How Woody & Kleiny Discovered The 'Formula' For Going Viral

Five years of unpaid 7-day work weeks

Woody and Kleiny worked full-time jobs while creating content every evening and weekend for five years before earning their first penny from social media.

Rejected early brand deals to avoid niche lock-in

Despite attracting Heineken and sports brands initially, they turned down paid opportunities to shed their football image and pursue broader entertainment appeal.

From TV aspirations to digital dominance

Originally using YouTube as a portfolio to break into mainstream television presenting, they shifted focus entirely to social media as its power and reach surpassed traditional media.

Six core elements drive shares

The THISE formula consists of Trends, Humor, Inspiration, Surprise, Adventure, and Emotion, with content containing multiple elements having higher viral potential.

The 0.1 second engagement rule

Attention spans have shrunk from the old 3-second rule to requiring instant hook engagement within the first fraction of a second to stop the scroll.

Intensity matters more than quantity

Six weak elements perform worse than two intense ones, as content must trigger strong emotional reactions to compel viewers to tag friends or share.

Different people share for different reasons

The same video can go viral because one viewer shares for humor while another shares for emotion, making multi-layered content essential for broad appeal.

The Disney Effect and character roles

Creators should utilize character archetypes like hero and villain within content, with individuals playing multiple roles to create narrative tension and engagement.

Virality is a destination, not a strategy

Woody advises treating viral success like a Super Bowl trophy earned through systems, practice, and formulas rather than chasing views as a primary goal.