Campbell Barron's TikTok Formula For Viral Videos

Campbell Barron's TikTok Formula For Viral Videos

Campbell Barron is an absolute superstar.

At 18, he's an advisor at WorkWeek, a media company putting creators at the forefront.

And a creator that built an audience of 100K+ on TikTok in less than a year.

No viral dance videos.

Just quality content in a niche topic for TikTok: Tech News.

So, we chatted and he gave me the rundown on how he formulates viral videos.

And specifically the formula behind his most viral video with 2.0M views.

It's not only that the video got 2M views but it also had a 95% completion rate which is nuts.

This is important because TikTok rewards videos with the highest watch time.

And a video with a high watch time will reach more people.

So, let's dissect Campbell's most viral video.

Formula Time

For Campbell, he’s found a video formula that works best and consistently uses it to structure his videos.

And as he suggests, fitting this formula into a video that is 30 seconds or less is key.

Let’s run through each element one by one.

1. The Hook

This is your first sentence. The headline.

And what's going to get people to stop scrolling.

For it to be effective it should last 2-3 seconds.

Campbell's Hook: This startup literally got squeezed to death.

How do you come up with a good hook?

Think in headlines.

Campbell walked me through how he would skim TechCrunch, read the headlines, and figure out which headline could be spun into a hook.

1. Body

Your body sets the story. And compliments the hook.

But shouldn't run for too long or you'll bore your audience and they'll continue on with a scroll.

Instead, keep it around 7-12 seconds.

In Campbell's video, the body lasted exactly 10 seconds.

Plus, he used different clips, images, and fast cuts to keep the viewer engaged.

And he finished it with a cliff-hanger.

Priming the viewer with his...

1. Second Hook

Because halfway through, your audience is going to get bored if you continue to ramble.

And your second hook is the bridge to completion.

So, your second hook's goal is to grab their attention again.

Campbell's Second Hook: But there was one major flaw...

1. Second Body

Again, this compliments the second hook and reels the audience in.

Too long, and you kill your watch time potential.

Cut the fluff.

And get straight to the point.

So, the viewer keeps their eyes glued to the screen.

Campbell says to keep this body even shorter than the first one.

1. Conclusion

Lastly, bring it home.

Campbell's conclusion wraps up the story and puts the icing on top.

Putting It Together

Campbell's viral TikTok formula comes down to: hook x body x hook x body x conclusion.

While keeping it short, sweet, and to the point within a 20 - 30 second window.