Can you?
Is it that easy?
Do you just tell your team, “Hey guys, we’re going to create a viral video for our next project.Any ideas?”
No – it’s not that easy because you can’t make something go viral, that’s the job of your viewers.
What is viral marketing?
Something goes viral when it’s shared – a lot. It’s a way of using social media channels to their max.
If you can create something that others feel compelled to share with their friends, who share it with their friends, who share it with their friends…well, you get the picture.
And that’s the reason you can’t make something go viral.
The qualities of viral marketing
OK, so you can’t make it go viral, but you can give your video (eBook, image etc.) the triggers that can make it go viral.
There is only one reason why someone will share your video – because it makes an emotional connection with them. It can be funny, tear-jerking or pull on their heart strings, but whatever it is it must make them want to share that experience with others.
There is no single formula that works – it’s a combination of the story you use, the images, the narration, the music – not much help I know, but here is an examples that has gone viral.
The idea you come up with must capture the imagination of your audience. That means you must understand them and the relationship your product has with them to find the emotional trigger that will kick start their need to share.
Each of the examples above triggered different responses from their viewers, but those responses made them want to click the share button.
What’s your all time favourite viral video? What can you learn from it?