“Going viral” is a social media term meaning exponential growth of content views (ShareProgress, 2015). This can be the number of views on a post, on a social media page, or even on a full website. Starting in a niche topic area, a presenter must grab the audience’s interest with quality content that expands their knowledge on the subject being discussed. Content creators must add to the conversation. The goal here is to encourage the audience to share what they have learned from the content with their connections on social media, who will then also share the information on their own platforms. After that, “going viral” is a domino effect of sharing and engagement that can be helped with paid ads to targeted audiences within or across social media platforms.
The article Does body language help a TED Talk go viral? 5 Nonverbal patterns from blockbuster talks posted on TED’s blog (TEDBlog) and written by Alison Prato details a study done by Science of People and segments of her interview with the author, Vanessa Van Edwards. The goal was to inform TED’s audience of intellectuals, presenters, and affiliates about tangible ways to help talks be more successful both live and online. TEDBlog is providing valuable, free insight for its audience. In doing so, the content managers are employing a pull-marketing technique to nurture their community in a way that is inline with the organization’s overall mission.
The Science of People team researched TED Talks to study “how to increase charisma, presence, and the personal power from a stage, in board rooms, and when interacting with people” (Van Edwards, 2015). Charisma, presence, and personal power are also essential for viral social media and marketing success. Many website building apps, like WIX, are advertising their ability to not crash if there is a sudden influx of visitors to your website; i.e. if your site goes viral. This is a brilliant marketing strategy and underlines the growing importance of companies and individuals protecting themselves from website crashes if their content should suddenly go viral. This applies to the potential growth of TED presenter’s websites and social media accounts as a response to a successful talk. Website builders, like WIX, are filling a need for new thinking around the growing waves of user interest that can strike like a tsunami and crash a website unprepared for the traffic. (Lee, 2022)
Importance of Going Viral: Two Perspectives
In the following sections, I will discuss the importance of going viral from two perspectives, that of the TED Talk presenter and that of the TED Talk social media manager. Both roles have different goals and uses of the findings reported in Prato’s TEDBlog article. Nonverbal communication is essential for both roles but it serves different purposes for them.
TED Presenter
For TED Talk presenters, going viral means that they have successfully shared their message. It is an easy measure of success and has a useful natural byproduct of user-generated response data that can inform further research. TED Talk presenters should be looking to employ the suggestions in the TEDBlog article (Prato, 2015). More specifically, presenters should be looking at how they can adjust their natural nonverbal behavior to better convey their message and connect with their audience.
The first piece of advice in TEDBlog’s article, “it's not what you say, it's how you say it”, is well-underlined by a TEDxNewYork talk given by Will Stephen in 2015. His talk about nothing has received over 12 million views on YouTube. He speaks for about five minutes, simply describing the ebb and flow of a successful presentation. He builds tension like he is guiding the audience to a conclusion but reminds them again and again that he is presenting them with no information whatsoever. Mr. Stephen verbally describes the different stages of a presentation (e.g. opening, telling an anecdote, etc.) while acting out the nonverbal accompaniment to the situations as they are described. He uses manners of speaking, word-pacing, hand gestures, and facial expressions to build and drive the flow of the talk. For example, verbally describing the process of telling a slightly embarrassing personal anecdote paired with a disarming shrug and head scratch (elbow all the way up), followed by a half smile to further charm the audience and begin building toward the “conclusion”. He references the importance of hand gestures and adjusting his glasses, which he later reveals to be only frames. He jokingly tells the audience he wore them to make himself look smarter rather than out of need. This is also a form of nonverbal communication. All of these tactics add to the charisma and relatability of the speaker. This presentation was done as a joke by two TED staffers but it makes a surprisingly astute point about the power of tonal and nonverbal persuasion techniques completely separate from the information being presented. He mentions that if someone saw his talk on social media without sound they would think he was talking about something he knew a lot about, but this is due solely to the power of his practiced nonverbal communication skills. (Stephen, 2015)
The article’s second conclusion “Jazz Hands Rock” makes perfect sense and is also underlined by Mr. Stephen’s 2015 talk about nothing. In the Science of People study, hand gestures had an undeniable effect on whether a video went viral. When a speaker uses their hands, it helps create a visual version of what they are talking about. The article states that “our hands are a nonverbal way to show and build trust” (Prato, 2015).
The third suggestion in the TEDBlog article, not scripting speeches and playing up vocal variety, was interesting as well. It also makes perfect sense. Speed, emphasis, pacing, and volume are classic tools in storytelling, which is one of the best methods for getting ideas across (Quesenberry, 2020). It was interesting to see the correlation between vocal variation and perceived credibility and charisma (Prato, 2015). In today’s social media world, storytelling to draw in an audience is becoming an evermore important marketing tool and it is certainly one that presenters should incorporate into how they share their research.
I was happy to see the fourth conclusion, that smiling was perceived as more intelligent. Perhaps it is the military ties in my family, but I was always taught that people saw more serious individuals as more intelligent or authoritative. For presenters, one must still moderate how much they are smiling and make it appropriate to the topic being discussed. In general, if a speaker is excited or passionate about what they are talking about, that shows through in how they talk about it. It makes sense that smiling adds to relatability for the audience. It humanizes the speaker (Prato, 2015).
Finally, the fifth conclusion that presenters have seven seconds to win over the audience underlines the importance of first impressions when presenting in front of a crowd or creating social media content. This finding shows the importance of a TED Talk presenter making a confident entrance. Speakers must send a strong message that ties to their feelings about the subject they are about to dive into. Using successful nonverbal communication as they walk onstage to begin their presentation lets the speaker take charge immediately and captivates the audience's attention from the moment they enter. The same is true of the audiences seeing the presenter online, though this form of information sharing can be helped a bit by video editing. The viral talks are more engaging because the nonverbal signals from the speaker draw the audience in which leads to better comprehension of the information presented. Nonverbal success helps capture more of their audience’s brain by engaging the visual in addition to the auditory. It promotes higher conceptual thought rather than static, purely informational thought. In the TEDBlog article, this finding is backed up by the experiment. Once the researchers had analyzed the data and compared full length ratings for the videos with and without sound, they repeated the experiment with only the first seven seconds of each video, with new participants (with and without sound), and got near exactly the same ratings for credibility, charisma, and intelligence. Additionally, in the videos with sound, what the speakers said (the information) was very similar, the difference comes in how receptive the audience is to the information presented, which is helped tremendously by successful nonverbal communication (Prato, 2015).
TED Social Media Manager
For TED social media managers, going viral means that one of their presenters has successfully used nonverbal communication to pull the audience into their video within a few seconds. A social media manager is not tuned into any one topic more than another, especially at a larger organization like TED. A smart social media manager would be looking at all TED videos for superior nonverbal scenes. They should be looking for scenes to be used to create short video clips that could be easily shared in the hopes of going viral with the overall goal of bringing more viewers to all connected accounts and platforms (viewers that share the clips, presenters, and the organization itself). Going viral is positive for everyone involved in TED’s efforts to share information from the source (i.e. researchers). Video virality results in more absorption of the presenter’s material, which leads to more social media shares, general interest in the presenter and organization’s work, and improves information dissemination.
All of the findings referenced in the TEDBlog article support the theory that, with successful nonverbal communication, a speaker will likely go viral. “Going viral” is rapid-paced word-of-mouth marketing (the most trusted by the public) with the added bonus of real-time reports of growth (Quesenberry, 2020). A video with wide social media reach provides a wealth of feedback for both the presenter and the social media management team. Where the presenter’s information is mostly feedback on the information in the presentations, the social media managers are looking at a more base level of success and engagement with the video that can inform future marketing campaigns.
The Power of Hand Gestures
Being a visual person, I think that hand gestures are one of the most important parts of successfully conveying an idea. I also think nothing helps clarify more than a good drawing during the explanation. Hand gestures are just air drawings that we visualize. Even so, I was surprised by the numbers there. Videos with double (465 in 18 minutes) the hand gestures of others performed nearly 60 times better in terms of going viral. Simon Sinek, a popular TED Talk speaker, has been recorded making over 600 hand gestures in an 18-minute video. He has become quite famous but fame was not a factor in his initial TED Talk success. His videos went viral and he gained fame with the successful conveyance of his ideas and research, due in large part to his successful nonverbal communication. (Prato, 2015)
In my opinion, a speaker cannot use too much nonverbal communication if it is supporting their message and genuine passion for the subject. The data from Simon Sinek in the preceding paragraph and other presenters with viral success that use copious hand gestures speaks for itself. I don’t think the level of informativeness changes with more nonverbal communication, like hand gestures, in and of itself; going off of the Oxford Languages definition: “providing useful or interesting information” (Oxford Languages, 2023). I believe this because, as mentioned in the TEDBlog article, TED Talks with similar subject matters and content have varied levels of virality. From the research done, this variation in viral status is due to nonverbal communication success or failure (Van Edwards, 2015). So, most importantly, the talks are more successful (i.e. go viral) because of that first 7-second judgment which determines how the audience perceives the speaker’s openness, confidence, and authority on the subject (Prato, 2015). This can be trained into presenters who struggle with it by practicing a few general hand gestures and inserting them into the opening of the presentation. Those speakers should consider working on inserting the gestures throughout the presentation as well but the most important component to virality is the opening.
Personal Preferences for TED Talks
To me, the most engaging TED Talks not only present the viewer with information but guides them on a journey of discovery or realization. For example, Simon Sinek’s “golden circle” talk, How Leaders Inspire Action (Sinek, 2010). This video has over 60 million views even though the production quality is lower than some of TED’s other videos. It was presented to a local audience at TEDxPuget Sound, an independent event. I would also argue that this subject is more shareable on social media. Producers could share short clips of this engaging video in an effort to drive viewers to TED’s YouTube profile or website to view the full video. The presentation speaks to a large want in society: how to be a better leader and get more enthusiasm around an idea. Simon Sinek draws a very basic image to help describe his idea, adding small marks throughout his talk and pointing back to the drawing to help the audience visualize his concept (Sinek, 2010).
While completing my bachelor’s degree, I learned that what draws me to a presentation is more than the information being presented, though of course that is still a key factor. I, like many humans, respond to storytelling. Not just the words being said, but the picture being woven by them. It is probably my art background but I appreciate efforts put into the ambience of a presentation. This can be background music that builds and crests with the speaker’s flow. It could be a scent disseminated throughout the room during a presentation. Or, it could simply be my perception of the speaker’s charisma. Basically, before I knew that these additions counted as nonverbal communication, I knew that engaging more than one sense in your audience made for a more engaging presentation and a more lasting impact of the information.
I also like when the speakers are wearing “regular” clothes. By that, I mean something that the wearer looks comfortable in. Less a formal costume than an outfit the speaker might wear in their everyday life. This, in my opinion, calls to the speaker's authenticity and helps them feel more at ease during the stress of presenting. Even if it is just a t-shirt and jeans, the person feels more relatable in casual or business-casual clothes than in formal attire. I also like when a speaker shows their personal style in how they are dressed or accessorized. An example outside of TED Talks, is my favorite Art History professor from my undergrad years, Dr. Julie McGuire, who has retired from Georgia Southern. She dresses VERY uniquely, always going all-out in her outfit choices – even for 8 AM classes – and often called to the art movement we were discussing that day in her accessories. Dr. McGuire was the contemporary art specialist in the art department (BFSDoA). Many of that time period’s movements had off-the-wall fashion to come along with them, created either by the artist/writer or a person in their creative circle. The artists threw parties or art shows and wore costumes that played on their groundbreaking writing and visual art. A strong vein in these movements is breaking up social convention and traditional thought through nonverbal disruptions in society, often in an attempt to comment on those same social norms. Among their methods was using nudity exorcized from mythology (the only traditionally acceptable form of female nudity at the time was to show women cloaked in mythology or history: e.g. Venus, Godiva, Diana, etc.), personal closeness with non familial connections, and a conception of beauty different from the more traditional Beaux Arts movement (a Renaissance revival) that fizzled out in the early twentieth century. This focus by artists in the early twentieth century and the widening world of media options available to them in expressing their ideas has always interested me. It is only now that I see what a clear influence nonverbal communication had on the direction of the artists’ disruptions and the reactions of art patrons and the public.
The third suggestion in the TEDBlog article of not scripting presentations is something I learned firsthand while working toward completing my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. I made a walled, wooden structure that was eight feet tall and five feet in diameter. The interior walls were filled with images of tree branches collaged together to resemble a seamless web and peeking sky. Much like what one would see if perching in treetops. When on display, the project lived in the Art Building on Georgia Southern’s Statesboro campus. It served as a space for students to take a breath and cut themselves off from the hustle and bustle of college classes for a few minutes. I entered this project into the Phi Kappa Phi Honors Symposium in the Spring of 2016 and was chosen to give a 20-minute presentation. I have never taken a public speaking course, but by that time in my college career I had presented many of my larger works in critiques and art shows. I had years of informal practice in presenting my ideas but this was a large step up in formality. I had a lot that I wanted to say because so much went into this project. I wanted to speak on what inspired me (an experience while studying abroad) and the making of the piece. I scripted the entire presentation, timed myself over and over, and then floundered while talking about something I was intimately involved in the conceiving and making of. I was talking about my own experiences and got too caught up in the “perfect words” I had chosen. My message was lost and my presentation was static. Also, my use of index cards cut down my ability to use hand gestures which I now understand to be a critical mistake. That experience taught me that the most important part of presenting is trusting yourself and your knowledge. Let the “story” (i.e. presentation) flow by following an outline or roadmap for the presentation. Any more formal structure than that kills the speaker’s charisma. My experience was reflected in the findings of the Science of People research referenced in the TED Blog article (Van Edwards, 2015).
Can One Use Too Much Nonverbal Communication?
The statistical support for “more is more” when talking about nonverbal communication while presenting speaks for itself (Van Edwards, 2015). I do not believe that one can use too much nonverbal communication if it is genuine and ties to the topic or flow of the presentation.
A speaker could absolutely give off a nonverbal message that conflicts with what they are speaking on or is counterintuitive to the verbal message. That would be a problem but I don’t think it applies to the general amount of nonverbal communication used as much as the perceived “trustworthiness” of the speaker. In other words, the problem comes with a lack of confidence from the audience in the speaker’s knowledge of the subject they are speaking on. Nonverbal cues should reinforce what the speaker is saying when they are presenting. If the opposite occurs, a negative perception of the speaker might be given to the audience or at the very least it could result in a less responsive or attuned audience.
Final Thought
I was glad to see that Science of People will be doing more research on this subject including “differences between men and women, across races and locations” (Van Edwards, 2015). I do not subscribe to the belief that too much nonverbal knowledge can be detrimental. There is much to be learned in this area. As with everything in life, when studying and applying nonverbal communication research, one should employ a code of ethics and consistent feedback of how successful the approach is and how it can be improved.
Citations
Prato, A. (2015, May 12). Does body language help a TED Talk go viral? 5 nonverbal patterns
from blockbuster talks. TEDBlog. Retrieved February 9, 2023, from https://blog.ted.com/body-language-survey-points-to-5-nonverbal-features-that-make-ted-talks-take-off/
Berger, S. (2018, September 19). A body language expert analyzed top TED Talks from Bill
Gates, Jeff Bezos and Tony Robbins – here’s what you can learn from them. CNBC.
Retrieved February 9, 2023, from https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/19/decoding-body-language-of-top-ted-talks-by-jeff-bezos-tony-robbins.html
ShareProgress Blog. (n.d.). The Math of Going Viral. ShareProgress. Retrieved February 9,
Van Edwards, V. (n.d.). 5 Secrets of a Successful TED Talk. Science of People. Retrieved
February 9, 2023, from https://www.scienceofpeople.com/secrets-of-a-successful-ted-talk/
Stephen, W. (2015). How to sound smart in your TEDx Talk. TEDxNewYork. Retrieved February 9, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S0FDjFBj8o
Lee, A. (2022, March 21). The true cost of an eCommerce site crash – and how to prevent it
with Wix. WIX eCommerce. Retrieved February 9, 2023, from https://www.wix.com/blog/ecommerce/2022/03/ecommerce-site-crash
Quesenberry, K. A. (2020) Social Media Strategy: Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations in the Consumer Revolution. (3rd ed.). Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN-13: 9781538138175
Sinek, S. (2010, May). How great leaders inspire action. TEDxPuget Sound. Retrieved February 9, 2023, from https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en