1 / 11

Hook Score9/10

9/10

It uses a clear 'listicle' promise combined with a high-interest location, immediately signaling the value proposition to the viewer.

Slide Text

Entering Salem. Est 1626. Top 7 most haunted places in Salem, MA.

Visual

A vintage-style road sign for Salem, slightly desaturated.

All Slides

Carousel report cardHorror Travel / Local History / Paranormal Tourism11 slides

@1700bones carousel breakdown

Happy Nightmare

Salem, Massachusetts is famously associated with the 1692 witch trials and has a long history of ghost stories and paranormal activity. Here are some of the top most haunted places in Salem #nostalgia #2000s #halloween #creepy #throwback #horrortok #scarystories #scarytok #creepytok #october #fall #salem #massachusetts #haunted

Effectiveness score

8/10

Strong

Views

334.5K

Likes

37.7K

Saves

13.5K

Engagement

16.8%

Hook

Entering Salem. Est 1626. Top 7 most haunted places in Salem, MA.

Goal

grow-following

Offer

entertainment

CTA

none

View source

Caption

Strategic Summary

This carousel viraled due to a 'Save-for-Utility, Comment-to-Correct' loop. Tourists bookmarked it as a travel guide (4.01% save rate), while locals flooded comments to correct factual errors (2.4x comment rate). The authority claim ('Top 7') triggered the 'Well, actually...' response bias in Salem residents, while the visual variety kept tourists swiping.

The Winning Formula

Hyper-local authority claim + numbered countdown + visual mix that invites factual correction from insiders.

What's working

•Slide 1 uses a recognizable 'Entering Salem' sign to immediately geotag the audience and filter for locals/tourists interested in the area.
•The 'Top 7' listicle format creates completion bias — users swipe to see #1 and to count if all 7 are present.
•High bookmark rate driven by utility; viewers treat this as a saved itinerary for October/Halloween trips.
•Factual inaccuracies (e.g., missing #2, incorrect Gallows Hill photo) inadvertently boosted engagement by triggering locals to correct the record in comments.

What's not working

•Slide 6 duplicates Slide 5's location (Joshua Ward House) without a number, breaking the countdown logic.
•The list skips from #3 (Slide 7) to #1 (Slide 8), missing #2 entirely — confusing for viewers tracking the count.
•Visual inconsistency: Mix of B&W historical photos, color modern photos, and illustrations creates a slightly amateur aesthetic that undermines the 'authority' claim.

Viral lesson

Accuracy is not required for virality; 'Correctable Authority' is. When you make a confident claim that insiders can correct, you turn critics into engagement drivers.

Can a small creator replicate this? High. Any creator in a niche with passionate insiders (local history, tech specs, fitness form) can use 'confident lists' to trigger correction comments, provided the core utility remains high enough for saves.

Structural Formula (steal-the-format)

Structure pattern

8-slide listicle: Hook (Location + Promise) -> Countdown (#7 to #1) -> Finale. Mix of photo types to maintain visual interest.

Copy formula

Numbered list format ('#X - Location Name') with consistent white-box overlay.

What to swap (concrete remixes)

•Swap Salem for 'New Orleans' for Ghost Tours niche.
•Swap 'Haunted Places' for 'Best Coffee Shops' for Foodie niche.
•Swap 'Top 7' for 'Top 5 Mistakes' for Educational niche.

What NOT to copy

Do not copy the factual errors or the missing #2 slide; while they drove comments, they damage long-term authority and trust.

Aesthetics

Scrapbook history — mix of modern color photos, B&W archives, and illustrations with uniform text overlays.

design:amateurtypography:Sans serif bold black text inside white rounded rectanglesvisual consistency:60/100attention grab:80/100

Color palette

whiteblackbrick redforest greensepia

What it conveys: A mix of tourist curiosity and historical spookiness, undermined slightly by inconsistent image quality.

Slide-by-slide forensics

hookwide shotAnticipationworks:yesgrab:85/100aesthetic:65/100

ENTERING EST 1626 SALEM Top 7 most haunted places in Salem, MA.

Visual description

A white town sign reading 'ENTERING SALEM EST 1626' against a backdrop of dark green trees. A white text box overlay at the bottom reads 'Top 7 most haunted places in Salem, MA.'

Scene setting

Salem town entrance sign

Visible objects

Town signTrees

Predicted audience reaction

Immediate recognition for locals; immediate save intent for tourists planning trips.

Verdict: Clear value prop ('Top 7') + geotagging creates instant relevance.

step in listwide shotSpookyworks:yesgrab:70/100aesthetic:60/100

#7 - Gallows Hill

Visual description

Black and white photo of a lone, sparse tree on a grassy hill with a stone wall in the foreground. Sky is overcast white.

Scene setting

Gallows Hill

Visible objects

TreeStone wallGrass

vs prior slide

style:partialcopy:yesenergy:rising

Style: Switched from color photo to B&W, text overlay style remains consistent (white box, black text).

Story: Begins the countdown at #7.

Predicted audience reaction

Locals immediately identify this as incorrect (Proctor's Ledge vs Gallows Hill), prompting comments.

Comments reacting to this slide

"That is not gallows hill"
"The real gallows hill is in Peabody and has a water tower on it salem was a lot bigger back then"

Verdict: Factually disputed, which drives the comment algorithm, even if it hurts credibility.

step in listwide shotInstitutionalworks:partialgrab:60/100aesthetic:50/100

#6 - Old Salem Jail

Visual description

Color photo of a large brick and stone building complex with turrets. Construction equipment (orange lift) is visible in front. Overcast sky.

Scene setting

Street view of Old Salem Jail

Visible objects

Brick buildingConstruction liftStreet

vs prior slide

style:partialcopy:yesenergy:flat

Style: Reverted to color photo, text box position moved to top left.

Story: Continues countdown to #6.

Predicted audience reaction

Confusion from locals knowing the jail was demolished (comment confirms this).

Comments reacting to this slide

"The old Salem Jail, where the accused were held, has been demolished for years. That's not the right jail in the pictures"

Verdict: Drives comments via correction, but lowers trust for tourists.

step in listwide shotHistoricalworks:yesgrab:70/100aesthetic:75/100

#5 - The House Of the Seven Gables

Visual description

Black and white historical photo of a dark wooden house with steep gables. Three women in period clothing stand on the sidewalk in front.

Scene setting

House of the Seven Gables exterior

Visible people

Three women, period clothing, standing

Visible objects

Wooden housePicket fenceSidewalk

vs prior slide

style:partialcopy:yesenergy:rising

Style: Back to B&W, text box centered.

Story: Countdown to #5.

Predicted audience reaction

Recognition of a famous landmark; debate on whether it's actually haunted.

Comments reacting to this slide

"The house of seven gables is definitely haunted. I got so sick during my tour there."
"The house of 7 gabels has no reported paranormal activity. Its just a house."

Verdict: Iconic location ensures recognition; polarized opinions drive comment debate.

step in listwide shotSuburbanworks:yesgrab:60/100aesthetic:60/100

#4 - The Joshua Ward House

Visual description

Color photo of a red brick colonial-style house with white trim. A large tree with autumn leaves stands in front.

Scene setting

Joshua Ward House exterior

Visible objects

Brick houseTreeLawn

vs prior slide

style:partialcopy:yesenergy:flat

Style: Color photo again, text centered.

Story: Countdown to #4.

Predicted audience reaction

Curiosity from tourists unfamiliar with this specific house.

Comments reacting to this slide

"I have never heard of the Joshua Ward house. Where is that?"

Verdict: Lesser-known location sparks curiosity questions.

proofcollageCreepyworks:nograb:75/100aesthetic:40/100

The Joshua ward House www.ghostlywarren.com

Visual description

Grainy black and white photo of a dark, shadowy figure (ghost-like) superimposed over a wall. Inset color photo of a building in bottom right corner.

Scene setting

Ghost photo collage

Visible people

Shadowy figure (ghost)

Visible objects

Ghost figureInset building photo

Other text elements

•www.ghostlywarren.com

vs prior slide

style:nocopy:noenergy:rising

Style: Drastic shift to grainy ghost photo; no number label (breaks list flow).

Story: Repeats location from Slide 5 without advancing the count.

Predicted audience reaction

Confusion on why this location is shown twice; skepticism on the ghost photo.

Verdict: Redundant content (Duplicate of #4) breaks the listicle promise of '7 places'.

step in listwide shotSomberworks:yesgrab:70/100aesthetic:70/100

#3 - Old Burying Point Cemetery

Visual description

Color photo of a cemetery with old headstones scattered on grass covered in fallen leaves. Trees in background.

Scene setting

Cemetery

Visible objects

HeadstonesTreesLeaves

vs prior slide

style:partialcopy:yesenergy:flat

Style: Back to standard location photo, text centered.

Story: Jumps to #3 (skipping #2 implication).

Predicted audience reaction

Acceptance as a standard haunted location.

Comments reacting to this slide

"I've also been to proctors ledge, house of seven gables and old burial point."

Verdict: Standard cemetery imagery fits the niche expectations perfectly.

revealinfographicHistoricalworks:yesgrab:85/100aesthetic:80/100

#1 - The Witch House SALEM WITCH HOUSE 1642 A.GAUDET

Visual description

Sepia-toned illustration/engraving of a colonial house with steep gables. Trees frame the sides. Text at bottom reads 'SALEM WITCH HOUSE 1642'.

Scene setting

Historical illustration

Visible objects

House illustrationTrees

Other text elements

•SALEM WITCH HOUSE 1642
•A.GAUDET

vs prior slide

style:nocopy:yesenergy:rising

Style: Switch to illustration style for the finale.

Story: Final reveal of #1 spot.

Predicted audience reaction

Satisfaction at the #1 pick (most famous house), closing the loop.

Comments reacting to this slide

"I've been to the witch house before, I did NOT feel welcomed"

Verdict: Strong finish with the most recognizable landmark in the niche.

Commerce intent

intent:15/100framework:nonetraveltourism

Buy-intent phrases (from comments)

•I do want to see some of these.
•It calls to me:)

Objections (from comments)

•always avoided it because it's such a tourist trap.

Comment ethnography

tagging:save share loopaudience-match:60/100viral signal:controversy driving replies

A split dynamic between 'Believer Tourists' (saving/sharing) and 'Skeptical Locals' (correcting/debating). The locals dominate the top comments, creating a debate stack.

Comments that characterize the audience

"Born and raised in Salem and the most haunted place in this city is the mall bathrooms. Iykyk"
"The only thing haunted in Salem is the tourists."
"My bf owns a haunted house and walking tour in Salem and a lot of these photos are incorrect. jsyk."

Pain points revealed

•Frustration with inaccurate tourist information
•Disappointment in 'tourist trap' experiences

Aspirations revealed

•Wanting to experience authentic paranormal activity
•Planning a Halloween/October trip to Salem

Create content like this for your brand

Add a card, onboard your brand, and generate the first creative workflow for free.