How to Go Viral on the Internet: The Science Behind 600 Million Views

If you’ve ever wondered how to go viral on the internet, you’re not alone. Every creator — from YouTubers and TikTokers to marketers and founders — dreams of that one breakout post that blows up overnight. But what if virality isn’t luck, creativity, or expensive production — but an algorithm you can engineer? That’s exactly what 18-year-old YouTube prodigy Jenny Hoyos has proven. In just one year, her videos generated over 600 million views. Her bold claim:

“I can figure out how to make any video go viral.”

At first glance, it sounds like the kind of audacious statement only a teenager could make. But once you dig into her system, it becomes clear: Jenny isn’t relying on inspiration — she’s running a reproducible, data-driven process. Her framework doesn’t just apply to short-form videos. The logic behind it — simplicity, story, and precision — can be used in any kind of content, from marketing campaigns to startup launches. Let’s break down her viral formula, the psychological triggers that make it work, and how you can use it to finally understand how to go viral on the internet.

(1) Simplicity Wins: Speak at a Fifth-Grade Level

The first shocker from Jenny’s research: the most viral videos are written at a 5th-grade reading level or lower. Jenny used crawlers to analyse thousands of viral scripts — including those from MrBeast — and ran them through readability tests. The finding was startling:

• The average viral video scored below 5th grade.
• MrBeast’s scripts often hit 1st-grade level simplicity.

Her takeaway: the simpler your language, the more viral your content. That doesn’t mean “dumb it down.” It means make it instantly understandable.
Your viewer shouldn’t have to pause to decode what you mean.

Jenny even runs her own scripts through readability software before filming. If a line reads too complicated, she rewrites it until even a 10-year-old could grasp it. If she uses technical terms — like “algorithm” or “retention rate” — she immediately adds a quick, plain-English explanation.

Why This Works

Virality depends on the speed of understanding. On TikTok or YouTube Shorts, you have milliseconds to make someone care. If your idea requires effort to process, you lose them. When you want to go viral on the internet, clarity beats cleverness every single time.

Ask Yourself

• Could a 5th-grader explain my message back to me?
• Am I showing, not over-explaining?
• Can my first sentence stand alone and still make sense?

If not, there’s room to simplify.

(2) Start with the Ending

Jenny’s second unconventional move flips the traditional creative process upside down. While most creators begin with an idea or hook, she starts by writing the ending first. Her sequence looks like this:

Idea → Hook → Ending line → Foreshadowing → Filming → Final edit → Trimming

Everything revolves around where she wants the story to end. Why? Because the ending defines the emotional payoff. It’s the moment that lingers in the viewer’s memory — the feeling that makes them share. By knowing her ending, she can foreshadow it subtly throughout the video, creating micro-tension that pulls the audience along.

She also uses a specific storytelling technique known as the “but/therefore” structure — borrowed from screenwriting. Instead of:

“I went for a walk, then it rained, so I went home.”

She writes:

“I went for a walk, but it rained, therefore I ran home.”

The difference seems small, but it keeps the story moving forward. Every but introduces a twist; every therefore creates consequence. It keeps the audience guessing — and engaged.

This same logic applies far beyond video:

• In marketing copy: “Our app saves time, but it also helps you think faster, therefore you achieve more with less stress.”
• In product design: guiding users through twists (“surprise discounts,” “unexpected delight”) maintains attention and trust.

If you want to master how to go viral on the internet, learn to lead the audience toward an ending they can’t stop watching for.

(3) Every Second Counts: Trim Without Mercy

Jenny once uploaded a video that flatlined at 50,000 views — way below her usual performance. Digging into YouTube Analytics, she noticed something strange: in the last one second, her retention graph dropped from 70% to 45%.

Her fix? She literally chopped off that final second. After re-uploading, retention jumped from 83% to 88%, and the video exploded.

Her insight: Every single second is a life-or-death moment. In the world of short-form videos, 1 second can determine whether a viewer stays or scrolls. Jenny even discovered her optimal length: 34 seconds.

This principle is gold for marketers and creators alike. Don’t think of “retention” as a statistic — think of it as the heartbeat of your content. Every frame, every pause, every transition should earn its place. Cut ruthlessly. Remove anything that doesn’t move the story forward or evoke emotion. In her words:

“Losing one second might not just lose 3% retention — it can trigger a total collapse in viewership.”

(4) The 3-Step Viral Formula

After testing hundreds of scripts, Jenny distilled her viral system into three simple, repeatable steps:

(a) Build Anticipation

Create a progress bar in the viewer’s mind — make them feel, “We’re getting closer to something.” This psychological tension keeps them from dropping off midway. Example:

“I tried living like Elon Musk for 24 hours — here’s what broke first.”

It hints at a journey and a payoff. Viewers stay to see the result.

(b) Foreshadow Cleverly

Set the hook early, but don’t give away the answer. Give just enough to trigger curiosity. Example:

“McDonald’s just launched this product — so I’m making my own version at home.”
Jenny might rewrite that as:
“So today, I’m starting my crazy cooking experiment.”

It’s funny, human, and packed with anticipation.

(c) Fulfill Expectations — Then Surprise

Deliver the payoff the viewer expects… and then twist it. Her famous example: “Mother’s Day Gift for $5.”

• Anticipation: How will she make a great gift for just $5?
• Fulfillment: She crafts a heartfelt present.
• Surprise: Her mom says, “You’ll always be my favourite daughter.” Pause. Then adds, “Because you’re my only daughter.”

That final unexpected laugh — simple, human, and perfectly timed — turned a sweet video into a viral one.

(5) People Care About “Why,” Not “What”

At the core of Jenny’s method is one insight:

“Nobody cares what you do — only why you do it.”

This is the emotional engine of virality.

Compare:

• Boring version: “I’m making food for my roommate.”
• Viral version: “My kitchen broke down, so I’m cooking for my roommate to earn money to fix it.”

The second line has stakes, story, and motivation. It gives viewers a reason to care. When you want to know how to go viral on the internet, stop describing what happens. Start explaining why it matters. Humans are wired for purpose. Even the smallest story — baking bread, fixing a phone, starting a business — becomes gripping when there’s a reason behind it.

(6) The Hook Psychology: First 3 Seconds or Bust

Multiple studies — and millions of creator experiments — confirm the same truth: Your first 3 seconds decide everything. Jenny calls them the “golden three seconds.” They determine whether someone keeps watching or scrolls away forever.

Other creators and analysts have identified recurring hook patterns across thousands of viral clips. These overlap beautifully with Jenny’s system. Here are five proven hook patterns that have the potential to make your content go viral.

(a) The Future Tease

Hint at what’s coming.
“This $20 tool will completely change how you handle weeknight dinners.”

(b) The Peer Experiment

Frame it as a relatable test, not expert advice.
“I used AI to edit my TikToks for 30 days — here’s what happened.”

(c) The Mentor

Teach something fast, with authority.
“Stop wasting money on bottled cold brew. I’ll show you how to make café-level coffee in 2 minutes.”

(d) The Mystery

Tease the unknown.
“This looks like a regular water bottle… but it sells out every summer.”

(e) The Disruptor

Challenge conventional wisdom.
“Most skincare routines are a waste of money — here’s the only step that matters.”

All five rely on the same psychology: curiosity + clarity + emotion. They invite, don’t lecture. They open a loop the brain desperately wants to close.

(8) The Neuroscience of Virality

Virality isn’t random — it’s neurological design. Every time something blows up online, it’s because it hacks into deep, ancient systems in the human brain — the ones that decide what’s emotionally important, socially relevant, or survival-worthy.

When you laugh, share, or comment, your brain rewards you with dopamine — that satisfying chemical rush tied to social belonging and discovery. This is known as the social reward loop, and it’s why viral content feels so addictive: it promises connection, novelty, or emotional truth.

Shani from Captain Hook AI, who has analysed thousands of high-performing hooks across platforms, found that virality clusters around specific psychological patterns. These patterns — rooted in neuroscience — explain why certain lines, tones, and formats consistently stop the scroll.

According to her, here are eight virality factors that map directly to how our brains work.

(a) Contradictions & Contrast

Hooks that show two opposite emotions or ideas are irresistible.

“I’m drunk, but Imma do my best to tell this story.”
“Terrified? Absolutely. Ready? Not really. Worth it? 100%.”

Our brains hate unfinished tension — they want to see how it ends. That’s why contradictions work so well: they spark curiosity and hold attention. According to Shani, about 30% of viral hooks use contrast because it makes people lean in. You don’t just scroll past — you need to see what happens next.

(b) The Specificity Effect

The more specific you get, the more people connect.

Generic: “If you ever get bloated after a meal…”
Specific: “If you’ve ever secretly unbuttoned your jeans at dinner and hoped no one noticed — this is for you.”

Specific details feel real. They make your brain think, “This person’s actually been through it.” That’s why oddly specific stories build instant trust and connection. Talk to one person — not an audience — and you’ll see the difference.

(c) Timeframe Tension

Playing with time instantly grabs attention.

“3 years of back progress in 30 seconds.”
“Three months ago I had 0 followers. Today I’m at 211K.”

Short, punchy timeframes trigger curiosity — your brain wants to know how it happened so fast. They also give people hope that big results are possible for them too. Almost every major viral story includes some kind of time twist like this — because it works.

(d) POVs (Point of Views) = Advice in Disguise

The best POV hooks aren’t really POVs. They’re advice wrapped in a situation.

“POV: you figured out how to not pay a fortune for drinks at festivals.”
“POV: you don’t feel like cooking, but still want a home-cooked meal.”

It’s clever because people don’t feel like they’re being told what to do. They’re just relating to a moment — and learning something along the way. It’s teaching without preaching, and the brain loves that.

(e) Weaponised Self-Awareness

We’ve entered the era of precision oversharing — vulnerability that’s funny, real, and just a little too relatable.

“Being sensitive is so embarrassing — like how am I supposed to tell you I’m upset because your energy felt off?”

“My biggest red flag is feeling like I can’t date anyone until I become the woman of my dreams and have everything figured out.”

These lines hit because they’re specific and self-aware. They sound like thoughts you’ve had but never said out loud. We’re wired to react to emotion and gossip — it feels human, not staged. Those who relate feel seen. Those who don’t stay for the novelty. Either way, people stop scrolling.

(f) The Insider Secret Hook

We can’t resist something that sounds like forbidden knowledge.

“I’m not allowed to share this but my HR friend revealed…”

“I just discovered one of the biggest secrets that the system doesn’t want us to know.”

Your brain treats secrets like survival info — something you need to know to stay safe. That’s why these hooks instantly grab attention. They make you feel like you’re about to learn something exclusive or dangerous. You don’t scroll past secrets — you lean in.

(g) Anti-Hooks Are the New Hooks

Creators today are flipping the script by openly saying their hook sucks — and it works.

“A terribly long video that might change everything for you.”

“5 reasons that make me wildly unsuccessful on Instagram… and I’m okay with it.”

It’s a pattern interrupt. When everything online screams for your attention, honesty feels refreshing. By admitting they’re not trying to hook you, creators actually do. People stay because it feels real — not like a sales pitch.

(h) Algorithm as Matchmaker

This trend plays on fate — as if the algorithm chose you for a reason.

“If you’re young and you’re gonna be successful (which you probably are, since the algorithm put this on your screen)…”

“This video is gonna reach the girl who really needs to hear this… I’m not even gonna use a hashtag.”

It feels personal, almost spiritual — like destiny in digital form. People stop scrolling because, deep down, they wonder: What if this really was meant for me?

(9) Virality Is a System, Not a Spark

Jenny’s greatest contribution isn’t just her viral videos — it’s her mindset. She treats content like a product, not a post. She tests, measures, and iterates. She trims like a UX designer. In her world, “Every second is a feature.”

And this scientific approach mirrors how the best creators operate today. Whether you’re launching an app or a meme, you can treat virality like a growth loop:

(a) Spot Trends Early

Use tools like TikTok Creative Centre or SocialHunt to see what’s rising before it peaks.

(b) Remix What Is Already Working

Take something familiar and give it a weird twist.

• Musicals → “A musical for cybersecurity pros.”
• Meditation → “A meditation app for burned-out startup founders.”
• Toy store → “A toy shop for CISO dads.”
  Familiar + unexpected = the sweet spot for virality.

(c) Stay Niche-Focused

Random viral hits outside your niche often attract the wrong audience. True virality builds both reach and retention.

(d) Measure Micro-Signals

Watch not just likes or views, but drop-off seconds, replays, shares, and comments. Those are your clues for optimisation.

(e) Stay Consistent Without Burnout

Build a system — content calendars, tools, and rest cycles — so you can produce sustainably.

The truth? You don’t need endless “growth hacks.” You need better signals — the right data, the right story structure, and the willingness to experiment relentlessly.

Turning Virality Into a Science

Most creators who get stuck at 100–500 views aren’t doing bad work — they’re just missing the key patterns. Jenny Hoyos, Shani, and other viral analysts all agree: the difference between 100 views and 100K often comes down to the first 3–5 seconds. That’s where the magic happens — a strong visual cue, a line that sparks emotion or curiosity, and a reason to keep watching until the end. Everything after that is just delivery. If your content isn’t landing, don’t focus on quantity — focus on crafting the right hook and retention loop.

Jenny didn’t just get lucky once; she built a repeatable system. Her story shows that going viral on the internet isn’t mystery or chance — it’s a craft that combines empathy, storytelling, and data. As she puts it: “Going viral is simple — if you treat it like science, not magic.” Master the science, and you’ve mastered the ultimate secret to how to go viral on the internet.