Are there rules for viral videos? I think that these video bites should be in two separate categories. Some videos just become something out of nothing. The first viral video I remember was from years and years ago of a news reporter stomping on grapes and falling over out of the barrel onto the ground. Another news viral video, an anchor setting up a story about a mountain climber saying the catch was that he was gay—-errr—- BLIND, whoops!
In recent memory there are a few viral videos that definitely stood out. ‘Leave Britney Alone‘ and Miss South Carolina’s horrendous babbled answer to one of her questions from the Miss Teen USA competition. While the Britney video seemed like a crazy fan hoping to get some attention, I can’t imagine that he had any idea just how huge it would become. When Miss South Carolina decided she would disgrace any education she may have (or may not have) had, would she imagine that her answer to a simple question, which was a tragedy, would be a You Tube star. Also I have no doubt that no one tapped Beyonce on the shoulder and said “hey… it would be GREAT if you could fall down the stairs and almost kill yourself.” Beyonce herself even requested after the song pleading for people to not post the fall on YouTube (wrong or right, I definitely watched that one over and over….and over….and over again. These are the viral videos that are the phenoms, the ones that didn’t have the intention or resources to become a gigantic success… they just did.
The other category are the planned videos. For these people actually take time, do some prep and then go and shoot for the purpose of creating a video that they hope will catch on or become a total success. Some videos that come to mind instantly was the April Fools video Alanis Morissette had done putting her own spin on the Black Eyed Peas, ‘My Humps,’ and the ‘Landlord’ skit from Will Ferrel. Both videos obviously had some prep and planning but neither knew if there were going to be 10 people watching or 10 million. Luckily for them they got the millions, but that was never a guarantee!
In his article, ‘The Secret Strategies Behind Many “Viral” Videos’ Dan Ackerman Greenberg talks about the key components that videos need to be able to make it in the cut throat viral world. These rules obviously don’t apply to the videos that are mistake successes, rather the ones that are in the planned and prepped category. No, he doesn’t suggest you need sets, scriptwriters and a crew but that viral videos don’t just do their thing, there’s some heavy lifting to get even a small success. Dan outlines important “rules” from time length, how to pick the best thumbnail, how to tag and to get the word out. Obviously this isn’t for someone who is just randomly throwing things up on YouTube. This person is looking for the next big video. I think that his rules are spot on and really will help to get your video to the start gate of success but at the same time, reading all of the rules makes me think that with these restrictions or requirements could almost suck the fun out of your video if you pay TOO much attention to them.
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September 29, 2009 at 4:23 PM
You make a really good point. These are really two different categories. I love the examples you used. I had forgot had famous those video became without even trying.
September 28, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Thanks for the shout-out Brendan. We’re working on some really cool new tools for viral video marketers, so ping me via email and I’ll give you a beta invite.
Dan Greenberg
September 27, 2009 at 4:21 PM
Going viral is just one element that can help market a company. Greenburg’s ideas are very clever but I tended to side with many of the people commenting who were disgusted by some of the tactics, like artificially starting debates and such. It seems to me if a company focuses on a good product, that product will sink or swim on its own merit. Helping it along may not hurt, but it reduces its credibility. I liken it to a reporter re-visting her online story from different addresses just to bump up the number of hits, or a performer doing the same on YouTube. Not only won’t it make a whole lot of difference; regardless it’s underhanded. The reporter or performer is just kidding herself.
Of course viral marketing schemes have their place, it’s just important not to completely trust all of them or the end result.