Every week, new viral videos circulate. When these videos are created by the average person, they make for excellent discussion. However, when a business develops a viral video, it becomes much more than just a conversation piece.
Advertising campaigns are anything but cheap, and most consumers have learned how to tune out the majority of the ads they see during the day. Viral videos, on the other hand, don't look like advertisements. By their very nature, they entice consumers to watch them repeatedly, share them and discuss them. For this reason, businesses everywhere are now looking for ways to add internet video marketing to their own arsenal of advertising strategies.
Unfortunately, businesses have become so caught up in the viral video hype that they have forgotten about some of the basic concepts that made viral videos so powerful in the first place. Before you begin work on a new viral video to promote your brand, consider the principles below.
Views are great, but shares are better.
It's wonderful when people watch your video, and since the number of views are so easy to track, many businesses focus on this metric as a method of determining a video's popularity. However, you can't call your video "viral" unless the people who watch it are also willing to pass it on to their friends and family.
Instead of focusing on the number of views your video receives, look at the number of shares, as well as the percentage of viewers who shared the video. To determine the percentage of viewers who shared your content, simply divide the total shares by the total views. The higher this percentage, the more engaging your video is to consumers.
Offline discussion is important too.
The internet is a powerful tool that businesses can use to share content. Thanks to social media websites like Twitter and Facebook, your company can distribute content to large numbers of people in only a few minutes. However, even though the internet can be useful for marketers, not all sharing occurs online. In fact, 93 percent of all word-of-mouth advertising still occurs in offline settings.
When you're coming up with ways to generate interest in your brand, think about more than just the social media and the internet. Instead, try to create a video that people will talk about both online and offline.
Viral videos need value.
Viral videos will only be useful to your company if they effectively promote your brands or products. For example, even if your video generates millions of views, it isn't worth anything to your business if you don't see an increase in sales as a direct result of the video.
In many cases, viral videos fail to increase sales because viewers don't connect them to the company that created them. If your videos don't exemplify your brand and inspire viewers to take action, it doesn't matter how many views they receive. To ensure that your company gets the most out of its videos, make sure that your web video production team understands the importance of creating videos that are both entertaining and relevant to your brand.
When it comes to creating effective viral videos that engage users and increase sales, Artisan Talent has the skills and expertise required for success. Contact us today to learn more.