Publishing a video online doesn’t guarantee it’ll get seen. With the volume of video content on the internet today, it’d take tens of thousands of years to watch everything on YouTube alone! So, how can you make your video stand out from the rest? We explain how to make a video go viral in five simple steps.
Keep it short. You know what it’s like; when something pops up on your news feed, it’s competing with a myriad of other demands on your attention. If your email pings or a cute cat pic shows up, it’s game over for those other fleeting feed items. So, maximise your chances of getting seen by condensing your message into its very essence; under 2 minutes is good, less than one is even better.
Appeal to your audience. In order to go viral, your video will need to be shared – a lot. And what makes people share on social media? By reposting a link, image or video, people are adding their personal endorsement to its content. They’re saying, “Hey look, I liked this and thought you might like it, too.” They’ll only do this with content that is truly engaging, interesting, funny or valuable in some other way. Spend some time researching your audience to find out what they are truly interested in – and target your video to those interests.
Market your video. Find out who has influence in your chosen sphere. It might be a prominent blogger, a trade publication or a famous face (or all three!) Invite them to view your video and encourage them to blog or tweet about it. Getting it out there via influential sources is key to making your video go viral.
Time it wisely. You need to get your video out there when it will have maximum impact. That means avoiding times like Christmas or the summer holidays if you’re targeting office workers, for example. Any predictable, high profile events like the US presidential elections should ideally be avoided, unless your video relates directly to them (in which case, plan to release it then for optimum exposure!)
Produce it professionally. The quality of your video production can really make a difference to its appeal. Hiring a video production company to shoot your video will give you an edge; a professional eye for detail, high quality equipment and catchy backing track will all improve your video’s overall appearance and shareability. Your video production company will have lots of ideas about how to make a video go viral, and will be able to suggest ideas for content that you may not have considered.
If you want your video to be the next viral sensation, contact Yellow Lizard Media. We can help you with the entire production process, from brainstorming ideas to adding the finishing touches before you upload the final product. Check out our work on one viral success story for a local charity, read more about our professional services including conference and corporate video production or contact us today on 07966 617183 for advice on how to make your video go viral.