Content creation is no longer just about creating assets that are optimized to engage with the audience and invoke emotions. It’s also about jumping on trends, persistence, and connecting with individuals to build authentic relationships.
In a recent Fobes column, Electrify Video Partners CEO Ian Shepherd opined that we’re currently in a “golden age of content creators,” thanks to a heady mix of diverse monetization channels, global accessibility, and AI-powered tools reducing barriers to entry.
However, these factors also lead to stiff competition, with marketers and creators constantly striving to produce videos with the potential to capture attention in a crowded space. At this point, we often struggle to choose between viral content and evergreen content.
Viral videos that achieve rapid popularity and widespread sharing often overshadow their evergreen counterparts, which remain relevant for the long haul. Both have pros and cons, and a balance between them is the key to an effective marketing strategy.
In this article, we will compare these two types of content and explain the right mix for 2025 and beyond.
Why Everyone Wants to Go Viral
Popularity is the primary reason for brands and individuals seeking virality. According to Statista, memes, comedy, and viral videos combined to be the second most popular category of video content in the first quarter of 2024. Nearly 35% of online users watched these videos, only trumped by music videos that took 50% of the reach share.
Further, instant awareness and visibility are the benefits of viral videos. A single viral hit can propel a brand into the spotlight. The Sky High Mascara Express campaign did it for Maybelline last summer, garnering 67.2 million views, 2.4 million likes, and over 19,000 comments on Instagram.
Videos often go viral because they resonate emotionally with audiences, with the added benefit of forging a stronger connection with consumers and improving brand recall. If your video content manages to go viral on social media, chances are good that people will start to recognize your brand instantly.
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Risks of Focusing Only on Viral Videos
While viral videos can serve as brand awareness catalysts, there are some risks of relying exclusively on them. A short shelf-life is the primary concern, as viral content often has a fleeting relevance. Viewer interest may vanish into thin air once the trend fades.
Viral content is also hard to repurpose, rendering it useless for future marketing efforts. A business that spends thousands of dollars on these campaigns may not build a sustainable marketing asset.
Another downside is that viral videos may have limited effectiveness for lead generation, even if they can attract views. The wider the appeal, the less focused your videos will be on addressing the needs of your niche audience.
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Tips to Create Videos that Go Viral
A Search Engine Journal article suggests that the odds of a video going viral are shockingly low at 3,192 to one. The numbers show how challenging creating such videos can be. You can follow these tips to create ones with the potential to go viral.
First up, feeding the social platforms’ newsfeed algorithms requires rapid iteration on multiple ideas. It’s generally a good idea to experiment with various concepts to see what resonates with your audience. Using LTX Studio for storyboard prototypes, you can transform a rough concept into a visual story with the help of AI. Quick visualization of your concepts can help you decide on what gives you the best chances to achieve your virality goals.
LTX Studio developers Lightricks estimate that using the app makes for 200% faster creative iterations and 300% faster team collaboration flows.
Secondly, make sure you stay updated on industry trends relevant to your audience. Being an early adopter of trends gives you a better chance of creating viral content.
Also, simply creating great video content does not guarantee that it will become viral. You can add a secret sauce by collaborating with influencers to further diversify creative input, also amplifying reach and credibility.
Content formats can be a game-changer when it comes to virality. Focus on short-form content like Reels, TikToks, and Stories as they are tailored to win. The reason is clear: shorter attention spans make bite-sized pieces more attractive to viewers. We at Viralpep recommend diving deep into data to analyze content performance, understand engagement trends, and design a strategy accordingly.
Why Evergreen Content Makes Sense
Evergreen content, like evergreen pines and firs, stays green all year round. In the language of content strategy, these are the pieces that remain fresh and useful over a long period of time. The best options for YouTube evergreen content include educational videos, instructional videos, travel videos, biographies of famous people, and overviews of holiday traditions.
The long-lasting impact is perhaps the best benefit of evergreen content as it continues to attract viewers and provide sustained traffic. Additionally, consistent delivery of valuable information through such pieces establishes a brand as a niche authority.
Since evergreen topics often align with customer needs throughout their journey, they also have better lead generation and nurture potential. What’s more, these assets are easy to update and repurpose into different formats without compromising relevance.
The cost of creating a video with a semi-pro team has been estimated to range between $1,500 and $3,000 per minute. Hiring a professional video marketing company means spending between $5,000 and $20,000 per minute. While it’s certainly possible to create videos without hiring a proper production team, these benchmarks are certainly eye-opening when it comes to the relatively high threshold on video content ROI, and evergreen videos have the most potential to drive business value impact over time.
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Limitations of Evergreen Videos
Apart from the benefits, evergreen content also has its drawbacks. Creating it requires intensive research and planning. Marketers need to dig deep into audience expectations and market trends to ensure relevance for the long haul.
When compared with viral videos, evergreen ones may yield slower results. Brands cannot expect immediate views as evergreen videos may take longer to build an audience.
The good thing, though, is that the results are sustainable.
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Tips to Create Evergreen Video Content
Creating evergreen content sounds challenging, and it requires a great deal of patience and foresight. We will list a few strategies to help.
First up, topic relevance means half the battle is won. Instincts alone will not work. Creators should utilize tools like AnswerThePublic to identify topics that resonate with their audience.
Next, remember that nothing matters more than quality visuals when it comes to creating quality content, specifically evergreen pieces that you hope will resonate with audiences for years to come. Invest in high-quality production values to enhance viewer engagement.
Repurposing long-form content into bite-sized videos is a good idea. Viralpep can help you create short-form videos like Reels and Shorts and even cross-promote them on different platforms.
Finally, partnering with industry leaders can lend credibility and attract viewers, just as with viral videos.
Choosing the Right Approach for Your Video Marketing Strategy
Now that you know the upsides and downsides of viral and evergreen content, it is time to answer the big question: what will work for your brand? The answer isn’t black and white.
You need to strike a balance between both for a successful video marketing strategy. Both serve distinct purposes within a broader marketing framework, making them apt for different situations.
For example, viral videos can give brands the much-needed push when introducing new products or services. They are also great for seasonal campaigns tied to holidays or events as they can leverage current trends for maximum impact.
Conversely, evergreen topics win the brand storytelling game. Sharing a brand’s history or mission with such videos fosters deeper connections over time. Likewise, educational content like tutorials and how-to guides become lasting assets for brands.
The Final Verdict
As we step into 2025, brands will have to rely on a mix of viral and evergreen content to shape effective marketing strategies. The combination promises the best of both worlds, with viral content driving immediate engagement and visibility and evergreen content ensuring sustained relevance and authority. A thoughtful integration promises the best results for short-term success and long-term growth.
