Why videos go viral

Do you know Nyan Cat?

How does the music go?

The original Nyan Cat video has had 205,000,000 views. Why?

Speaking

1. Have you seen any viral or popular videos recently on TikTok, Instagram or YouTube?

2. Describe what happens in them.

3. Why do you think the video was popular?

4. How do you think videos 'go viral'?

Think of three necessary things that might make a video go viral

1.

2.

3.

Watch a few viral videos

I believe I can fly

Why might this video have gone viral?

Does this video have a message?

Do you think this video should be watched by millions of people? Why? Why not?

Stunt City

Why might this video have gone viral?

Does this video have a message?

Do you think this video should be watched by millions of people? Why? Why not?

How videos go viral


1. What 3 things make a video go viral?

1.
2.
3.


2. What is an inside joke? What does it have to do with participation?

3. What is Kevin's final point?





Vocabulary focus: Synonymous language

In the 20 examples below, both phrases could be used to communicate roughly the same idea. 

Listen and circle the phrase you hear:

1. go viral / wild / like crazy

2. gets tons of / many / millions of views

3. contrive / set out / plan to make a viral video

4. all the way back in / as far back as January.

5. cause / propel the video to be as popular as it would become

6. it seems to have just sprung / sprouted up out of nowhere.

7. high points / spikes / peaks

8. accelerating / speeding up the process

9. this community formed / grew

10. parodies / satires / spoofs

11. phenomenon / occurence

12. spreading / distributing it

13. sampled / looped music

 14. techie, geeky Internet community / culture

15. remix community / culture

16. get noticed / stand out

17. obstructions / impediments / hinderances

18. keep / prevent you from

19. is true / holds for

 20. to green-light / endorse / push your idea

Practice using vocab in a sentence