Open your Instagram or TikTok and you’ll soon be served fashion content from influencers and creators, inspiring audiences on what to wear and where to shop via regular #OOTD #unboxing posts. Fashion content on social dominates, with #fashion attracting 1.4 million monthly TikTok searches and 1.2 billion on Instagram. Standing out is tough, especially in a fluid and subjective industry.

Our flagship series "Guess Which Outfit is Most Expensive” cracked the code, reaching over 200 million views across 300+ videos. The beauty of the concept is its simplicity: two Eliza creators wear identical outfits—one high-fashion, one high-street—and ask the public to guess which costs more. Price differences range from £2,000 to over £10,000, often stumping audiences and even celebrities like Idris Elba.

The format may seem deceptively easy. However, we went through multiple learning phases when it comes to creating these levels of engagement. Celebrity involvement or big brand backing may provide some short-term boosts but when building a series from scratch, you may have neither: just a blank slate and high ambitions. 

The key to creating compelling video content that keeps audiences engaged comes down to finding something repeatable, addictive and uniquely ‘yours’. Here are some top tips and learnings from our evolution on how to achieve all three.

Repetition, repetition, repetition

The fashion concept of  ‘Dupe’ v ‘Designer’ is nothing new. In the early days of our format’s evolution, we looked at a number of existing feeds to determine what made them tick and how we could put our own stamp on things. 

Caleb’s Apartment (@calebwsimpson on TikTok) tours work as an example of a highly repeatable format but one that also took the mainstream success of shows like MTV’s Cribs and gave it a social spin. Angelica Hacks on TikTok has a similar relatable vibe, but made it fashion, taking the concept of ‘get the look’ with a down-to-earth twist. 

Outside of the fashion world, Subway Takes offers a great example of a consistent and repeatable intro/hook/look and feel. They start each video with “So, what’s your take?” and the colour grading and composition shot is immediately recognisable - precisely the response needed to stand out in a scroll.

By combining learnings from established creators with the increasingly popular street vox-pops that were starting to flood feeds, our approach evolved. The core concept may remain the same, but there are a number of variables we can change to ensure the series has a long lifespan, including clothing, location and models. We have taken our cameras to Ibiza and the French Alps, featured celebrities such as Idris Elba and Frankie Bridge, and showcased a range of looks from red carpet ball gowns to in-flight loungewear.

Keeping viewers hooked

Social platforms “reward” content that increases engagement (shares, likes, comments) and attention (views/ watch time). To go viral you need to produce content that attracts these metrics. 

The guessing element of the game encourages opinion and debate in the comments, while the “shock factor” reveal keeps watchers viewing until the end, encouraging shares between friends.

Keeping watch time high is crucial - videos that reached over 1 million views have an average watch time of 23 seconds vs. 11 seconds for ones that don’t reach the millions. Grabbing initial attention is vital but once you keep it people are prepared to watch for longer. 

Practical elements also influence watch time. For example, using on-screen subtitles for the 75% of mobile users who watch videos on mute helps people to process the information. Our voice-over was another factor. Various verbal hook formats were trialled: our winning formula references the highest price first: “One of our outfits costs [insert high price] and the other costs [low price]”.

TikTok and Instagram’s algorithms appear to be increasingly similar but not identical. We found that creating a part one part two structure for TikTok results in higher performance. It encourages guesses and engagement via comments, but it is unnecessary for Instagram. Context is also key: videos shot against a sunny, blue sky outperformed cloudy days by 180%. The primary reason people are watching is for entertainment. No one wants to be reminded of the questionable daily British weather! 

Finding your voice

Every day brings a new social trend to jump on, but to create something that you can ‘own’ has to be the focus to drive maximum value. We matched the format to our brand ethos - implying fashion-forward style is within reach, and that it’s not always immediately possible to identify the more expensive option. 

Visual consistency builds brand recognition: deploying the same format across the opening visual and verbal hooks, on-screen fonts and titles helps users to recognise the content quickly, aiding engagement and familiarity.

On platforms such as TikTok, where people rely on their ‘for you page’ rather than following accounts, it is important to ensure audiences associate their favourite content series with your brand.

As video continues to grow into a primary search, inspiration and content force, the pursuit of viral success will only get more difficult. Getting to 200 million views is not an overnight sensation, but the result of trial and error to finesse the finished product. There is no single format for video success: any creator seeking compelling video standout should start with a simple concept, before interrogating the details to shape something which will last season after season.