6 Emotional Triggers To Boost YouTube Views

Gaining YouTube views can be challenging, but connecting with your audience on an emotional level makes the task much easier. Tapping into viewers’ emotional triggers, such as their fears, memories, and the influence of others, can increase the likelihood of your emotionally-charged videos being shared. In fact, research shows that emotionally-charged content is twice as likely to be shared as those with weak emotional cues. To help you create more captivating content, here are six emotional triggers that can boost YouTube views.

1. Nostalgia

Most people feel nostalgic several times a month, making throwback content incredibly effective in engaging your audience. To evoke feelings of nostalgia, consider including memories like riding a bike, eating McDonald’s for the first time, or playing on a hot summer day. As an example, channels like REACT generate massive views with videos such as “Gen Z Tries 90s ‘As Seen On TV’ Products.”

2. Novelty

When experiencing something new, people are more alert to different stimuli. In the context of YouTube, this means that viewers are more likely to engage with content that presents a unique or unusual topic. To leverage novelty, try creating content that showcases rare, odd, or unusual subjects. Take, for instance, the video “100 Most Rare People in the World” by PrestonReacts, which has garnered 1.5 million views.

3. Curiosity

Curiosity drives many viewers to seek out entertainment online. To capture their attention, create content that piques their interest using powerful words like “secret” and “discover” in video titles. Develop a compelling thumbnail that reinforces the video’s mystery. An example of content that harnesses curiosity is “Japan’s Secret Island Where People Never Die” by Yes Theory, which has over 700,000 views.

4. Fear and Anger

Sharing content that evokes fear or anger can create a sense of camaraderie among viewers. This sense of connection often drives users to share content they find emotionally charged. CNBC, for example, generates polarizing videos that provoke strong emotions, such as “Why Tipping Is so Out of Control in the U.S." This video has over 2 million views, thanks in part to viewers sharing it on platforms like Reddit.

5. Scarcity

By discussing the scarcity of a particular resource, you can pique viewers’ interest and encourage them to watch your content. Types of scarcity include time-based, supply-based, and demand-based scarcities. Studies have shown that supply-based scarcity is the most impactful in attracting attention. Analyzing time-based scarcity, on the other hand, can also be effective, as demonstrated by Dorian Develops’ video “It’s Too Late to Get Your Life Together in Your 30s,” which has 1.5 million views.

6. Social Proof

Viewers often lean on others’ experiences to guide their decision-making processes. Creating content that illustrates your achievements or expertise builds trust and credibility, ultimately driving more views. For example, the video “How I Became a Millionaire at 23” by J Rich exemplifies this concept, using social proof to garner over 500,000 views.

By employing these emotional triggers in your content creation, you won’t have to resort to buying YouTube views or spamming viewers to gain popularity. Your emotionally engaging content will organically attract views as it resonates with your audience. To deepen your understanding of your audience and improve your YouTube performance, consider building a persona and analyzing their preferences on a psychological level.