Social media has changed the world as we know it. Whether you’re a fan of it or not, we must adapt our businesses to the constantly changing digital landscape to stay ahead of our competitors.

Apparel brands are no exception, especially if your target market consists of the social-savvy younger generations.

But how do some apparel brands make it big with social media? Well, a lot of them craft social media campaigns with viral potential. It takes a combination of creativity, relevance, timing, and luck to achieve viral success. It’s like the perfect storm—but instead of torrential rain and strong winds, you need the ideal mix of content, strategy, and an audience primed to share.

It’s a tall order for sure—but not impossible. So, we’re here to break some tips down for you.

What Do Most Viral Social Media Campaigns Have in Common?

Sure, going viral often requires a little bit of luck. However, there are some components of a successful social media campaign that are within your control.

Let’s take a look at a few important factors:

Relevance

The most important component of any viral campaign is relevance. Your content must be timely and relevant to the current cultural landscape if you want it to catch on with your target market. If you’re selling a new fashion line, for example, figure out what trends are dominating the conversation in your industry right now and build on that.

Authenticity

It’s also important to be authentic rather than cheesy or salesy with your content. If users feel like they’re being sold to, they’ll quickly click away. Remember: you want them to engage and share, not run away.

Creativity

Your audience is constantly bombarded with ads. To stand out, you need to be creative and eye-catching with your visuals and messaging. Get creative with your content ideas, don’t just copy the competition—remember, no one wants the same thing twice!

Timing

Timing is key when it comes to going viral on social media. You want to post while your audience is most active and the news cycle is buzzing about your topic. That way, you can capitalize on the hype and gain a lot of attention quickly.

Content is King!

Want to know which type of content has viral potential? Here are a few pointers:

Videos

Video content performs incredibly well on social media—it gets shared more often than other types of content and captures viewers’ attention better. Try creating behind-the-scenes videos or fashion collection videos to gain more interest in your products.

Influencer Content

Partnering with influencers can be a great way to get your brand out there on social media. Look for influencers who fit the look and feel of your brand, that have an engaged following, and whose audience is part of your target market. That way, you can get the most out of your partnership.

Interactive Content

Come up with creative ideas for content that will pique viewers’ interests and inspire them to share. You could create polls, quizzes, or ‘spot the difference’ posts—just make sure it ties in with your brand message and is creative enough to capture your audience’s attention.

Social Media Ads

Finally, don’t forget about social media ads. They can be a great way to get your products out there and build an engaged audience quickly. Create ads that are eye-catching and that cater specifically to your target market for the best results.

How to Prime Your Products to Go Viral

Here’s the thing—even if you have great marketing, content, and timing, you still need products your customers will love. Here are factors that can help make sure your products stand out:

Memorable Designs

Your product should have a unique design that stands out from the competition. It’s important to create designs that are eye-catching and memorable, as this will give customers an incentive to share your products with others.

Quality Materials

In addition to having great designs, you should also make sure your products are made with quality materials that will stand the test of time. Customers want to know their purchases will last, so put extra effort into selecting and sourcing the best raw materials. (P.S. If you don’t want to do that, don’t sweat it—at Scrappy Apparel, we do all the work to source the highest quality materials for you.)

Unique Features

Your product should also have unique features that make it stand out from the competition. Focus on creating something that has never been seen before—this will get people talking and increase your chances of going viral. Our cut-and-sew and specialty screen printing services can help you create one-of-a-kind products no one has ever seen before.

Examples of Brands That Went Viral on Social Media

Sometimes, the best way to get inspiration is to look at other successful brands. Here are a few examples of brands that are killing the social media game:

Gymshark

Gymshark is a British fitness apparel brand that clearly knows its target market well. Instead of posting promotional content, the brand focuses on sharing funny gym videos. Hilarious videos are highly shareable, which is why Gymshark has been able to attract millions of followers. Social media is a top-of-funnel marketing tool for them, and it seems to be paying off!

Source:@chelseysanchez1 on TikTok

Crocs

Think you left Crocs in the early 2000s? Think again! The brand has been able to stay relevant through celebrity collaborations. For example, Post Malone and Bad Bunny have both collaborated with Crocs on limited-edition collections. These collaborations sparked a ton of interest and got people talking—and buying!

Additionally, Crocs launched the #ThousandDollarCrocs challenge in 2019, where they invited people to create the most outrageous designs. This encouraged followers to get creative and express their personality by showing what their $1,000 Crocs would look like. The campaign boosted the brand’s engagement and also increased sales.

Boohoo

Boohoo is a fashion e-commerce brand that knows how to make effective use of sponsored influencer posts. By partnering up with popular influencers, Boohoo is able to share its products with a larger audience. Additionally, the influencers’ followers trust their recommendations, so it makes customers more likely to purchase.

Boohoo has also seen a lot of success with its social media contests, where followers can win free clothes just by tagging friends. This helps increase engagement and brand awareness.

How Scrappy Apparel Can Help Your Brand Become a Viral Sensation

So, how does Scrappy Apparel fit into this viral equation? Well, in order to go viral, you must have top-tier products first. We can definitely help you with that.

We offer a variety of custom apparel services to help you manufacture the products of your dreams. Whether you need screen printing, sublimation, and/or cut and sew services, we have you covered. We source materials, develop garment patterns, and do basically all the hard work for you so you can focus on what you do best: creating products that are sure to go viral!

Let’s Get This Show on the Road!