Viral Video Success?
Are you already reading Web Strategy by Jeremiah? If the answer is no, then get over there right now and subscribe to his feed. I came late to the party on this blog and feel that it is one of the best out there for people playing on the new media playground. I don’t know him personally but really hope our paths cross soon as I’d love to pick his brain.
Anyway, today he has a post talking about some of the top viral videos. He even went so far as to embed them in the post so I got entertained as well as informed. Although it was interesting that I had only seen three of the ten posted. Makes me wonder who was watching them and where I was that I totally missed them. *grin*
But, the point that he made that I wanted to back up and second is that no one should ever set out to “make a viral video” as that is doomed for failure or more importantly shouldn’t be the outset. Creating quality content that connects with a viewer as well as causes them to share that content is what I wish more people would focus on.
Sure, we can all hope that a video will go viral. Who wouldn’t want that type of success? We’d all want it and so would our clients. But, it shouldn’t ever be the measure of success in my mind. Focus on the content, the story, the message you are trying to get out. If people connect with it then it’ll spread and remember it that is important as well.
An example for me is that I had never heard about Agent Provocateur lingerie until I saw a post months ago on Shake Well Before Use (another blog that I highly recommend although it is quite different as you’ll see). I hadn’t thought much about it till today when Jeremiah shared a video from them with Kylie Minogue in it that for obvious reasons went viral. The minute I watched the video I remembered the blog post and thought, “Hmm…I’ve got to check out this company” and proceeded to go to their website. That is SO much more powerful then someone just saying “oh cute video” and sharing it. Does, the video make a connection with the viewer? Does it have the ability to turn them into potential customers that are now aware of your brand?
Think about it and let me know your thoughts.
Thanks so much for this, if you feel your behind some of my best posts are tagged “web strategy” many of them are “how to’s”
http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/category/web-strategy/
I agree with you completely. If I’m ever asked if we can make a viral video for a client, my answer is that we can make a video. Whether or not it’s viral is up to everyone else.
cc,
agent provocateur also did a recent 3 part campaign of short films featuring kate moss. when the first one went up it broke the server and made front page news in the uk press. maybe the strategy for viral films is not so difficult to figure. fit women + underwear…