A viral video is one that causes its viewers want to share it!
• Creating a viral video is no easy matter.
• Does a video go viral only if the content is top notch?
• Many videos go viral even with a kind of weak content.
The starting point should be; what do we have to say and how we can say it creatively. Be honest and transparent about who you are at all times. However – you have to put in some hard work too.
Your video needs to be funny, amazing, remarkable, have some fascinating information or it has to be controversial.
A video go viral when enough people share it with their friends, and their friends with theirs. It becomes a viral-infectionish that spreads all around the world.
To best promote your video, the text description need to be accurate and interesting. Use descriptive keywords and language that people will find when they search for videos like yours. Use the correct categorizations on YouTube so people will find it.
Try uploading your video with different names – use different headlines to make it more appealing for the surfer who goes by the title.
If you are in the mood; a series of videos can work great, but put them out all at the same time.
If you have multiple videos… post all of them at once. If someone sees your first video and is so intrigued that they want to watch more, why would you make them wait? We give them everything up front.
Don’t get tempted to make the video feel like an ad, viewers won’t share it unless it’s really amazing. I mean…really amazing!
Try putting the video onto viewed pages:
Friends: Make sure everyone you know watches the video and try to get them to email it out to their friends.
Facebook: Share on relevant groups on Facebook and with your entire friends list.
Blogs: Reach out to individuals, tell them about why you did the video and ask them to post your video.
MySpace: Some users allow you to embed YouTube videos right in the comments section.
Forums: Start new threads and embed your videos. Be clear about who you are and start conversations about your subject.
Email lists: Send the video to an email list. Make sure this list knows who you are and are happy to receive mails from you.
Should a video be funny? Some claims it must show extreme talent. Others believe a person should show raw “reality”.
Thumbnail Optimization…Pick the most interesting bit from the video and make it the thumbnail.
There are countless funny videos, talent videos and reality-type videos on YouTube, but only a handful have ever gone viral. One thing they all share in common, however is…
Surprising Contrast!
Surprising contrast makes humor and comedy. Jokes rely on this phenomenon and are retold from one person to another – much like the same way viral videos are shared.
- When we see two things that normally don’t belong together and someone finds a way to make them belong – the reaction it creates is surprise – small girl with big masculine voice.
- A newscaster is relating a serious story about a storm; after some “auto-tuning” she’s singing the story.
The serious is turned into unexpectedly un-serious.
Viewers share videos because of the unusualness of things that do not belong together, but by adding some creativity it make sense – in a way.
That’s what makes videos go viral.
Tagging the video!
Make the video easy to find. Ask yourself; what would you type into Google to find this – then ensure those tags are used.
YouTube allows you to tag your videos with keywords to make them show up in relevant searches. For the first week that your video is online; don’t use keyword tags to optimize the video for searches on YouTube. Instead; use tags.
Choose three or four unique tags and use only these tags for all of the videos you post. Unique tags, tags that are not used by any other YouTube videos. Done correctly, this will allow you to have full control over the videos that show up as “Related Videos.”
How to Create Viral Videos for Business & Profit?
Put effort in creating videos that have a chance of going viral using the surprising contrast technique?
- Write down a list of funny things you like to do and another list which describes your work or your business. As many as you can come up with. I guess you can manage at least 5-10 from each category.
- Pick one word from activities and one from business that have no relation with one another whatsoever. Join them together.
- Keep on and do the same for your whole list. Each activity-word is to be joined with one unrelated business-word.
- Find ways to contrasting words so they are even more different.
- Last, but not least…shoot a video that creates strange combinations. Not too long. 30 seconds up to a couple of minutes is enough.
Finding the right combination and balance of content
go viral
will take you some time. Go experimental.
All the same, contrast entertains, surprise engages. So regardless of whether or not your videos go viral, with surprising contrast they will always be interesting and fun!
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Karl!
This article is certainly very helpful, I’m sure many will benefit from it.
You have a very interesting blog.
Saidah@ladysaidah
Sorry for my late reply, but thank you anyway.
Karl
Video is one of the fastest ways to go viral on the internet karl. You have shared some great tips to make this a marketing strategy that is not only workable it is also Free.
Great content.
Warm regards,
Sandy
Sorry for my late reply, but thank you. Hope you will benefit from it.
Karl
Hi Karl,
Great article! I will keep these tips in mind, thanks for sharing with us!
Thx Suzanne. Hopefully it is beneficial to you.
Karl