The Try Guys Viral Formula
Every video must make people feel, connect, or learn — and it's only clickbait if you don't deliver.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~months to results
- Steps
- 3
- Confidence
- 85%
The Try Guys built one of YouTube's biggest channels by treating shareability as a design problem rather than luck. Fulmer's formula centers on connecting with a viewer's passions and identities so they feel compelled to share, because sharing is an act of self-expression. Every video must accomplish at least one of three jobs: make the audience feel something, connect them to a person or community, or inform them. And while their titles look click-baity, Fulmer insists it isn't clickbait if you deliver on the premise — the hook has to pay off. Going narrow into specific fandoms like anime cosplay can surface a big dedicated audience that then explores the whole channel.
Origin
The formula grew out of early Facebook video experiments at BuzzFeed, where Zach and Keith studied how content spread and found that guys trying things within a female scope of experience was highly relatable and widely shared, especially among women.
Core principles
- 01People share content that says something about their own identity, so go narrow, not broad.
- 02Every piece of content should make the audience feel something, connect them with someone, or inform them.
- 03It's not clickbait if the video delivers on its premise.
- 04An engaging premise plus follow-through beats shock value with no payoff.
How to run it
- 1
Connect with a specific passion or identity
Design the video around what a niche audience deeply cares about so that sharing it says something about who they are. Go narrow rather than broad.
Pro tip Target esoteric fandoms — the Try Guys' anime expo video pulled a huge dedicated audience that then explored the rest of the channel.
- 2
Make the video accomplish one of three jobs
Ensure every video makes the audience feel something (laugh, cry, joy), connects them with someone or a community, or informs them with useful information.
Watch out A video that does none of these three has no reason to be watched or shared.
- 3
Deliver on the premise
Treat the title and thumbnail as a promise and pay it off in the video. Exciting hooks are fine as long as the content fulfills them.
Pro tip Fulmer's 'six-pack in six weeks' video looked like clickbait but delivered a real emotional transformation journey, which is why viewers stayed.
Watch out If the payoff contradicts the hook, viewers feel tricked and trust erodes.
In the wild
The Try Guys made a video about anime cosplay at an anime expo, a niche Fulmer personally knew little about, where hundreds of fans wore esoteric costumes.
→ That very specific audience drove a large number of views and the video introduced new fans who then explored the wider channel.
Fulmer did a fitness transformation video that looked like a photoshopped prank or clickbait but was really an emotional journey exploring male vulnerability.
→ Viewers who expected a gimmick got a genuine payoff, proving the premise was delivered rather than faked.
Common mistakes
Going too broad
Trying to appeal to everyone makes content generic and un-shareable; narrow niche content that signals identity spreads better.
Hooking without delivering
A shocking title with no payoff is real clickbait and burns viewer trust, hurting long-term retention.
Is it for you?
Best for
YouTubers and video creators trying to make content that spreads organically through sharing.
Not ideal for
Creators unwilling to define a specific audience niche or deliver real value behind the hook.
From the transcript
“people like to share things that say things about themselves so if you can make something that connects with what someone really really likes”
“it's not clickbait if you deliver on the premise”
“you want to make them learn something or you want to make them feel laugh or or cry or feel joy”
From the episode
Ned Fulmer: How to Go Viral on YouTube
Ned Fulmer