By popular demand, we’re breaking down the key factors for driving more traffic to your tutorials. Bonus? By posting tutorials along these guidelines on Upstyle, you will also significantly increase the likelihood of getting your Upstyle tutorials regularly featured in our daily email!
Factor 1: Is it relatable?
Readers are most interested in ideas they can relate to, such as upgrading an old pair of jeans, revamping a plain t-shirt, or turning an unflattering dress into something chic. When people can relate to the problem you’re solving, they become more interested in the solution. Furthermore, the more accessible your solution is to them, meaning they already own or can buy the materials and they have the skills to do it themselves, the more excited they will be about your tutorial.
Questions to ask yourself:
Is this idea relevant and applicable to many people?
Am I solving a problem that many people have? Is this something people would want to use or wear often? Is this doable for people with a range of sewing skills?
Are the items I’m using easily found in stores or in people’s closets?
Hot tip: When photographing the steps for your tutorial, think about the relatable elements and include those photos in your post. For example: your jean jacket “before” the makeover or the curtains you’re about to transform.
Factor 2. Is it innovative?
Innovative tutorials show ordinary items being turned into extraordinary clothing and accessories, find clever solutions to common problems, and are affordable and doable while creating a high-impact, great looking end result. “Wow, I would never have thought of that!” pretty much sums up a reader’s reaction to an innovative idea.
Questions to ask yourself:
Are you solving a common problem in a new way?
Are you finding a new use for a common item?
Are you getting a high-end look for less?
Hot tip: Readers love finding new ways to turn ordinary items into stylish and trendy clothing and accessories. Ask yourself, “what awesome thing can I turn this into?”
Factor 3: Is the end result impressive?
Impressive is subjective and defining it can be a bit tough, but here’s one easy way to think about it. What ideas make you stop in admiration when scrolling through Pinterest or instagram? What are the ideas you immediately hit share or save on because they're just so gorgeous and well executed? The key here is to get a beautifully styled and photographed “after” picture of your idea showing how all of your hard work paid off!
Questions to ask yourself:
Would I share a photo of myself wearing this on my Facebook newsfeed?
Would I send this idea to a friend if I saw it on instagram?
Does my after photo do this tutorial justice?
Hot tip: look back at your Upstyle tutorials that have thousands of views. What made those ideas impressive? How can you replicate that?
Factor 4: Is the tutorial high quality?
“High quality” refers to the quality of photos and copy. A tutorial can be highly relatable and impressive, but if it is poorly written and hard to follow or the photos are dimly lit and grainy, the tutorial will not land with people the same way.
Question to ask yourself:
Would a reader be able to replicate this idea by reading my tutorial?
How would I rate the quality of my photos on a scale from 1-10, ten being the highest?
Factor 5: Is the project too simple?
Too simple either means that most people know how to copy this idea without a tutorial (i.e. beading a necklace) or that this idea has been done so many times in so many variations that people know it by heart. For example, basic tie dying techniques or simple headbands. These types of tutorials must include an innovative element in order to achieve virality.
Question to ask yourself:
What is one surprising element I can add to an otherwise simple idea that’ll take it from boring to wow?!
Factor 6: Is the tutorial too technical?
This one’s very subjective to the audience you’re speaking to so we’ll frame it in the context of the Upstyle audience. Tutorials geared towards beginner and intermediate sewers perform best on Upstyle. Therefore, tutorials involving advanced sewing, machinery, or skills that are not accessible to the average person are less likely to be featured. Cricut projects are a great example - while we love the incredible ideas being made using Cricut and Silhouette machines, those projects would be considered too technical, since most Upstyle readers don’t have access to those machines.
Point to remember:
You don’t need to hit every one of these factors perfectly in order to get a viral hit. The goal is to evaluate your tutorial through this lens and try to meet as many of these factors as possible.
Summary:
The four key factors for increasing the likelihood of your tutorials going viral (and being featured on Upstyle!) are relatable, innovative, impressive, and quality.
The two factors that decrease that likelihood are too simple and too technical.
By creating tutorials along these guidelines, you will significantly increase the likelihood of your tutorials going viral, which includes getting thousands of views on Upstyle and regular features in the Upstyle email.
Questions? Feedback?
We love hearing from you!
For the Blogger Traffic Program: nicole@upstyledaily.com
For the Instagram Influencer Program: rachelj@upstyledaily.com