How to write a viral article with millions of views on X?

Written by: Rosie

Compiled by: AididiaoJP, Foresight News

This is a lesson on "how to write content that gets shared like crazy".

A few questions might pop into your head right now:

• Who are you? What makes you think you're qualified to teach us?

• If you're so great, why don't you write your own viral article?

• Why should I worry about whether my articles can be shared?

The answers are as follows:

• About a year ago, I became obsessed with studying articles on X, and later I wrote a few viral articles myself (more than 20 in total). The hit rate wasn't incredible, but it was enough to give me some insights.

• I'm 100% certain I'll be a billionaire someday, so you can have the $1 million reward; I really don't care about that little bit of money (I'm serious). To be honest: if someone with more followers than me uses this method, my account is basically doomed, and I also have a full-time job to manage.

• Every viral article you see becomes popular solely through "quotes and reposts." The article itself is merely the trigger; the reposts with comments are the real engine of its spread.

So, if you're convinced, welcome to the "X Viral Article Beginner's Course".

If you're still not convinced... please use my article to post an angry quote or forward it, or complain about the cover image I chose (black and red are still red, right?).

First of all, let me state: this article does not teach you how to create inflammatory or spam content.

So, if you're here for tips on "how to make controversial statements about women in the tech industry to grab attention," you can leave now.

Okay, now for the real stuff...

1. You must have a viewpoint, and a clear one at that.

If you can't do this, then I really can't help you. I'm sorry. This isn't just a perfunctory response; it's the truth.

Perhaps it's not entirely hopeless. You could try thinking outside the box and experimenting with different writing styles to make people want to stop and read. But since I said I wouldn't teach how to create trashy or inflammatory content, you should learn that trick elsewhere.

Let's get back to the topic of "having opinions".

What can I say... You need to have some kind of "ruthlessness" in you. If you have no opinion on anything, why should we read what you write? Seriously, if you have nothing to say, then why say anything at all?

If you want to develop your own opinions, my advice is... learn more? Read more books, communicate more with people. Don't stay home all the time; go out and gain some real life experiences. Don't just scroll through social media and repeat what you see. Sorry, that's all the advice I have. There are no shortcuts to shaping your personality, at least I haven't found any.

2. Think carefully about who you are writing this for.

We all know that classic structure: an eye-catching opening, background introduction, story progression, summary of viewpoints, and call to action.

This is a well-worn topic.

But honestly... before I start writing, I think first about "who is the reader," not "how to structure the text." The structure is just a container; the reader decides what's inside.

If you really want to write a viral piece, you need to target a wider audience, or choose a topic that ordinary people can also be interested in. Yes, you can't please everyone (trying to please everyone often results in pleasing no one), but some topics simply have universal appeal.

For example: I work in the cryptocurrency industry and write mostly about cryptocurrency or crypto marketing, so my potential audience is obviously small. I've accepted that my ceiling is "somewhat well-known in the crypto Twitter community."

But if you write about "how to completely change your life in one day"—the potential audience is much larger.

So before you start writing, ask yourself: Am I writing this for 50 people, 50,000 people, or 50 million people? Any choice is valid, but you need to understand what game you're playing. Don't write something niche and then be surprised that it didn't get a million views.

3. Give them a reason to care.

A captivating opening can attract readers to click in, but it won't keep them there.

Time is precious, and we won't read every single thing on this platform, even if it's good. You're competing with countless browser tabs, push notifications, and the habit of spending 45 minutes scrolling through your phone after a "just a quick glance" attitude. The barrier to grabbing attention is incredibly low these days.

So what should you do? Empathize with them and address their pain points. Make them feel understood. By the time your background introduction ends, the reader should be thinking, "Wow, this person really hit the nail on the head." They should feel like you've entered their minds and understood their unspoken thoughts.

If they don't feel that way, they'll shut it down immediately. Back to the information stream—the opportunity was given to you, but you didn't seize it. It's that simple.

4. Write about what people think but don't say.

Some of the most viral content comes from revealing unspoken secrets. Those "unspoken rules," those moments when "finally someone dared to speak out," those moments that people screenshot and share in group chats with the caption "Got it!"

Why does this tactic work? Because people are afraid. Afraid of saying the wrong thing, afraid of being judged, afraid of being bothered by those idle, argumentative "know-it-alls" online. But when you speak out, they can express their agreement without any risk. You bear the blame, they enjoy the resonance.

Just don't be too much of a jerk. There's a difference between "having opinions" and "being a troll for attention." The former makes you interesting, while the latter only makes you someone others "laugh at but won't unfollow."

5. Make it "easy to share"

If you want people to share your articles, you need to lower the barrier to entry. Here's how:

Make the reader feel smart

This is the ultimate secret; memorize it.

When others share your articles, they're trying to make themselves look smart, not you. The best viral articles make readers feel like they're part of a small, knowledgeable circle, that they're the main characters, and you're just a supporting character helping them recognize their own talent.

Perhaps they've thought this all along but no one listened, or perhaps they've always thought it but dared not say it. In any case, sharing your article has become a way for them to say, "See? I knew that all along. How smart I am. Praise me!"

You are not the hero of the story; they are. Your writing is merely a tool for them to showcase their intelligence. Accept this, and your content will travel further.

Example:

Help them "pass on messages" (to their boss, colleagues, friends, or anyone else).

Sometimes people share content because it helps them convey certain information to others without having to say it themselves. Your article then becomes their preferred weapon for "elegant吐槽" (a form of online commentary/criticism).

Creating "golden quote" moments

You should prepare some sentences that catch the eye and make people want to screenshot or copy and share them. Not every sentence needs to be a gem (that would be too tiring to read), but there should be a few that make people exclaim, "Wow, this is amazing, I have to save it!"

Didn't the last thing you shared contain at least one sentence that made you think, "Wow, that's so true!"? We share things that resonate with us. Give them content that touches their emotions.

Write a few sentences that, even without context, can stand alone as a complete piece and resonate deeply. That's your "screenshot material."

Give them a stage to "show themselves".

This trick is a bit "cunning," but it works very well.

Write content that allows people to talk about themselves by sharing your articles. You want them to say, "That's exactly what I do!" or "I've been using this trick for years, let me share my experience" or "Let me add one of my tips."

You've essentially given them a stage. Your article becomes their excuse to share their achievements, personal insights, and professional qualifications. They share it not because they love your article so much, but because it gives them a chance to "inadvertently" showcase themselves without seeming like forced praise.

The "negative framing" is particularly effective here. For example, an article titled "Why Does Nobody Read Your Writing?" will be shared by those who "have readers" to show that they are different from the "losers." Your article becomes the backdrop for their display of superiority.

So when you're writing, ask yourself: How would others subtly showcase their achievements or viewpoints by sharing this article?

This sparked a discussion (not an attempt to start a fight, but rather a clash of genuine viewpoints).

Sparking discussion by holding genuine opinions is one thing, and deliberately creating conflict for the sake of traffic is another. The former builds a readership that truly respects you, while the latter only turns you into a "clown" who has people watching the spectacle but no one genuinely likes you.

The key is: if you genuinely believe in a viewpoint, say it. If anyone is "offended," that's their problem. You're not responsible for other people's feelings. But if you're just spouting controversial nonsense to get attention, and you don't even believe it yourself… we can tell. We always can. Algorithms might not be able to tell, but humans can.

One last piece of advice: Without individuality, all techniques are just empty talk.

I can give you all the writing frameworks in the world, tell you about audience analysis, opening techniques, pain point discovery, and sentence-making. I can give you a perfect writing checklist to follow every time.

But if you lack genuine perspectives and a distinct personality, and simply try to mechanically cater to algorithms with soulless content... it won't work. Or, you might succeed once by chance, but then you'll be forever trapped in the anxiety of "copying viral content," slowly losing yourself.

The best content always comes from people who are truly thinking. It comes from those who have a stance they are willing to defend, who are not afraid to make mistakes occasionally (because at least they have stood up for something), and who would rather be interesting than complacent.

So before trying any techniques, ask yourself: Do I really have something to say?

If the answer is no, then go and live your life well first. Read books that challenge your understanding, do experiences that aren't designed for "content creation," chat with people who have different opinions, and form some truly original viewpoints instead of simply repeating what influential figures say.

If the answer is yes, then don't be afraid to speak up. The worst outcome is that you're wrong, but you've learned something. The second worst outcome is that nobody cares. In either case, you won't die.