The Science of
Viral Growth

Reels Viral Anatomy

1. The Hook (0-3s): Must be visual AND audio. Example: 'Stop doing this' text overlay + fast movement. 2. The Value (3-15s): Deliver one clear tip or entertainment value. Don't ramble. 3. The Loop: End your sentence in a way that connects to the start. 4. Caption key: Use 'Read caption for more' to drive dwell time.

Stories Strategy

Post 3-5 stories daily. Start with an interactive sticker (Poll/Quiz) to warm up the algorithm. Use stories to sell and build connection, Reels to grow.

Hashtag & SEO

Hashtags are less critical now. SEO is key. Ensure your caption contains keywords your niche searches for (e.g., 'Fitness Tips for Beginners').

Thumbnail Science

Use high contrast. Faces should show strong emotion. Rule of thirds: Subject on distinct third. Text should complement, not repeat the title. Max 3 words on thumb.

The First 30 Seconds

Cut the intro. No 'Hey guys, welcome back'. Start IMMEDIATELY with the promise of the video. 'In this video, I will show you X...'. Visual change every 3-5 seconds.

Shorts vs Long Form

Shorts builds subscribers; Long form builds fans and revenue. Use Shorts to funnel traffic to your main channel.

The Carousel format

Upload PDFs as documents. These are 'swipeable' and keep users on your post longer. 5-7 slides is the sweet spot.

Formatting Hooks

Break up text. One sentence per line. Use white space. Like this. It makes reading easy on mobile.

The First Hour rule

Reply to every comment in the first hour. The algorithm boosts posts that spark conversation immediately.

Thread Writing

The first tweet is the headline. It must promise a transformation. 'How I went from X to Y in Z days (thread) 🧵'.

The 'Plug'

Once a thread goes viral, add a reply to the last tweet plugging your newsletter or YouTube channel.