How to write viral articles with millions of views on X?

Author: rosie

Edited by: AididiaoJP, Foresight News

This is a class on “How to write content that can be wildly reposted.”

You might now have a few questions popping into your mind:

Who are you? Why do you think you’re qualified to teach us?

You’re so awesome, why don’t you write a viral post yourself?

Why should I care whether my articles get reposted?

The answers are as follows:

About a year ago, I started obsessively studying articles on X, and later I wrote a few viral posts myself (a total of over 20). The hit rate isn’t mind-blowing, but enough to give me some insights.

I am 100% convinced that I will become a billionaire someday, so you can take this million-dollar reward— I really don’t care about that little money (I’m serious). To be honest: if there are fans with more followers than me using this method, my account is basically doomed, and I also have a full-time job to keep busy.

Because every super viral article you see, going viral depends entirely on “quote reposts.” The article itself is just an introduction; those comment-laden reposts are the real engine of dissemination.

So, if I’ve convinced you, welcome to the “X Viral Post Beginner Course.”

If you’re still not convinced… please post a quote repost full of anger, or roast my chosen cover image (black and red are also red).

First, a disclaimer: this article does not teach you how to create inflammatory trash content.

So, if you’re here to learn “how to make controversial remarks about women in the tech industry to grab attention,” you can exit now.

Alright, now for the real content…

1. Have a clear, distinctive point of view

If you can’t do this, I really can’t help you. Sorry. This isn’t a perfunctory remark; it’s the truth.

Maybe there’s still hope. You can try stepping outside the box, playing with the format of your articles to make people stop and look. But since I said I don’t teach how to create trash or inflammatory content, you’d better learn that somewhere else.

Back to “having a point of view.”

What can I say… you need to have some “edge” in your bones. If you have no opinions on anything, why should we read what you write? Honestly, if you have nothing to say, why bother saying anything?

To develop a point of view, my advice is… learn more stuff??? Read more books, talk more with people. Don’t just stay at home, go get some real-life experiences. Don’t just scroll X and repeat what you see. Sorry, that’s all I can suggest. Building a personality has no shortcuts—I haven’t found any, at least.

2. Know who you’re writing for

We all know the classic structure: eye-catching opening, background introduction, story development, conclusion of your viewpoint, call to action.

Old news.

But honestly… before I start writing each time, I think first about “who is the reader,” not “how to structure it.” Structure is just a container; the reader decides what goes inside.

If you really want to create a viral post, you need to target a broader audience or pick a topic that even ordinary people find interesting. Yes, you can’t satisfy everyone (trying to please everyone often results in no one being satisfied), but some topics have universal appeal.

For example: I work in the cryptocurrency industry, writing mainly about crypto or crypto marketing, so my potential audience size is obviously limited. I’ve accepted that my ceiling is “a bit famous in the crypto Twitter circle.”

But if you write “How to completely change your life in 1 day”—that potential audience is much larger.

So before you start, ask yourself: Am I writing for 50 people, 50,000 people, or 50 million people? All choices are valid, but you need to be clear about what game you’re playing. Don’t write niche content and then be surprised why it doesn’t get a million views.

3. Give them a reason to care

A compelling opening can attract readers to click in, but it won’t keep them.

Time is precious. We won’t read every piece on this platform, even if the content is good. You’re competing with countless browser tabs, push notifications, and those “just one look” habits that turn into 45 minutes on your phone. Now, grabbing attention has become ridiculously easy.

So what to do? Empathize with them, speak to their pain points. Make them feel “You understand me.” By the time your background section ends, the reader should be thinking: “Wow, this person really gets me.” They should feel like you’ve drilled into their mind, understanding their unspoken thoughts.

If they don’t feel that way, they’ll close immediately. The opportunity was there—you missed it. That’s all.

4. Talk about what people think but don’t say

Some of the most viral content is because it reveals everyone’s unspoken secrets. Those “default rules,” those “finally someone dares to say it” moments, those screenshots with “懂！” (“Got it!”) in group chats.

Why does this work? Because people are afraid. Afraid of saying the wrong thing, afraid of judgment, afraid of being tangled with those idle “know-it-alls” who love to argue online. But when you say it out loud, they can agree without risk. They can share the blame, enjoy the resonance.

Just don’t be a jerk about it. “Having a point of view” and “arguing just for attention” are different. The former makes you interesting; the latter just makes you a target for others to “laugh at and unfollow.”

5. Make it “easy to share”

If you want people to repost your article, you need to lower the barrier:

Make them feel smart

This is the ultimate secret, engraved in your mind.

When others share your article, they want to look smart, not you. The best viral posts make readers feel like they’re part of a “know-how” circle; they are the protagonists, and you’re just helping them recognize their own talents.

Maybe they’ve always thought so but no one listened; maybe they’ve always thought so but didn’t dare say it. Anyway, sharing your article becomes their way of saying “See? I knew it. I’m so smart. Praise me.”

You’re not the hero of the story; they are. Your article is just a tool for them to showcase their intelligence. Accept this, and your content will spread further.

Examples:

Help them “pass on the message” (to boss, colleagues, friends, or anyone)

Sometimes people repost content because it helps them convey certain messages to others without having to speak directly. Your article becomes their “elegant way to vent.”

Create “golden quotes” moments

Prepare some eye-catching, screenshot-worthy, or copy-forward sentences. Not every sentence needs to be a golden quote (that’s tiring to read), but a few moments that make people exclaim, “Wow, I need to save this.”

Haven’t you at least once shared something that made you think, “Wow, this is so true”? We share things that move us. Give them content that stirs emotions.

Write a few sentences that, even out of context, can stand alone and hit home. That’s your “screenshot material.”

Give them a stage for “self-presentation”

This trick is a bit “cunning,” but very effective.

Write some content that makes people use sharing your article as a way to talk about themselves. When they quote or repost, they might say “This is exactly how I do it!” or “I’ve been using this trick for years—sharing my experience” or “Let me add my own tip.”

You’re essentially giving them a stage. Your article becomes a reason for them to share their achievements, opinions, or credentials. They repost not because they love your article, but because it gives them an “unintentional” opportunity to show off themselves without seeming to brag.

“Negative framing” works especially well here. For example, an article titled “Why No One Reads What You Write” will be shared by those who want to show they’re different from “failures.” Your article becomes their backdrop to show superiority.

So when writing, ask yourself: how will others cleverly use sharing this article to showcase their own achievements or viewpoints?

Spark discussion (not controversy, but genuine clash of viewpoints)

Having real opinions that trigger discussion is different from deliberately creating conflict for traffic. The former builds a genuine audience that respects you; the latter just makes you a clown for spectators who enjoy watching but don’t truly like you.

The key: if you truly believe in a viewpoint, say it. If someone gets “offended,” that’s their problem. You don’t need to be responsible for others’ emotions. But if you just say controversial nonsense to get attention and don’t believe it yourself… we can tell. Always can. Algorithms might not distinguish, but people do.

Final insight: without personality, all techniques are empty talk

I can give you every writing framework in the world—audience analysis, opening tricks, pain point digging, golden quote creation. I can list a perfect writing checklist for you to follow every time.

But if you don’t have genuine opinions, a distinctive personality, just trying to mechanically cater to algorithms with soulless content… it won’t work. Or maybe you’ll succeed by luck once, then forever be trapped in the anxiety of “copying viral posts,” gradually losing yourself.

The best content always comes from those who are truly thinking. From those who have a stance worth defending, who aren’t afraid to make mistakes sometimes (because at least they stand for something), and who prefer to be interesting rather than bland.

So before trying any tricks, ask yourself: do I really have something to say?

If the answer is no, then go live your life well first. Read books that challenge your cognition, do experiences not designed just to “produce content,” talk to people with different opinions, form some real personal viewpoints instead of just parroting big influencers.

If the answer is yes, don’t be afraid—say it out loud. The worst that can happen is you’re wrong, but you’ll learn something. The second worst is no one cares. Neither situation will kill you.