Note: I have divided my latest post Seven Golden Rules for Viral Videos into two parts. I hope it is easier for you to read this way!
4. Surprise but don’t shock
One of the best viral tactics is to embed a surprise factor into your video. But it is important to surprise, not to shock! Having coarse language or overly explicit scenes that provoke fear and disgust do not work. Viewers may remember your video for a longer period of time, but they will refuse to share your video with others or even stop watching it. Always remember to play within the limit and provide sharable contents.
Watch the following video as an example:
5. Engage the tastemakers
Your video has a greater possibility of becoming viral when it is mentioned by key influencers. For example, one viral video” Double Rainbow” initially had a small number of views on YouTube until it was tweeted by American comedian Jimmy Kemmel. Being mentioned by Jimmy led the view counts to exceed 37 million. Make sure to encourage influential bloggers, comedians, or actors to watch and share your video if you can.
6. The first 24 hours are crucial
When you post a video, YouTube counts views, shares, likes, and comments within the first 24 hours. If there has been enough interactions made, your video is then promoted to your local YouTube chart. I also read somewhere that when you post does matter a lot. Posting on Monday or Tuesday morning is found to be the most effective since many watch YouTube videos and read news at work (ironic, eh?).
7. Look at the big picture
Don’t focus too much on YouTube counts. There are various ways for your video to go viral. People share interesting videos on blogs or social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. If your video is shared on social networking sites, it is exposed to more users therefore gets more chances to generate WOM. Think about what other channels you can utilize to make your video shared and viral.
Viral videos for advertising purposes normally work better if they provide sharable qualities whether it be fun, entertainment, or emotion. They also work well when the products or services you are trying to advertise are targeted towards younger generations since they spend much more time on YouTube, blogs, and SNS compared to older generations.
Remember to follow the Seven Golden Rules when creating a viral video. It might not be so hard to become a YouTube star after all 🙂
J