How to Go Viral: 3 Ways Giving A Heartfelt TED Talk Can Help

Of course, true thought leaders understand that how to go viral does not usually come down to a single blog post or email newsletter. However, when you create content that truly resonates with your target audience, you are on your way to influence.

What Is A TED Talk?

What Is A Viral TED Talk?

Eli Nash was a successful entrepreneur, but he wanted to share his struggles and lessons about the controversial issues of sex and porn addiction. Thought-Leader helped him get clear on his idea and mission. His TEDx talk now has over four million views and has led to praise and a partnership with two-time NBA champion, Lamar Odon, as well as landing top podcasts and media. While Eli didn’t know how to go viral, he did know the power of the TEDx stage and he has now influenced millions.

Media Feature, Defined:

If you are a thought leader and want to be featured, you may be closer than you think. This possibility is due in part because specific industries focus more on credibility than creativity. If you are a thought leader, it’s likely that audiences already view you as credible.

For example, if you are a doctor who regularly publishes your research in medical journals, you are likely already known as a thought leader due to your credibility. This credibility will aid you as you work toward a media feature because those in your field already respect you.

How Giving A TED Talk Can Help You Go Viral

Whether you work with small businesses or large business owners, creating thought leadership content you can take to the stage is a big step in the right direction. Let’s start with how landing a TEDx talk can help you publish a bestselling book.

1. Help You Become A New York Times Best Seller

It’s impossible to discern when a talk will go viral, but the more views you rack up, the higher probability that publishers or literary agents might see your talk and ask you to consider writing a book.

There are two main ways to garner the interest of major publications:

• Leverage your talk to create platform
• Write a book after your presentation

Let’s briefly break this down.

Leverage Your Talk To Create Platform

You can leverage your talk to create a viable platform if you want to pitch a book. Now more than ever, publishers are interested in a term called “platform.” Social media followers, speaking engagements, and newsletter subscribers are part of your platform.

Once you give a successful TEDx Talk, you actively build your platform. Since TED is a reputable organization with the potential to help you go viral, by simply giving a TEDx Talk, you can arouse the interest of publishers.

Write A Book After Your Presentation

After giving your talk, you can expand your stage minutes into a book. If you have already spent so much time outlining, drafting, and editing your talk, you probably firmly believe in the necessity of your topic.

Due to your passion and belief in your talk, you can go deeper and flesh out many aspects, chapter by chapter. Once you write a book, your TEDx Talk will have even more years. This platform can help boost sales and perhaps even enable you to hit a bestseller list. For example, Kevin Breel gave a talk on depression, and today he is a New York Times bestselling author.

2. Millions Of Youtube Views Gets You Noticed

Eli Nash presented his TEDx Talk in Fort Wayne. Little did he know his presentation would gain over 4 million views on YouTube. While he may not have ever assumed the term “thought leader” would apply to him, presenting his heartfelt talk opened opportunities he may never have pursued otherwise.

YouTube is in a sense, a type of free press release that enables speakers to grow their views simply by posting their talk. For example, when you give a TEDx Talk, your presentation is shared on YouTube, and the views can start rolling in.

Of course, it’s vital to give the best impression possible so when those views grow you put your best foot forward. Mastering your communication style, crafting your talk point by point, and even choosing what to wear are critical steps in the process.

While these may seem like small steps, every choice you make can be utilized to share your message in the best way possible. What works for someone else may not work for you. Speaking style is subjective, but viewers know when someone truly means what they say. Take the time necessary to hone your talk so viewers will want to watch, share, and rewatch your talk.

3. Get Featured Across The Media

Imagine leveraging your expertise as a health and wellness professional to reach a global audience. You may already have a strong impact within your community, but what if you could take it even further?

By teaming up with Leadr, you can dramatically expand your reach. A well-placed TEDx talk, for example, has the potential to gain millions of views, positioning you as a trusted voice in your industry. As visibility grows, so does your influence—your social media following and email list could skyrocket into the tens of thousands.

With this level of exposure, your schedule could fill up quickly, leading to opportunities you once only dreamed of. Instead of chasing media features, press and podcast invitations start coming to you. Major publications take notice, and suddenly, you find yourself recognized as a leader in your space.

A single media opportunity, like a TEDx talk, could be the key to unlocking doors to national TV appearances, top-tier publications, and more. With the right strategy, your message could be amplified on a global scale—establishing you as a household name in your industry.

Implementation: 1 Way To Improve Your TED Talk Strategy Today

Additionally, public speaking helps give you the platform to eventually share your message as a literal story—your book. So regardless of whether you hope to become a New York Times bestseller, go viral on YouTube, or get views across other media sources, TEDx can help you start this journey.

However, there is one step that can drastically help you improve your TED Talk strategy today. You’ve heard the adage “it takes a village,” which couldn’t be more true when it comes to TED. So many types of people will compose your audience, and it’s crucial to craft a talk that relates to them.

If you’ve never spoken for TED before, this can seem intimidating. Thankfully, we’ve built a team to help you go from ideation to execution of your idea. Then, all you have to do is implement the methods we’ve studied to help make your talk the best possible.

Public speaking is one of the world’s greatest fears, but it is also one of the best ways to share your message with the masses. Surrounded by a team of like-minded individuals and equipped with a talk that will impact your listeners, who knows, you may be the next speaker to go viral.

There’s only one step left to take. The first step is often the most difficult, but it is also life-changing. It’s time to speak from the heart, leverage the TEDx stage, and share your story. The world is waiting.