14 Ways to Make Your Video Go Viral

1. Be Like A Magician 

Have you ever been to a magic show, or watched magicians on TV? It’s fascinating to see them captivate their audience and keep them engaged, writhing on the edge of their seat the whole time. When you’re trying to achieve a strong online presence, it’s important to engage your audience as well. But unlike a live performance, videos are often much shorter and you only really have a couple minutes to draw your viewers in.

So don’t waste your precious time on things that can be shown towards the end of your video. Really hook people in with something interesting, and stray away from things including logos if you can help it. 

2. Be Different

There’s an analogy that follows the story of a purple cow. When you look into a field of brown cows, none of them really stand out. But if you were to see a purple cow, well it would definitely stand out and probably be worth talking about later. 

An example of a brown cow would be an advertisement for a blender that showcases the speed and power of it. But an example of a purple cow would be if the advertisement asked viewers whether or not they thought it could blend something tougher or not. People would be more likely to stay if you peak their curiosity. 

3. Use High Quality Equipment

When starting out, high end equipment is often unaffordable. You can still make a viral video just using your phone’s camera. But people are more inclined to watch something when it looks professionally done. 9 out of 10 of the most viral videos on Youtube were made by legitimate producers according to The Wall Street Journal. 

However you can create a viral video just using your mobile phone and many people have! You can learn how to do so here. Don’t let gear stop you, a lot of the time, the idea and creativity is the most important factor in going viral.

4. Be Practical

Don’t shy away from practical videos that can help teach your audience. For example, there’s a video online from famous Youtuber Wendy Nguyen, a fashion blogger who posted a video on 25 ways to wear a scarf in only 4.5 minutes. 44 million people have watched the video, and it encouraged a lot of people to subscribe to her channel. 

5. Marketing Is Important

Oftentimes, people are nervous to promote themselves and their work. They worry whether or not they’ll waste time and money on marketing but then have their work flop. It can be embarrassing. But in fact, it’s crucial to promote yourself instead of leaving it up to chance, especially if you put a lot of hard work into it. You should be proud of yourself and show it off.

Using videos on landing pages can increase conversions by 86% (Joe Girard, 2015). 

6. Release On A Monday Or Tuesday

Weekends are unfortunately a bust, because everyone is busy on the weekends. Most people tend to watch videos on break at work. So post on a Monday or Tuesday so that it has the rest of the week to gain momentum. Be mindful of breaking news that may take attention away from you. Also, be careful around holiday times. Instead, choose a day without any major news and post during the times people are on their phones the most like in the morning or right before bed. 

7. Have A Strong Video

Promoting yourself can only get you so far. You can get your family and friends to share your videos, but what about beyond your social circle? You need to have some strong content there; content that will spread like wildfire. 

Consider striking an emotion in your viewer, because people share your videos when they feel something. Emotions that typically get you those shares include happiness, eagerness, enjoyment, frustration, etc. 

8. Keep It Short

When deciding on a video to watch, do you ever look to see how long it is before clicking on it? I know I have. When a video is longer, people usually don’t have the time to watch the entire thing. But if you can fit a lot of information in a 2 minute video, better yet 30 seconds, people are more inclined to watch it. Also, short videos get more shares and spread to different audiences better. 

9. Find Your Steak

If you’re trying to make a viral video, think about the people and companies you want to hire you. If you need any marketing, these companies can work with you on that. If you make a video, include links to potential sponsors. 

For example, if you are doing a clothing haul then you could link to a company like Nike. Ideally, Nike would hire you to rep their brand and in return they could reimburse you. You won’t win every company, but that doesn’t mean one wouldn’t hire you. Don’t be afraid to reach out. 

10. Okay, You’re Viral

Now what? There’s a good chance you will receive a lot of criticism. For example, someone once posted a video from a car accident that they where involved in, and it got over 10k views. It was not the person that was filming’s fault, nor where they charged. But from the angle they took the video from, it left people thinking that it was indeed their fault and they said horrible things. But don’t let it get to you! It’s good to create controversy, it keeps the attention on you. 

It’s important to remember that the media might try to get a hold of you, so be sure to answer. Make your email address and social media links easy to find. Understand where you want your traffic to go. If you have a website, be sure to include a sign-up page.

11. Write A Good Description

People often neglect the importance of a good video description. After waiting for your video to upload, writing a description may seem like a nuisance. But in fact, the description is the perfect area to include all your keyword searches. Also, post tagged URLs to companies that you want to sponsor you. 

Use the description box to your advantage, don’t just leave it blank!

12. Subtitles and Captions

People often don’t remember that when you neglect subtitles and closed captions for your videos, you’re cutting out a large demographic of people with hearing disabilities or language barriers from watching you. 

Youtube does a decent job at auto-generating captions for you, however they often offer up mistakes. So to ensure they are proper, you might need to invest your time into doing it yourself.

13. Mobile Devices

Did you know that half of all videos on Youtube were made using a smartphone? Not only that, but Youtube’s top priority is actually mobile phones. So definitely consider making mobile friendly videos for your viewers. Cater to the larger demographic, but continue pushing videos that could suit every device. 

14. Consider Overlays

Have you ever watched a Youtube video, and then suddenly a small text box popped up that had a link attached that you could click on? Overlays are an amazing tool in getting more subscribers. It provides more intractability with your viewers, and shows that you put more time and effort into your videos. 

When using all of these tools and by paying attention to keywords and phrases, you’ll definitely be on your way to becoming highly discoverable.

- By Jessika Molnar

Do you think you’re ready to make a viral video?

If you need further help creating your own marketing videos, we offer video production services that will help you elevate your brand!

We look forward to being a part of your success. Contact us here to get started.

How to Become a Successful Youtuber

Many people believe that becoming successful on Youtube is a thing of the past. There are already too many self-made millionaires who have had their time and luck on the site, and it seems as though there’s no more room for anyone else. But that isn’t actually true. Marketers just need to learn how to adapt to the ever-changing audience environment. And by doing so, Youtube can still be an awesome outlet you can use to share your voice with the world.

Below are just 12 simple steps that you can take to become successful on Youtube.

1. Define Success

When people think of success, oftentimes the mind refers to money. But in reality, success is so much more than a paycheck. Ask yourself if you would be happy long term at a job that you completely despise. The answer is probably no. So figure out a goal besides just making money - whether that be a higher view count, a certain amount of followers, or monetization. Create content that you actually enjoy to make, and watch the rest fall into place. 

2. Branding Yourself

Now although it’s important to have fun, you also need to remember that Youtube is a job. As you start your channel, think about how you’re going to define your voice and the content you share. When branding yourself, give your channel a certain personality that attracts others. The easiest thing to do is just be yourself. But if that’s something you want to shy away from, then you need to remember to keep the same persona you’re playing throughout all your videos. Figure out what kind of videos you want to share - whether that be cooking, make-up tutorials, or DIY videos. Then, figure out how you can make those videos different from anything else already out there. 

3. Plan It

Now that you’ve figured out what you want your channel to be about, it’s time to plan it out. In a way, it’s like a business model. Some of the things that should be mapped out ahead of time include any and all equipment that you will need to make quality content, any people that you want included in or behind the scenes, and any production costs that may need to be accounted for. Build yourself a structured timeline that you’re able to refer to during the process, and stick to it as best you can to give yourself the easiest time. 

4. Be Welcoming

Considering that Youtube is mainly a visual outlet, it’s important that your channel looks appealing and welcoming. It doesn’t look cute or professional when your profile is incomplete or your images and videos are the wrong dimensions. Also consider your thumbnails, do they follow a consistent look or are they sporadic? Figure out what best suits your channel style and roll with it. 

5. Search Engine Optimization

Proper SEO for your Youtube videos is crucial. Now that you took all this time branding yourself and creating high quality video content, the last thing you’d want is for your videos to flop because you didn’t use the right keywords in your title. Figure out what keywords your competitors are using, and what keywords are the most popular and incorporate them in a way that is still different. For example, change up the order.

6. Consistency

This is the most important step of all, because without consistency you have nothing. It doesn’t matter what kind of content you’re producing if you don’t stick to a schedule. Posting on the same day around the same time lets your audience know when they can expect from you. It also gives you a timeline to follow to keep yourself more organized. 

Consistency is not just meant for a schedule either. It’s also meant for the type of videos you post. For example, if you follow a beauty guru where you receive all your tips and tricks on how to create your favourite make-up look and then without warning that Youtuber posts a video on dogs, it will leave you feeling confused and somewhat disappointed if you weren’t expecting it. Always keep your audience informed about any changes you’ll be making. Even if you don’t have a high following right away, adopting these habits early will only help you, not hinder you.

7. Keep It Concise

No one likes overly drawn out intros for something that will only take 30 seconds to show on camera. If you intend on having a long intro regardless, then let your viewers know right in the beginning what exact minute and second they can skip ahead to to watch the actual content in your video. If intros are too long and boring, people will usually leave before the video even finishes and nobody wants that for a video they worked really hard on.

8. Stay Informed

The riches are in the niches. When choosing your niche, make sure it’s something you’re very knowledgeable about. This includes staying up to date with things that are changing in your niche’s community. Research your competitors' videos and study the points they make so you’re not behind on your own. No one wants to watch a video from someone who claims to be an expert but they’re not up to date. The last thing you want is for your audience not to trust you.

9. Treat Your Audience Well

The main way to be successful on Youtube is by having a high following. With that being said, it’s important to treat your audience well because they are the reason for your success. There are lots of things you can do as a content creator that will remind your audience of your appreciation for them. Some examples of this are to hold live Q and A’s with your audience and talk to them. Your audience are your fans, and who wouldn’t want to talk to their idols.

Another thing you can do is hold monthly or yearly contests where your audience can have the chance to win something from you. It doesn’t need to be expensive, something as simple as a signed shirt could suffice especially in the beginning. 

10. Have A Website

If your main content is on Youtube, it’s often difficult to redirect your audience’s attention to other platforms. Of course you should post through as many different outlets as possible, but the most useful one of all would be to have a professional website for your audience to check out. This website should be accessible through your Youtube page for easy access. A professional website always elevates your brand!

11. Keep Growing

Even if you’re doing amazing, there is always room to grow and improve yourself, whether that’s in your personal or professional life! Analytics can tell you a lot about who’s watching your videos and it allows you to narrow down your demographic and study what interests that group of people to make even better content.

12. Learn From Mistakes

Just like in everyday life, no one is perfect and you’re bound to make mistakes in your personal and professional career. The main point is how you choose to get over that mistake and how you choose to make up for it and grow from it. People won’t always forgive and forget but as long as you forgive yourself then that’s all that matters.

- By Jessika Molnar

Although it comes with challenges, becoming successful on Youtube is still very much realistic. Do you have what it takes?

If you need further help creating your own marketing videos, we offer video production services that will help you elevate your brand!

We look forward to being a part of your success. Contact us here to get started.

8 Important Reasons You Need to Use Video Marketing

You might be wondering whether or not video marketing is an essential tool to have in your promotional kit. The simple answer is yes. Not only does almost every company nowadays promote in this way, but having good video content can make you stand out from the rest. Below you will find 8 reasons why video marketing is the best tool you can use to elevate your brand.

1. It Boosts Your Sales

Who doesn’t love money? Well the key to success might be as simple as video marketing! Did you know that by simply adding a video to the homepage of your website for example, you could increase conversions up to 80%?

When taking still pictures alone into account, the human brain can process an image 60,000 times faster than when reading text. So, you can only imagine what a moving picture could do to the brain! The brain forms it’s first impression within 50 milliseconds, so grab your camera!

2. It’s Awesome For ROI

What’s more? 83% of businesses say that the use of video marketing provides a good return on their investments. Sure, video production​ may not always be the simplest or most inexpensive marketing technique, but it can definitely help you out in the long run! Consider spending a little more time and money on video marketing, and your sales will thank you for it.

You don’t need a fancy camera either. As long as you’re getting important information across in your video, then a simple phone camera may suffice. After all, good product explanations are typically more than good videography and editing. Not to say that visuals and sound effects aren’t important. It’s all about balance.

3. Trust Building

When creating video, it’s important to remember that the goal is to create an emotional response in your viewers. You should aim for it to be a feeling of trust. Afterall, trust should always be the basis of any company or business. You won’t have long-time customers without maintaining long-lasting relationships.

Many consumers worry whether or not the product they are potentially buying is false advertising. Take yourself into consideration. Have you ever been worried about a product until you watched a product review video online? So it comes as no surprise that video content gives 57% of customers more faith in the product they are purchasing.

4. Other Sites Might Promote You

Video marketing will keep consumer engagement up, and depending on how well your videos do, you could end up on other platforms as well. Say hello Google!

Since Google owns Youtube, you are 53 times more likely to end up on Google if you have a Youtube video embedded somewhere within your website. When doing so, be sure to include any additional steps to be taken so your customers can access product information easier. Consider interactive videos as well for better user engagement. Users view more than 1 billion hours of video each day on Youtube.

5. Video Vs. Mobile Users

Did you know that ​78% of people watch online videos every week, and 55% view online videos every day? ​As smartphone use becomes more and more popular every year, so does the need for convenience. People would much rather watch videos on the go. There’s a reason as to why TV shows have gained such popularity over movies over recent years - people just don’t have the time anymore to sit down and watch a full length feature film, whereas a show can run just under half an hour per episode.

With that in mind, be sure to pack the most important information right in the beginning of your video. Keep it creative, fun, and most importantly, honest.

6. It’s The Easiest Way To Explain

72% of customers would rather learn about a product or service by video. That’s a pretty big percentage for only a few extra minutes and dollars spent on advertising. Not only that, but video marketing doesn’t always require paid actors or having to sit in front of a camera and talk for minutes on end. Simply paying someone to create a quick animation for you can suffice! Animations are fun to watch and show a high level of professionalism as well.

7. Anyone Can Be A Consumer By Watching Video

In a world all about convenience, people tend to get lazy when it comes to reading long product descriptions and explanations. Most consumers want to see the product working in a live setting like video.

You shouldn’t only cater to good visuals, but great audio as well! As we all learned in school, some people are visual learners while others are auditory learners. Try to keep everyone in mind when video marketing.

8. Your Video Could Be Shared All Over Social Media

The statistics when it comes to social media platforms is really shocking. For example, ​social media videos generate 1200% more shares than text and image content combined. What’s more? Mobile video ad spending is expected to be about 72% of total digital ad spending in this year alone. Many social media networks encourage video content by adding new enticing features that have people hooked. TikTok is a great example of this, considering their net worth is 50 billion dollars.

Conclusion

Video marketing has and will continue to be on the rise for years to come. 85% of consumers

want to see more video content from brands.​ ​And in a world full of convenience, it comes as no surprise that video marketing will help to elevate your brand and make you stand out from the

rest. Keeping in mind that your videos should be fun, fresh, and different from anything else already online.

- By Jessika Molnar

If you need further help creating your own marketing videos, we offer video production services that will help you elevate your brand!

We look forward to being a part of your success. Contact us here to get started.