What Makes a Video Go Viral?
I hate it when I’m hanging out with friends and one of them decides to whip out his phone and show everyone the latest YouTube video that has a million whatevers. It’s like, “Dude, I’m here to chill with you, not your damn phone — #amiright?” But if one thing’s clear to me in my old age, it’s that I’m fighting a losing battle. We all love our phones and videos — can’t figure how to live without them, in fact — and, if I’m honest, there’s probably more than a good chance that a hilarious video shared over a full glass of dark wine creates a memorable experience.
But you’re not here to learn about my quirks.
The real question is this: What makes a video shareable?
1. Choke up, Tiger
Nothing is worse than sitting through your buddy’s 37-minute video that he thinks is really, really funny. It sucks for everybody. When you’re thinking about producing content that aligns with your brand strategy, then remember to keep it relevant and short. Get in, state your message, and get out. Don’t try and keep my attention just because you can. I’ll leave.
2. Snot shooting out my nose
It’s happened to everyone at least once. That moment when you watch a video that’s super funny right after you take a swig of whiskey. The liquid propels out of your nose like a Space X rocket launching off Cape Canaveral. You tried to hold it in, but you couldn’t. Why? Because the video was hilarious. It hit you at just the right time with — and this is key — just the right humor. Too much funny and a video feels overdone; too little and it can come across as stale, out of touch, or something out of Napoleon Dynamite(a humor, sorry to say it, that only works once). You can probably figure out what’s funny and what’s not though. Where you really want to be careful is in creating something that’s potentially offensive. That’s the last thing you want to do. So shoot for the middle ground, and see how much snot you can launch into space.
3. You scared me!
Don’t set out to scare or trick people. That’s dumb. But do try to catch people off guard in a tasteful way that’s humorous and lighthearted. The key here is simple. Include an element of surprise, but don’t go overboard!
4. Like, literally, I hate that
You want people to share, like, and annoy their friends with your videos. One surefire way to do that is by creating a video that cultivates a strong reaction in people. That doesn’t mean that you should produce a video that’s disgusting or heavy-handed, but rather that creates in people a desire to share it. Leave people with a sense of either “WTF?!” or “Was that real? Did that really just happen?” (If you need a little inspiration, Google “Shia LaBeouf Just Do It Motivational Speech YouTube.” You won’t be disappointed).
5. Hey, isn’t that that one guy?
Do you have a schtick? Good. Stick with it. You want your video to be quickly recognizable. Use your logo, brand recognition, whatever you got to make sure that your video is instantly recognizable. If we were playing $1000 Pyramid and I gave you the clue, “A series of commercials starring a funny little salamander with an Australian accent,” you’d say? C’mon now! Don’t make me say it.
6. Welcome to the internet, the world of sharing
I mean, this one is kind of obvious, right? Make your video easy to distribute. Throw your video up on YouTube, cross-post it on all of your platforms, and tell every single human you know to watch and share it.
7. Keep it general and specific, please
Yeah, this one’s a bit tough. You don’t want your video to be so specific or riddled with jargon that it doesn’t have universal appeal, but you also don’t want your video to be so general that it has no gumption. You want a video that can reach a broad audience and that has a little chutzpah. Give your short, funny video universal appeal by making it relatable.
8. +1 Luck Potion
I’m not gonna lie. There’re a lot of people pushing content these days. Even if you have the best of the best in the way of talent, your video still has a small chance of going viral. But that’s okay. Your video still clarifies your brand, gets your message out there, and connects with your target audience. Worst case scenario, it’s a win for you and your customer — and, hey, that’s not too bad.
Conclusion
Short, relevant, and humorous videos can be a great way to connect with your customer while also exposing others to your brand. If your videos are humorous, then you even have a chance of it going viral, though no one can really predict when or why a video goes viral. Just remember to evoke strong reactions while using humor that is tasteful and inoffensive. If you can do that, then you’re well on your way to solidifying your brand’s identity.