BITS Pilani
Pilani Campus
Practice School – 1 Final Report
Prepared by
Shubham Goyal (2013A3PS270P)
Pranav Raj Prakash (2013B2A3426P)
BITS Pilani
Pilani Campus
DEDUCTION OF AN ALGORITHM TO
DETERMINE HOW MEDIA
BECOMES VIRAL ON TWITTER
• To deduce an algorithm based on factors that ensure any
content’s virility by studying past viral content.
• To create a database of 500 influencers on Twitter who have
the maximum number of followers and learn more about the
topics on which they tweet.
• To suggest recommendations that one should keep in mind
while promoting one’s content on social media.
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Social Media has seen a high rate of growth in the last
few years. Today Social Media has become so popular
that all brand promotions, Campaigns and endorsements
take place on social media. Twitter has been one of the
most popular platforms of social media, especially
among celebrities.
Since its inception, Twitter has grown exponentially
worldwide. The USP of the site is the trends section
which gives a list of most viral topics of the day.
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With the ever increasing competition among various brand and organizations
it has become essential to promote one’s product smartly on Twitter.
Since a large percentage of twitter users is the youth, and the cost of
promotion is lower as compared to traditional techniques, it can become a
significant tool if used efficiently.
On studying previous content that has gone viral on Twitter, we have
observed that a proper strategy must be thought of before promoting a
brand.
Through this project we aim to find the perfect algorithm that ensures a
content’s virility.
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The methodology of our project is divided into the
following steps1. Finding media that went viral in the past two years.
2. Listing all factors responsible for the media to go viral.
3. Studying each viral topic and assigning weightages of
the factors responsible.
4. Creating an algorithm based on these weightages.
5. Creating a database of the top 500 Indian influencers
of twitter
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• Most of the viral content were either in the form of videos
or were campaigns.
• The algorithms will be designed by studying media that
went viral in India only. It is a study on how the Indian
audience reacts to certain factors in the media resulting in it
becoming viral.
• The algorithms and the approximate percentages of making
the media viral are strictly based on the sample space taken.
• Though other factors may also affect the virility of media,
the major five factors each for videos and campaigns have
been considered and the algorithms are based on them.
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• After analyzing the content that went viral on
Twitter in the past two years, we concluded
that most of the samples were either Videos
or Campaigns.
• Also, one needs to follow different strategies
to promote a Video or a Campaign.
• Hence separate algorithms have been made
for the virility of Videos and Campaigns.
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We have created a list of ten videos that
went viral in the past two years.
1. Kolaveri Di - The song written and sung by
Dhanush became an instant hit on social
networking sites just after its release. Soon the
song became the most searched video in India
and an Internet phenomenon.
2. Dubsmash – Dubsmash is a mobile
application which was launched recently that
allows user to record videos of themselves over
existing audio tracks.
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3. Mauka Mauka – The Star Sports Ad released to
promote Cricket World Cup 2015 became an instant
hit on social media. The main reasons for its success
include its catchy phrase and promotion by suitable
influencers on Twitter
4. Gangnam Style - Released in 2012 by PSY, the
video broke all internet records as it became the
highest viewed video on YouTube with 2.3 billion
views. Promotion by influencers in all spheres, a
catchy tune and an optimum duration are essential
factors for its virility.
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5. My Choice
6. AIB’s Alia Bhatt – Genius of the Year
7. Harlem Shake
8. India’s Daughter
9. Rohtak Sisters’ Controversy
10. AIB Roast
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1. Duration
2. Timing of Release
3. Promotion by Influencers
4. Emotion
5. Simple/Catchy
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Kolaveri Di
My Choice
Dubsmash
India’s Daughter
AIB Roast
Mauka Mauka
Genius of the year
Gangnam Style
Harlem Shake
Rohtak Sisters
TOTAL
Duration
TOR
Influencers
Emotion
Simplicity/Catchy

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6
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4
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9
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8
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START
Find influencers
to support the
campaign
NO
Do you have influencers
promoting the video?
YES
NO
NO
Does the video invoke
the Right emotions?
Is it catchy or of the
right duration?
Video has very
less chance of
becoming viral
YES
NO
Is it catchy/simple?
YES
YES
Video has ~20%
chance of
becoming viral
NO
Suitable TOR or of
the right duration?
YES
Is it of the Right
Duration?
Video has ~30%
chance of
becoming viral
YES
Video has very
less chance of
becoming viral
NO
Suitable Time of
Release?
Video has ~40%
chance of
becoming viral
YES
The Video WILL become
viral.
END
Campaign has
~60% chance of
becoming viral
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1. Net Neutrality - The debate on network
neutrality in India gathered public attention
after Airtel announced to levy additional
charges for making voice calls (VoIP) from its
network. The campaign was meant to create
awareness against death of net neutrality.
2. ALS Ice Bucket Challenge - The Ice
Bucket Challenge is an activity involving
dumping a bucket of ice water on someone’s
head to promote awareness of the disease
ALS.
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3. Selfie With Daughter – Heart-warming parentdaughter selfies have gone viral on Twitter, thanks
to this campaign launched by Narendra Modi in an
effort to promote gender equality. The campaign
owns its success to promotion by India’s most
influential celebrity himself, invoking of right
emotions and pertaining to a social cause.
4. Awaaz Do – This was an online initiative by
UNICEF to create awareness about education in
Indian society.It became a viral phenomenon due
to promotion by influencers like Kapil Sibbal and
Priyanka Chopra
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5. General Elections
6. Ra. One
7. Swacch Bharat
8. Big Billion Day
9. Yoga Day
10. Jaago Re
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1. Emotion
2. Promotion by Influencers
3. Timing of Release
4. Catchy Phrase
5. Social Cause
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Emotion
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Net Neutrality
General Elections
Swachh Bharat
Ra.One
Big Billion Day
Awaaz Do
Jaago Re
Yoga Day
Selfie With Daughter
TOTAL
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4
Influencers TOR
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9
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6
Catchy
Social Cause
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7
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START
Find influencers
to support the
campaign
Do you have influencers
supporting the campaign?
NO
YES
Make a catchy
phrase/tagline.
Catchy
Phrase/Tagline?
NO
YES
NO
Social Cause?
YES
NO
Suitable Time
of Release?
YES
Suitable Time
of Release?
Emotion?
NO
YES
YES
Emotion?
Campaign has
~30% chance of
becoming viral
Campaign has
~10% chance of
becoming viral
YES
Campaign WILL become
viral.
Campaign has
~30% chance of
becoming viral
Campaign has
very less chance
of becoming viral
NO
Campaign has
~60% chance of
becoming viral
END
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On studying previous viral content we came to the following conclusions:
• Invoke the right emotions - Based on a survey, contents invoking awe, laughter and
amusement tend to get more likes and shares than others.
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• Getting an influencer to share your content has a profound effect. Also more
influential a person is, greater would be the shares.
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• The content should
be of optimum
length to increase
its views. For
articles, longer
content tends to get
more shares.
• Better visual
contents are more
favourable.
Twitter Shares Of Articles
25
20.36
20
15
10
9.7
5
0
Twitter Shares Of Articles
Having No Image
Having Atleast One Image
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• Positive Content is shared more than negative content.
• Content is King – No matter how good your promotion strategy
is, the media will not be shared until it has meaningful or
practically useful content.
• Right Place at the Right Time – Timing of release can be a crucial
factor for any video/campaign to get xviral. Also keep target
audience section in mind while promoting your content.
• Make it catchy – Whether it is a video or campaign a catchy
phrase or catchy lyrics have a greater impact on the audiences.
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We have created a database of 500 most
followed Indians on Twitter. We have tabulated
their Twitter handles, no. of followers, their
Designation, place of Residence and the topics
they mostly tweet on.
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Actors comprised the highest share of influencers followed by politicians and
journalists.
Job Profiles
18%
5%
44%
10%
16%
Actor
Journalist
7%
Sportsperson
Entrepreneur
Politician
Other
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Around 90% of the influencers reside in four metropolitan cities – Mumbai, New Delhi,
Chennai and Kolkata
Place
Place
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Mumbai
New Delhi
Chennai
Kolkata
Hyderabad
Others
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The most tweeted topic is Movies followed by Politics, Current affairs, Social Cause and
Sports
Topic
3%
13%
29%
12%
18%
500
0
16%
Movies
Sports
Politics
Social Cause
Business
Others
Place
Place
9%
Current Affairs
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THANK YOU!
BITS Pilani
Pilani Campus