How to create viral content with Luke Lewis

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How to create viral content with Luke Lewis

By The Guardian Masterclasses

Date and time

Monday, January 12, 2015 · 6:30 - 9:30pm GMT

Location

The Guardian

Kings Place 90 York Way London N1 9GU United Kingdom

Refund Policy

Contact the organizer to request a refund.

Description

Learn how to produce awesome online content that users will want to share, with BuzzFeed UK's editor-in-chief

In the online media popularity contest, strong communities and viral content go hand in hand. This course shows you how to build both. Social news and entertainment company BuzzFeed are epically legendary for their ability to drive huge numbers of shares of their content across Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. In this lively, evening seminar, UK editor-in-chief Luke Lewis reveals their secrets, dissecting examples of BuzzFeed's most successful viral posts to identify what makes them so infectious.

You'll learn how to create a basic social media strategy to help you establish an online presence that users want to engage with. You'll also receive an introduction to social trendspotting, and learn how to create content that piggybacks on existing conversations to help it go viral. The event also provides technical tips to help you produce eminently shareable Vines and GIFs, optimise your content for mobile and social consumption and – most importantly – measure your success to ensure you give your community what they want.

This course is for you if...

  • You're a blogger who wants to get more attention for your work
  • You're a journalist or editor who wants to create content that more people will see and share
  • You're a journalism student who wants to understand the social news and content landscape

Course description

This large-scale seminar explains the basics of community building and viral content creation, using successful examples from BuzzFeed's history to illustrate best practice in both fields. Topics covered on the evening include:

  • How to create a social media strategy from scratch
  • Where to focus your resources
  • How to build your audience and social media presence
  • How to make your content shareable
  • Tech tips and tricks, including how to make GIFs and Vines
  • How to detect what is going viral on the wider web
  • How to measure success

Tutor profile

Luke Lewis is editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed UK. He was recently named Editors' Editor of the year at the BSME Awards, and selected as one of the 1000 most influential Londoners by the Evening Standard. He is the author of the humour book, Quick Pint After Work, And Other Everyday Lies.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website

Organized by

Welcome to Guardian Masterclasses – a unique programme of learning embedded within one of the world's most forward-thinking media organisations.

We offer a broad range of short and long courses across a variety of disciplines from creative writing, journalism, photography and design, film and digital media, music and cultural appreciation.

Harnessing the expertise and specialisms within the organisation, our courses are led by first class and award winning guardian professionals whilst also drawing on the skills and expertise of other leading figures at the forefront of the creative and digital industries.

The programme is aimed at anyone interested in personal or professional development whether that be refining your skills, focusing your ambition or simply broadening your mind and gaining inspiration.

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