Whether it’s a dog saving a soccer goal, a mascot’s head-scratching antics or a football player’s troll-tastic handshake, viral sports moments capture the world’s imagination and create enduring memories. These micro-moments break down barriers across language, time zones and sport to help athletes and teams connect with fans in new ways and create a community of team loyalty.
The Olympics have been a busy place this year with the likes of “pommel horse guy” winning bronze, Ilona Maher rumbling over Aussies and Steph Curry knocking out France. But outside of the arena, there were also some wacky, head-scratching moments that left us all asking what the hell?
When creating content that you want to go viral, keep Berger’s mantra in mind – a story that’s “built to show, built to grow” is more likely to succeed. This means avoiding overly-sentimental, polarizing opinion pieces, NSFW content or anything else that may prevent the audience from sharing the story on their social media channels. When in doubt, test your article on a friend or family member and listen to their reactions. If they gasp or sigh with exasperation, your story probably needs some work.