One of the most common questions we get asked by clients is: “How do I make a video that will go viral?”
And our answer is always the same - You can’t. Or at least, not in any measurable sort of way.
The only secret to making a viral video is that there isn’t one. Some video production companies may claim to have a magic formula for the next viral hit, but if such a thing existed then everyone would be following suit.
But there is no magic bullet formula. The nature of viral content is that it takes on a life of its own.
Sure, there are some things you can do that will increase the odds of your video getting shared or liked, but that in and of itself won’t equate to a viral sensation.
Not to mention, the more you try to make your video fit into the “viral” framework, the less likely it is to be well received by an online audience. People can smell a fake attempt a mile away.
Most real viral videos happen by accident. They are often shot by amateurs, who just happen to be in the right place at the right time. They capture a hilarious or emotional or thought provoking moment and release it at the perfect time, usually out of sheer luck.
If enough people like and share the video quickly enough, the social media algorithms kick in and the video blasts to the top. Before long, it’s a household meme that we’re all discussing over dinner.
Naturally, brands and businesses want to harness this sort of power. Who wouldn’t want to make a low-cost video that reaches millions of people with minimal effort?
The problem of course, is that it’s completely unattainable. In over a decade of doing business, we have yet to come across a true branded viral sensation. It just doesn’t happen.
And even if it were possible to craft the perfect viral video in a lab, the results still wouldn’t be optimal for most businesses.
There are a few notable exceptions to this rule, but generally speaking viral content does not drive ANY sort of additional engagement. Other than sharing the video, what is the viewer going to do? Visit your website? Buy your product?
Not a chance. Because it doesn’t perform as an advertisement to them. There is no CTA associated with it, and they have no incentive to take further action when they’re done.
Some brands have made the mistake of trying to produce a “viral video” that looks authentic, but then slap on a logo card at the end with a CTA. This is an even worse idea.
Ad-based videos that use this kind of trickery are never shared in a viral manner. Viewers get turned off by being duped into watching an ad, and are far less likely to share it with anyone. If anything it just hurts the brand.
The better path is to create highly shareable content that is authentic to your brand and doesn’t lean on gimmickry.
A well produced 2 minute branded spot that inspires, educates or evokes a positive feeling can be incredibly powerful. Without the whacky antics, it may not reach as many millions of viewers as the viral flavor of the week, but it’s the quality of viewers that matter.
Wouldn’t you rather reach 100,000 people who would be genuinely interested in your product or service than 1,000,000 who are not even close to your target customer base?
100,000 people is still a heck of a lot, and a completely attainable number. Well produced content that is engineered from the get-go to evoke emotion and inspire engagement can yield very concrete and measurable results.
So for our money, it’s simply not worth rolling the dice on a viral-style video that probably won’t move the needle for you, and may even cheapen your brand along the way.
The same amount of cost, time and effort could be applied to a more traditional piece that takes into account a digital release strategy. This way you’re far more likely to reach a sizable audience of people who are actually in your target demographic.
This is ultimately why we focus so heavily on distribution strategy in addition to simple video production. While most businesses consider production work to be the service they are paying for (when working with a video production company), that’s only half of the equation.
The other half is ensuring that content gets seen and drives results - otherwise, what’s the point in making it in the first place?
If you’re looking to produce video content to help your business, be sure to reach out to us. We offer free strategic advice on content production and distribution, and would love to hear from you.
Be sure to email us any time at info@creativerebellion.com to set up a free strategy session.