Contagious: Why Things Catch On | Jonah Berger | Talks at Google

Summary

Jonah Berger explores the psychology behind why certain content goes viral, emphasizing key drivers like emotions, social currency, and psychological triggers. He explains how high-arousal emotions (both positive and negative) increase the likelihood of content being shared, while low-arousal emotions decrease it. Berger also discusses the significance of measurable metrics and how they can influence behavior, both online and offline. Using examples like the popularity of cat content versus dog content, he illustrates how internet culture, humor, and relatable emotions shape the content people create and share.

Takeaways

• 😀 Emotion drives sharing: Both positive and negative emotions, especially those with high arousal, play a significant role in making content shareable.
• 😀 High arousal emotions lead to sharing: Content that evokes strong emotions, like anger or excitement, is more likely to be shared compared to content that evokes low arousal emotions like sadness.
• 😀 The 'Cosmo' effect: Articles that break down information into digestible, easy-to-follow tips (e.g., 'Six ways to do this') tend to be shared more.
• 😀 Physical activation increases sharing: Engaging in physical activity (like running in place) can trigger the body’s activation system, leading people to be more likely to share content.
• 😀 Social currency matters: People share content that helps them present a certain image of themselves—be it knowledgeable, funny, or in-the-know.
• 😀 Dark social is real: Although harder to measure, offline sharing (through channels like email and private chats) is still a significant part of the sharing process.
• 😀 Measurement changes behavior: Seeing metrics, like the number of social media followers, can alter behavior and increase people's desire for more followers or shares.
• 😀 Tracking offline sharing is difficult but possible: Methods like electronic recorders (EAR) can help measure offline conversations, but more attention is given to online data.
• 😀 Cat content is more shareable: Cats are more photogenic and have a wider range of expressions, making them more amenable to funny captions and viral content.
• 😀 The volume of cat content drives more sharing: Although cat-related content may not be more likely to be shared per piece, there is simply more cat content produced and shared overall.
• 😀 Cultural context influences sharing: Memes and viral content often reflect cultural trends, and people enjoy sharing things that demonstrate they are up-to-date with these trends.

Q & A

What is the 'Cosmo' effect mentioned in the transcript?

The 'Cosmo' effect refers to how articles or content that distill concepts into simple, actionable advice—like 'six secrets' or 'seven ways'—tend to get shared more. This structure makes the content easier to digest and more appealing for sharing.

How do positive and negative emotions impact sharing behavior?

Both positive and negative emotions influence sharing, but emotions that are high-arousal (like anger or excitement) lead to more sharing, while low-arousal emotions (like sadness or relaxation) decrease the likelihood of sharing. High-arousal emotions trigger action, while low-arousal ones encourage inaction.

What role does physiological activation play in sharing content?

Physiological activation, such as running in place, can increase the likelihood of sharing content. When the body is activated, individuals tend to infer that the content they are engaging with must be exciting or worth sharing, even if the content itself is unrelated to the physical activity.

Why does Jonah Berger emphasize measuring both online and offline word-of-mouth?

Jonah Berger points out that while much focus is placed on online word-of-mouth due to its measurability, offline sharing (like in-person conversations, emails, or chats) is just as important but harder to track. His research suggests that principles of effective sharing can apply to both realms, and companies should consider offline sharing when evaluating campaigns.

What is 'dark social' and how does it relate to word-of-mouth sharing?

'Dark social' refers to sharing that occurs in private, less visible spaces like email, chat apps, or private messages, as opposed to public social media platforms. Jonah Berger suggests that even though we can track online social interactions, much of word-of-mouth sharing still happens in these private, untrackable spaces.

How do metrics like the number of friends or followers impact behavior?

The visibility of metrics such as the number of friends on Facebook or followers on Twitter can influence behavior. People may engage more with these metrics—such as trying to increase their followers or friends—simply because they are visible and measurable, even if the metrics themselves don't always represent value.

What does Jonah Berger mean by 'social currency'?

Social currency refers to the value people get from sharing something that enhances their social standing or shows they are part of an in-the-know group. Sharing content that is humorous, trendy, or engaging, like viral cat videos, can serve as social currency because it signals to others that the person sharing is aware of current cultural trends.

Why are cat videos more likely to be shared compared to dog videos?

Jonah Berger suggests that while cats and dogs are both popular subjects, cats tend to have more varied facial expressions and postures that make them more versatile for humorous captions and internet culture. Cats' unpredictability and photogenic qualities make them more adaptable to the kinds of images that go viral, although dog-related content may still hold strong emotional appeal.

What does Jonah Berger mean when he says cats are 'photogenic'?

Jonah Berger explains that cats have a greater variety of facial expressions and body postures, which makes them more amenable to the humorous and often anthropomorphized captions and phrases that are commonly applied to viral internet images. This flexibility makes them more suitable for the types of content that get shared widely.

What is Jonah Berger's perspective on the role of emotion in viral content?

Emotion is a critical factor in what makes content go viral. Berger highlights that both positive and negative emotions—particularly those with high arousal—encourage sharing. Content that evokes strong feelings (whether positive or negative) is more likely to be shared because it generates excitement, engagement, or even controversy, making it more likely to spread.