10 Tools to Discover Viral Content for Social Media Success

Have you ever wondered why some posts explode with likes, shares, and comments while others barely get noticed? Viral content holds the key. It grabs attention, sparks conversations, and spreads like wildfire across social platforms. For brands, this means more engagement, a wider reach, and faster growth.

Take Nike, for example. Their 'Breaking 2' campaign didn’t just promote running shoes—it told a story that inspired millions. Or think of Evian’s 'The Roller Babies' campaign. It charmed audiences with roller-skating babies, making the brand unforgettable.

The good news? You don’t need to guess what will go viral. With the right tools, you can find viral content that resonates with your audience and boosts your social presence.

Understanding Viral Content

What Is Viral Content?

Viral content is any post, video, or image that spreads rapidly across social media platforms. It grabs attention, sparks conversations, and gets shared repeatedly. Think of it as the digital version of word-of-mouth. Whether it’s a hilarious meme, a heartwarming story, or a shocking revelation, viral content has one thing in common—it connects with people on a deeper level.

But what makes something go viral? It’s not just luck. Viral content often taps into emotions, whether it’s joy, surprise, or even curiosity. For example, a funny video might make someone laugh and share it with friends, while an inspiring story could motivate others to spread positivity. The key is creating something that resonates with your audience and compels them to hit that share button.

Why Viral Content Matters for Social Media Growth

Viral content is a game-changer for social media marketing. When your post goes viral, it doesn’t just get likes—it gets shared, commented on, and seen by thousands (or even millions) of people. This kind of exposure can skyrocket your organic reach and bring in new followers.

Why does this happen? Viral content often includes emotional hooks or compelling narratives that keep people engaged. It’s not just about being seen; it’s about being remembered. When your content resonates, people are more likely to interact with your brand, boosting engagement and building a loyal community. Plus, viral marketing can amplify your message without spending a fortune on ads.

Key Elements of Viral Content

Creating viral content isn’t about guessing—it’s about understanding what works. Here are some key elements that make content shareable:

• Emotional engagement: Content that sparks strong feelings, like joy or inspiration, gets shared widely.
• Relatability: Posts that reflect everyday experiences make people feel connected.
• Simplicity: Easy-to-understand content grabs attention quickly.
• Shareability: People love sharing content that makes them laugh, think, or feel inspired.

Want to know what types of content perform best? Humor is always a hit. Informative posts that add value also do well. And don’t underestimate the power of emotional resonance—it’s what makes people want to share your content with their networks.

Remember, viral content isn’t just about going big; it’s about creating something meaningful. Whether it’s a funny meme or an inspiring story, focus on connecting with your audience. That’s how you turn trends into opportunities and find viral content ideas that work for your brand.

Top 10 Tools to Find Viral Content

BuzzSumo

Features and Benefits

BuzzSumo is one of the most powerful viral marketing tools out there. It helps you find viral content by analyzing what’s trending across social media platforms. Whether you’re looking for the most popular content in your niche or trying to understand what resonates with your audience, BuzzSumo has you covered.

Here’s a quick breakdown of its key features:

How to Use BuzzSumo for Viral Content

Using BuzzSumo is simple. Start by entering a keyword or topic into the search bar. The tool will display a list of the most shared and engaging content related to your query. Analyze the data to see what’s working—look at the number of shares, likes, and comments.

Want to take it further? Use the influencer identification feature to find key players in your industry. Collaborating with influencers can amplify your reach and make your content go viral. Don’t forget to set up alerts for the latest trending topics in your niche. This way, you’ll always stay ahead of the curve.

Google Trends

Features and Benefits

Google Trends is a free tool that helps you uncover the latest trending topics. It analyzes search data from Google and YouTube to show what people are searching for in real-time. You can see the relative popularity of search terms, geographic interest, and even seasonal trends.

This tool is perfect for finding trending topics that can inspire your next viral content idea. It’s especially useful for identifying what’s gaining traction globally or in specific regions.

How to Use Google Trends for Viral Content

To get started, visit Google Trends and type in a keyword or topic. You’ll see a graph showing its search interest over time. Pay attention to spikes—they indicate when a topic is gaining momentum.

You can also explore related queries and topics to find viral content ideas. For example, if you notice a sudden rise in searches for a new product or event, you can create engaging content around it. Use the geographic data to tailor your content for specific audiences, boosting your organic reach.

Feedly

Features and Benefits

Feedly is a fantastic tool for curating and organizing content. It uses AI to analyze millions of sources and prioritize the most relevant information for you. This makes it a go-to tool for marketers, researchers, and anyone who needs to stay updated on industry trends.

Here’s what makes Feedly stand out:

• It personalizes recommendations based on your interests.
• You can set up filters and keywords to focus on specific topics.
• It offers market intelligence insights for competitor analysis.

How to Use Feedly for Viral Content

Start by creating a Feedly account and selecting topics or industries you want to follow. The tool will curate a personalized feed of the most popular content in those areas. Use its AI assistant to filter out irrelevant information and focus on what matters.

Want to find viral content ideas? Look for articles or posts with high engagement. Feedly’s organization features make it easy to spot trends and craft content that resonates with your audience. Plus, you can collaborate with your team to brainstorm and refine ideas.

Ahrefs Content Explorer

Features and Benefits

Ahrefs Content Explorer is a treasure trove for anyone looking to find viral content. This tool allows you to search a database of billions of web pages to uncover the most popular content in your niche. It’s perfect for spotting trends, analyzing competitors, and generating viral content ideas.

Here’s why you’ll love it:

• Massive Database: Access billions of articles and filter them by shares, backlinks, or organic traffic.
• Competitor Insights: Discover what’s working for your competitors and adapt it to your strategy.
• Trend Analysis: Identify content that’s gaining traction to stay ahead of the curve.
• Backlink Data: See which articles attract the most backlinks, giving you clues about what resonates.
• Advanced Filters: Narrow down results by language, domain rating, or publication date.

How to Use Ahrefs Content Explorer for Viral Content

Start by entering a keyword or topic into the search bar. The tool will display a list of the most popular content related to your query. Pay attention to metrics like social shares and backlinks to gauge what’s performing well.

Want to dig deeper? Use the filters to refine your search. For example, you can focus on recent articles or those with high engagement on specific social media platforms. Analyze the headlines, formats, and topics of top-performing posts to inspire your next viral content idea.

Social Animal

Features and Benefits

Social Animal is a powerful tool for tracking and analyzing content performance across social media platforms. It’s designed to help you uncover viral marketing opportunities by studying what works for others.

Here’s what makes it stand out:

• Competitor Analysis: Learn from your competitors by studying their best-performing content.
• Engagement Metrics: Track total shares across platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
• Keyword Insights: Discover the main keywords driving engagement in your niche.
• Publishing Data: Find out when and where content was published to optimize your strategy.

How to Use Social Animal for Viral Content

To get started, use Social Animal to analyze your competitors. Look at their top-performing posts and note the social shares, keywords, and article length. This will give you a clear picture of what resonates with your target audience.

Here’s how you can maximize its potential:

• Study the social media platforms your competitors prefer.
• Track engagement metrics to identify the most popular content.
• Use publishing data to determine the best times to post.

By understanding what works for others, you can craft content that’s more likely to go viral.

Twitter Trending Topics

Features and Benefits

Twitter Trending Topics is one of the simplest yet most effective social media tools for finding trending topics. It shows you what’s buzzing on Twitter in real-time, making it a goldmine for viral content ideas.

Why should you use it?

How to Use Twitter Trending Topics for Viral Content

Open Twitter and check the “Trending” section. You’ll see a list of topics gaining traction in your region or globally. Pick a trend that aligns with your brand and create content around it.

Here’s how to make the most of it:

1. Participate in trending discussions to engage users.
2. Share industry news to position yourself as a thought leader.
3. Use relatable content like GIFs or memes to connect with your audience.

By tapping into what’s already popular, you can boost your reach and create content that feels timely and relevant.

Pinterest Trends

Features and Benefits

Pinterest Trends is a fantastic tool for discovering what’s visually captivating audiences. It’s all about planning and discovery, making it perfect for finding viral content ideas. Here’s why it’s so effective:

• Pinterest thrives on visually-driven content, which resonates deeply with its engaged user base.
• Trends on Pinterest reflect genuine consumer intent, as they’re shaped by user actions like saving, searching, and planning.

Brands have used Pinterest Trends to create campaigns that truly connect. For example, Albertsons identified holiday food and beverage trends through Pinterest insights. This led to a campaign that boosted in-store sales, with pumpkin alcohol drinks seeing a 154% increase and Friendsgiving party ideas skyrocketing by 475%.

How to Use Pinterest Trends for Viral Content

Start by exploring Pinterest’s Trends tool to see what’s gaining traction. Look for seasonal or niche-specific trends that align with your brand. For instance, if you notice a spike in searches for sustainable travel, you could create boards or posts showcasing eco-friendly products or services.

Use Pinterest’s visual nature to your advantage. Create eye-catching pins that reflect the trends you’ve identified. Don’t forget to include keywords in your descriptions to make your content more discoverable. By tapping into what people are already searching for, you can craft content that feels timely and relevant.

Exploding Topics

Features and Benefits

Exploding Topics is a game-changer for spotting emerging trends before they hit the mainstream. It combines AI and human expertise to predict what’s about to go viral. Here’s how it works:

• AI scrapes data from platforms like Reddit, Quora, and YouTube to flag popular topics.
• Google search data helps assess the growth potential of these trends.
• Human analysts review and approve topics that show consistent growth and business value.

This tool is perfect for staying ahead of the curve. It’s like having a crystal ball for viral marketing, helping you find viral content ideas that resonate with your audience.

How to Use Exploding Topics for Viral Content

Visit Exploding Topics and browse through its curated list of emerging trends. Focus on topics that align with your niche or industry. For example, if you’re in the tech space, you might find a rising trend in AI tools or gadgets.

Once you’ve identified a trend, create content that positions your brand as a thought leader. Write blog posts, share insights on social media platforms, or even launch a product that ties into the trend. The key is to act quickly—these trends are called “exploding” for a reason!

TikTok Discover Page

Features and Benefits

The TikTok Discover Page is your gateway to what’s trending on one of the most dynamic social media platforms. It’s packed with features that make finding viral content a breeze:

• Explore trending videos, hashtags, songs, and creators.
• Use the Songs tab to discover popular audio clips that can enhance your content.
• Learn about audience behaviors through the Trends section, helping you predict what’s next.

TikTok trends often go beyond the platform, influencing culture and other social media platforms. For example, the “Bird’s Eye View” trend gained massive popularity in 2023, thanks to its unique camera angles and engaging edits.

How to Use TikTok Discover Page for Viral Content

Open the Discover Page and start exploring. Look for trending hashtags or challenges that align with your brand. For instance, if “Autumn Vibes” is trending, you could create content showcasing seasonal products or cozy aesthetics.

Pay attention to the Songs tab. Using popular audio clips can boost your content’s visibility. TikTok’s algorithm favors trends, so jumping on them early can help your posts gain traction. Don’t just follow trends—add your unique twist to stand out.

Social Searcher

Features and Benefits

Social Searcher is a fantastic tool for tracking what people are saying about your brand or topics that matter to you. It monitors keywords, hashtags, and brand names across social media platforms and the web. This means you can see who’s talking about you and what they’re saying. But it doesn’t stop there. Social Searcher provides detailed analytics on these mentions, including metrics like strength, sentiment, passion, and reach. These insights help you spot trends and identify content with the potential to go viral.

One of its standout features is its ability to analyze sentiment. It shows whether people are talking positively or negatively about a topic. This helps you understand how your audience feels and adjust your strategy accordingly. Another great benefit? You can track mentions in real-time. This keeps you in the loop and ready to jump on opportunities as they arise.

How to Use Social Searcher for Viral Content

Getting started with Social Searcher is easy. First, enter a keyword, hashtag, or brand name into the search bar. The tool will pull up all the mentions related to your query from across the web and social media. Pay close attention to the analytics it provides. Look at the sentiment to see how people feel about the topic. Check the reach metric to find mentions that are gaining traction.

Want to create viral content? Use the passion metric to identify topics people are highly engaged with. For example, if you notice a hashtag that’s generating a lot of buzz, you can create posts or campaigns around it. Don’t forget to monitor mentions regularly. Staying updated helps you spot trends early and craft content that resonates with your audience.

How to Create Viral Content Using These Tools

Combining Tools for Best Viral Content Ideas

You don’t need to rely on just one tool to create viral content. Combining multiple tools can help you uncover the best viral content ideas and maximize your reach. For instance, Nike’s 'Breaking 2' campaign combined emotional storytelling with high-quality visuals and social media outreach. This approach inspired millions and created a global buzz. Similarly, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge used a simple, engaging concept and leveraged social platforms to encourage participation, raising millions for ALS research.

Here’s how you can combine tools effectively:

• Use BuzzSumo to identify trending topics and analyze what’s working in your niche.
• Pair it with Google Trends to spot emerging trends and time your content perfectly.
• Add Feedly to curate relevant articles and stay updated on industry news.
• Use Social Searcher to monitor mentions and track audience sentiment.

By combining these tools, you can generate viral post ideas that resonate with your audience and increase engagement. The key is to experiment and find the right mix that works for your brand.

Monitoring Trends and Adapting to Your Niche

Staying ahead of trends is crucial if you want to create viral content. Tools like Exploding Topics and Pinterest Trends can help you identify what’s gaining traction. But how do you adapt these trends to your niche? Start by understanding your audience’s preferences. What do they care about? What makes them share content?

Here are some effective methods to monitor trends and tailor them to your niche:

• Use trend discovery tools to quickly identify relevant topics.
• Track competitors’ strategies with tools like Ahrefs Content Explorer.
• Analyze market reports to understand consumer behavior.
• Engage in forums or social media discussions to gather feedback.
• Attend industry events to gain insights into emerging trends.

When you adapt trends to your niche, you make your content more relatable and impactful. For example, if sustainable living is trending, a fashion brand could showcase eco-friendly clothing lines. The goal is to align your content with what your audience values.

Engaging with Your Audience for Feedback

Your audience is your best resource for creating viral post content. They can tell you what they like, what they don’t, and what they want to see more of. So, how do you engage with them effectively? Start by asking questions in your posts. Encourage comments and discussions. Use polls or surveys to gather insights.

Here’s why this works:

• It helps you understand your audience’s preferences.
• It builds a sense of community around your brand.
• It gives you ideas for future viral post content.

For example, if you’re unsure how to design social media posts for a new campaign, ask your followers for input. You can also use relevant hashtags to join trending conversations and attract more engagement. By involving your audience, you not only create content they love but also increase their loyalty to your brand.

Using Visual Inspiration to Enhance Shareability

Want to know a secret to making your content irresistible? It’s all about visuals. People are naturally drawn to eye-catching images, videos, and designs. In fact, posts with photos and videos get 77% more engagement than plain text. That’s a huge difference! If you want to create viral content, you need to make it visually appealing.

Start with simplicity. Keep your designs clean and uncluttered. Too many elements can overwhelm your audience and distract from your message. Instead, focus on one or two key ideas. For example, a bold image paired with a short, punchy caption can grab attention instantly.

Balance is another important factor. Distribute elements evenly across your design. This creates a sense of harmony that’s pleasing to the eye. Think about how you arrange text, images, and colors. A well-balanced layout can make your content look professional and polished.

Don’t forget about visual hierarchy. Use different sizes, colors, or fonts to guide your audience’s attention. For instance, a larger headline can draw people in, while smaller text provides supporting details. Bright colors or contrasting shades can also highlight important parts of your design.

Want to take it up a notch? Add videos or animations. These dynamic elements can make your content stand out in a crowded feed. A short, engaging video can tell a story faster than words ever could. Plus, it’s perfect for social media outreach, where attention spans are short.

Remember, the best viral content ideas often start with visuals that connect emotionally. Whether it’s a funny meme, a stunning photo, or an inspiring video, visuals can make your audience stop scrolling and hit the share button. So, get creative and let your visuals do the talking!

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Finding viral content doesn’t have to feel like a guessing game. The tools we’ve explored can help you uncover trends, track what’s working, and create posts that truly resonate. They simplify your social strategy, saving you time while boosting engagement and growth.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Try different tools, mix approaches, and tailor your viral blog content to your audience. Social media thrives on creativity and connection. With the right tools and a little effort, you’ll be well on your way to creating viral posts that stand out.

FAQ

What is the best tool for finding viral content quickly?

It depends on your needs! For real-time trends, try Google Trends or Twitter Trending Topics. If you want in-depth analysis, BuzzSumo or Ahrefs Content Explorer are great options. Each tool offers unique features, so experiment to find your favorite.

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Can I use these tools for free?

Some tools, like Google Trends and Twitter Trending Topics, are completely free. Others, like BuzzSumo or Ahrefs, offer free trials but require subscriptions for advanced features. Start with free options and upgrade if needed.

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How often should I check for viral trends?

Check daily or weekly to stay updated. Social media trends change fast, so frequent monitoring helps you stay ahead. Tools like Feedly or Social Searcher can send alerts, saving you time while keeping you informed.

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Do I need all 10 tools to succeed?

Not at all! Start with 2-3 tools that fit your goals. For example, use Pinterest Trends if your audience loves visuals or TikTok Discover Page for short-form video ideas. Focus on what works for your niche.

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How can I make my content stand out?

Add your unique twist! Use visuals, humor, or storytelling to connect emotionally. Tools like Exploding Topics can help you spot fresh ideas. Remember, originality and authenticity make your content more shareable.

💡 Pro Tip: Combine tools for better results. For example, use BuzzSumo to find trending topics and Pinterest Trends to create visually stunning posts.

See Also

Top 10 Strategies For Creating Viral Social Media Content

Essential Tools For Discovering Influencers In 2024

Analyzing What Makes Content Go Viral In 2025

Tips To Ensure Your Social Media Posts Go Viral

Understanding The Psychology Of Creating Viral Content