Social media challenges – What went viral?

Hey all, Welcome back to another Social Media post – about Social Media challenges.

Now, although I absolutely love Social media, it can be abit debating as not all people use it in the same way.

When I joined social media and started analyzing each platform there is out there and how to use it, my intentions were to learn it for business purposes only!

Related: The best social media platforms you’ll need for your business

Never did I know, I’m actually part of the minority who use it for business purposes.

Majority of the people out there are using social media to become famous – like become a social media influencer, via taking part in social media challenges.

Related: How to become a POSITIVE social media influencer

Most likely you must have come across some sort of social media challenges, correct? Some are fun, some are even dangerous.

I personally use social media for business purposes. However there’s a side to social media which people use for pleasure, fun and laughs.

I guess social media was formed to be user entertaining, due to it’s wide mass of people it can attract almost instantly.

Are you a social media influencer? Then you have most probably heard or even participated in one of these social media challenges listed below.

Yes! You can become famous by taking part in social media challenges almost instantly.

Social media is a LIVE platform feed which allows instant access to an audience online.

What is a Social Media challenge?

A social media challenge is action that goes viral. It begins to trend and attract more viewers who then imitate the action on their own channels.

Thus making it popular.

These viral social media challenges can make you go viral – big time!

And believe it or not, many famous influencers have become famous just by doing these challenges and sharing them on their platforms.

Let’s go through some social media challenges that took social media by storm.

Ice bucket challenge  – Social media challenges

Also known as the ALS challenge. This originated and went viral in summer 2014 with it’s virality lasting throughout 2015 also.

Now if you don’t remember this challenge, then where have you been.

I feel it’s one of the biggest ones to go viral and really boost the use of social media.

The challenge was taken by a storm of followers repeating it to raise awareness.

The Ice Bucket Challenge, also known as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, was a challenge involving the dumping of a bucket of ice water over a person’s head, either by another person or self-administered.

The aim of the challenge was to raise awareness of the disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as motor neuron disease) and to encourage donations for research towards it.

The ice bucket challenge went viral on Social media around summer 2014. 

So how would throwing a bucket of ice over your head help charity?

Well! The challenge encouraged the nominated participants to be filmed having a bucket of ice water poured on their heads and then they would have to nominate others to do the same.

The common rule was that the nominated participants had 24 hours to comply or forfeit by way of a charitable financial donation.

Many people forfeit which helped raise funds and those who contributed also raised funds via the means of entertainment for others.

This challenge raised an astonishing amount of over $220M worldwide for the disease in 2014 alone. Some countries even decided to continue this trend over the coming years.

What the fluff challenge? – Social media challenges

This was a cute challenge that went viral with all dog lovers.

The ‘What The Fluff’ Challenge involved dog owners trying to confuse their dogs by lifting a blanket up and down in front of their faces before dropping it and disappearing around a corner, leaving the dog confused.

Dogs can take a while to process what has happened, they begin to wonder around looking for their owner who was in front of them a second ago but now is gone.

However their reaction to when they find their owner again is super cute and priceless.

This challenge caused a lot of laughs and awwwww’s.

Mannequin challenge – social media challenges

The Mannequin Challenge was a viral Internet trend which became popular in 2016,

The challenge involved people to remain motionless like mannequins while a moving camera films them, often with a song playing in the background. 

The hashtag #MannequinChallenge went viral across platforms such as Twitter and Instagram like wildfire. It became very popular in a short space of time.

The phenomenon was started by students at a high school in Florida. This challenge sparked interest in a variety of groups, mostly being professional athletes and sports teams, who posted increasingly complex and elaborate videos.

The best mannequin challenge involved hundreds of people all participating in one go. It would be interesting as the audience, to spot if any of those people would be secretly moving.

Bird-box challenge – social media challenges

Who knew Netflix could start up a viral challenge.

The Bird-box challenge was inspired by the Netflix original movie Bird-box.

The significant plot element of the movie had the characters keeping themselves blindfolded to prevent going insane.

However, the movie soon turned into a viral challenge where people would attempt everyday activities fully blindfolded while being recorded.

Activities included attempting to find stuff, cook, walk in busy streets, and even drive!

A number of non-fatal injuries also occurred by many people attempting this challenge. A warning later passed that these challenges should only be attempted in safe places to avoid risk of injuries.

In my feelings challenge – social media challenges

“kiki do you love me?” < ring any bells?

Yes! Drake’s song became an overnight sensation and soon his song turned viral. Into a viral challenge should I say.

It in fact began to go viral when comedian Shiggy posted a video to Instagram of himself dancing to the song. Since then it blew up!

The viral challenge involved people coming out of a moving car, leaving the door open and then dancing to the song beside their slow-moving vehicle as it continued moving.

Many famous faces took part also, including Will Smith, Ciara, Kevin Hart and DJ Khaled.

This challenge went viral in 2018 with many posting it to social media.

This challenge even made it to the news. Several Police around several countries had warned people against doing the “Kiki challenge”, after multiple people attempting the viral dance were injured.

Why?

Several people were witnessed crashing into poles, tripping on potholes or falling out of the cars, even having their goods stolen whilst trying to capture this all for an internet video, in hope of going viral!

#Crazy

Bottle cap challenge – social media challenges

This is a fairly new trend which recently went viral in 2019.

The aim  of the challenge was to kick the lid clean off the top of the bottle using a circular martial arts kick called a ’roundhouse’. 

It looks easy but is in fact a skilled challenge.

Many celebrities including Mariah Carey, Ellie golding, Ryan Reynolds all took part.

Dangerous social media challenges

Cinnamon challenge – social media challenges

Although this challenge isn’t life threatening it is still dangerous especially if someone with respiratory problems tries it.

The cinnamon challenge was one of the viral internet food challenges. Along with many others including Chubby bunny challenge, Mukbang and Spicy noodle challenge.

The challenge included filming yourself eating a spoonful of ground cinnamon in under 60 seconds without drinking anything.

You had to then upload the video to the Internet on social media.

The challenge was actually first found online in 2001, and increased in popularity in 2007, to then going viral in 2014. 

Many people posted their videos of themselves attempting this challenge on YouTube and other social media platforms giving their audience something to see as a source of entertainment.

The challenge does have some health risks and is pretty difficult to carry through. The health risks are because the cinnamon coats and dries the mouth and throat, resulting in coughing, vomiting, and even choking, leading to throat irritation, breathing difficulties, and stress on the lungs.

Related: 12 Superfoods for great health

Kylie Jenner lip challenge – dangerous social media challenges

Kylie Jenner – you’ve heard of her right?

Self made youngest billionaire? Yes that’s her!

She also has very big lips.

With every young teen aspiring to have lips like her, this challenge took off like wild fire, giving teen girls something to go viral about.

Nevertheless who would have thought she’d have a challenge to her name. “The kylie lip challenge”

Why is it dangerous? Because it can deform ones face!

Enough said.

The aim of the challenge was to use a suction cup to make your lips look bigger.

The Dangers of Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge Suctioning could also lead to scarring, bruising and even lip indentations. Although the swelling and bruising may have eventually gone away, some side effects can be permanent.

Want more dangerous and life threatening social media challenges that have gone viral? Or even taken peoples lives? Then click here.

Related: 7 positive uses of Social media