it's important to note that virality is definitely within your reach. So much like our article on how to make your tweet go viral, there are tried and tested strategies that can help you to achieve similar results with Instagram. 

So by employing the strategies outlined in this article (or using them to inspire your own), you are now equipped with the tools to make a real success of things. Remember, the key to unlocking Instagram's full potential is to post consistently, make the most of Instagram Reels, and use third-party loyalty program apps like Tropee in order to give your efforts a boost. In addition to this, always be authentic, persistent, and be on the lookout for any opportunity to learn and adapt.

Best of luck with your efforts to go viral on Instagram!

Frequently asked questions

What is the best time to post reels on instagram?

Finding an ideal to post Reels on Instagram really depends on your target audience, and their location. But a good rule of thumb is to post during the usual peak hours, which in most cases is between 9 AM and 12 PM on weekdays. These times and days usually yield the highest engagement. But if you want to be specific, then tools like Later's Instagram scheduler tool allows you to analyse 6 months worth of data to identify the best time and days for you to post.