It’s every marketers dream is to be able to get their video content to the front page of YouTube. By doing so, it’s validating all their hard work and time put into making it. If you look at the front page of YouTube, typically, the videos on it have anywhere from 50,000 views to upwards of 500,000. Even more important is that this is typically only after a few days of being released.
So how can you make your video go viral? It’s easy to say that good content is always a sure shot, but if it were that easy, why doesn’t everyone do that then? I’ve seen plenty of videos with great content, but they only have only a couple thousand views. Great content is important, but there is definitely more to it.
Here are 4 questions you should ask yourself if you decide you want to create a viral video:
Question 1: Is “viral” right for your campaign?
This is one of the most overlooked questions that people forget to ask themselves. The truth is that although everyone would love to hit the front page of YouTube, you can’t do that without first making sure that the campaign you are building has been well researched so that you fully understand the market you are entering, as well as if your target consumers/niche are even listening.
Question 2: Does your video have the “wow” factor?
If you look at videos that hit the front page of YouTube or have a high number of views, the one thing that they all share is that they have a “wow” factor present. The more people have seen it before, the less they are inclined to watch it again. It is always important to try to create interest through ‘fresh’ content. Remember that no one likes boring.
Question 3: How are you utilizing your network?
So you have great content and it makes you go “wow.” Next, you need to make sure you are utilizing your network. Aside from sharing the video through video sites like YouTube, it’s important to use content sharing sites like Twitter and Facebook so that you are maximizing your view opportunities. It is also important to look into social bookmarking sites like Digg and StumbleUpon, as these have proven to be huge factors in content going viral. Building connections with power users on Digg, StumbleUpon and Twitter early on, can prove beneficial down the road.
Question 4: Do you need help?
Sometimes, to turn a great idea into a reality, you need to get some help. Whether it’s just your friends or professional help, you need to realize your capabilities and limits. Many popular YouTube videos have a lot to do with professionals assisting in both the editing as well as script development. You don’t need Steven Spielberg to make your content explode on the internet, but good editing and best practices can be the difference maker between a great video and a viral video.
Joseph is the Director of Marketing at Viralogy.com & works in social media & sports consulting. Read more about him at http://JosephAYi.com
