22 Tips for Creating Viral Marketing Videos (With Examples)
It’s the holy grail of video marketing. When a video goes viral, ROI skyrockets and the video goes from a promotional tool to being part of culture. Unfortunately, there’s no way to guarantee successful viral marketing videos and anyone who says otherwise is lying. That said, some of the best viral marketing videos share a few characteristics. And if you adhere to some general tips and principles, you can give your video more chance of viral success.
In this article, we will look at everything you should do to give your video these chances. We’ll also look at some of the best viral marketing videos out there. But first, let’s define what viral marketing videos are.
A definition of viral marketing videos
Any content that goes “viral” – be that video content, still imagery, an article, etc. – is content that receives exponential organic sharing from an audience. Today this is typically done via social media but there are some examples of viral content that preceded the social media era. Viral marketing videos are any marketing video that receives this level of rapid sharing. As you might expect they typically have a brilliant ROI – often better than any other marketing method.
Tips for creating viral videos
As mentioned earlier, there’s no reliable formula or exact method for making viral marketing videos. But the following guidelines have proven successful for other brands.
-
-
Make it funny
-
Remember, people are bored. People are on their way to work or going through a tough day so if you can brighten it up with something genuinely hilarious then that’s a good step towards engineering viral video success.
-
-
Make it interesting
-
Some videos can be more than just a good laugh. The epic viral campaign “Will it Blend” was part comedy, part documentary. You got to see just what various everyday items looked like when they were blended to mush.
-
Make it emotional or inspiring
Again, people are always looking for a bit of escapism. Something that really tugs on the heartstrings can be a nice addition to an otherwise mundane day. There are various emotions you can tap into. You could make poignant statements like this.
Or you could make a tearjerker like this.
Don’t make it too long
It’s a lot easier to watch and share a video that’s only 30 seconds long, than one that’s 30 minutes long. People are busy and have short attention spans. There’s also an entire galaxy of content out there and plenty of other things to do. Time is precious. It’s slowly ticking away for all of us, so the more time you’re asking from people, the bigger price you’re asking them to pay.
According to a recent report by the video hosting platform Wista, on the whole, shorter videos, under the 3-minute mark are more popular. That said, there will always be exceptions to this rule. In a previous Bullseye blog I cover the reasons that might cause your video to be longer than usual and still be successful.
Hook attention quickly
Unlike the previous point this rule should be followed at all times. Since people have a million ways to spend their attention online, you need to tell them why they should spend it on your video within the first few seconds. This could be with something funny or strange. It could be the promise of something valuable; “I’m going to show you how to make a million dollars this year.” Or maybe it could be by introducing a topic that everyone’s talking about.
Whatever method you choose, the first few seconds of all viral marketing videos need to be so interesting or remarkable that they make the viewer stop what they’re doing and watch the entire thing. These first few seconds could even occur before they’ve hit play; an enticing thumbnail or title may be all viewers need to get excited.
-
Make it clear and simple
They say the confused customer never buys. Well, I would add that the confused viewer never shares. Ideally, your video needs to be so easy to understand that people can enjoy it when they’re hungover on a Sunday. There are two sides to this benefit. Firstly, it makes your video easier to watch and therefore easier to share. But secondly, it makes the marketing message you’re trying to convey more effective. Remember, you’re trying to create a video that communicates something about your brand. If this communication becomes too convoluted, it will lose its potency and you’ll stray from the very reason why you created a video in the first place; to get sales.
-
Make it easy to share
Don’t rely on people copying and pasting a link for your video into an email. Sure, some will be bothered to do that. But you want to give people as little work as possible and appeal to the laziest of your audience members. Publish it on as many platforms as you can. Platforms like Twitter, and YouTube let you share things with just a few clicks. Also, make sure your video has sharing buttons to every platform wherever possible.
-
Keep big media like newspapers and T.V networks in mind
Your exposure will skyrocket if your viral marketing video gets picked up by a newspaper or a T.V station. Their reach dwarfs anything you’ll get on the platforms most marketers have at their disposal; email lists, social channels, etc. Also, if you focus on making your video newsworthy then the content is much more likely to be shared; if it’s something a journalist might want to write about, then it’s probably something your audience will want to share. When creating your viral marketing video, try thinking like a journalist and ask yourself “what would be the press release?” or “what would be the headline?”
-
-
Make it appealing to influencers
-
In a similar manner, your video could get additional exposure if it’s the kind of thing influencers will want to share. If you know your product is particularly relevant to a certain group, then it will be smart to think like an influencer in that space and address topics these influencers will want to talk about. For example, if you’re a beauty brand, then calling out products that have previously been reviewed by influencers could be a great way of getting the influencer’s attention.
-
-
Make it current
-
It's much easier for people to share and talk about a video if they are already talking about the topic it’s related to. This is a great way for both newspapers and influencers to share your video with the masses. This also ties in pretty well with the two previous points about appealing to the media.
This commercial for “The Gift That Doesn’t Give Back”
was a quick response to this widely criticized advert for peloton: “The Gift That Gives Back.”
-
Have a decent promotional strategy
Viral marketing videos rarely happen as a result of 100% organic sharing.
This means a good promotional strategy is a huge factor in ensuring success with viral marketing videos. A little “trick” that many viral marketing videos employ isn’t a trick at all. It’s the straightforward science of getting a video in front of as many people as possible. Think about it; when you send a video to 1 person then only one person can share it with their friends. Send it to 50 people and you’ve got potentially 50 sets of friends seeing your video. Here are a few promotional strategy guidelines.
Firstly, it’s wise to have access to an engaged audience. This could be your email list, your social channels, a third-party distributor, or even your own website if it already has the traffic. The idea is to have an engaged core group that will view your video with only a few clicks at your end.
You should also think carefully about how you publish and promote your video. Consider things like the ideal platform for your video, what kind of copy should accompany it, etc.
Think about when you’re going to post it too. Posting it during the week is usually the way to go since you want it to land when your social audience is most active. Avoid posting on holidays too, otherwise you may launch your video and hear nothing but crickets chirping on social.
Winning the social media game with viral marketing videos can be supported by hashtags. Find hashtags that are relevant to both your product and your audience. You may even want to consider creating your own hashtag.
Lastly, remember that promoting your viral video is not a one-and-done task. All social media platforms have an algorithm that favors interaction. The more you respond to comments and shares, the more attention your video will get within people’s social media feeds.
Of course, with particularly engaging and exciting content there’s less need for promotional strategy. Hidden camera footage of Prince Charles french kissing Elton John will spread faster than an advert for a mattress company. Nonetheless, every bit of promotional strategy will help.
-
Make it work without sound
Viral marketing videos and social media are inseparable. And since most people have muted social feeds, for videos to perform well on social, they need to work with the sound off. This means either a) having subtitles for the dialogue or b) crafting a video that doesn’t need audio.
-
-
Make sure it’s optimized for its chosen platforms
-
Similarly, don’t forget to make sure your viral marketing videos are suitable for the platforms you’re sending them to. It’s best to create square versions for mobile social feeds and 1920x1080 versions for YouTube. If you’re promoting your video via Insta story or TikTok then you’ll want 9:16, rectangular versions.
-
-
Make it SEO friendly
-
Winning the SEO game can be a slow process, with any results typically taking longer than most viral successes. Still, you might as well optimize your video for YouTube. It doesn’t require much effort to make videos tick the SEO boxes and it means that you’re potentially opening yourself up to a whole new audience that could share your video long term.
Another thing to consider is that sometimes viral marketing videos can go viral months or even years after initial publishing. An influencer may stumble upon your video and post it after a casual bit of YouTube searching. This is much more likely to happen if your video is SEO friendly.
-
-
Make it controversial (but be careful)
-
This is a big maybe. On the one hand, if something is controversial then it will get spoken about, tweeted about, blogged about, etc. On the other hand, you could attract negative P.R. There’s also the chance that your video will get pulled from your promotional channel of choice, or worse, banned. Still, controversy certainly worked for Nike.
Make it thought-provoking
You can avoid the controversy and instead make your audience stop, think, and engage their grey matter. Besides, it’s not every day that a piece of marketing does this. Provoke thought is exactly what Burger King did with their unexpected viral hit “Whopper Neutrality” where they raised the important issue of net neutrality using burgers.
Make it deliver value
One reason you might send a video to a friend is that you think they’ll find it useful. In a world where adverts can usually only make people laugh or cry, delivering value can be a welcome novelty. This campaign showed people just how easy creating an ice-cream sandwich could be with their product.
Ensure you know your audience
This is just good practice with any marketing communications. But when making viral marketing videos it’s a serious dealbreaker. If you create a video that says the wrong message to the wrong audience – or even the right message to the wrong audience – then nobody will care enough to share it.
Don’t make it too promotional
Generally speaking, people don’t like watching commercials. The majority of viral videos aren’t viral marketing videos. Instead, people are watching Gangnam Style, cat videos, and anything the Kardashians do. This means that on the whole, the most successful viral marketing videos don’t feel like marketing. There’s no hard sell and the logo or tagline only appears subtly at the end.
There are (arguably) exceptions to this rule. These two videos below are perfect examples. Regular readers of this blog will be sick of me citing them but #sorrynotsorry they’re just too dam good.
Both are shamelessly promotional and going for the hard sell. BUT they are entertaining. VERY entertaining. More entertaining than they are promotional. I.e. not too promotional.
-
Maybe include storytelling
If you’ve been googling “how to make viral marketing videos” then you’ve probably come across other blogs telling you how important storytelling is. Whilst I would certainly say it can be effective, I wouldn’t prioritize it. Prioritize making it entertaining. Prioritize creating an emotional connection. Make people laugh, cry, shock them, or do all three. A story is often the perfect way to do this. But it’s just another method. The two viral marketing videos above are prime examples of viral content with zero story. There’s no character development or story arc. There’s no inciting incident or resolution. Just a marketing message delivered in a fun way.
-
Making it high quality can help
This means having good production values, and ensuring the video is visually appealing. If your video looks and sounds amateurish, this can make people less likely to watch and share it. Following a tried and tested production process will help. Pay close attention to your audio. Many viewers will forgive 2nd rate visuals but unclear audio can make most videos unwatchable. What’s that I hear you say?
“Hang on, there are loads of great viral videos, that are only filmed on an iPhone”
Yes, but these are usually not made by businesses. They thrive on authenticity and their DIY vibe is fine because they’re not an advert. You’ll also see plenty of content from businesses with low production value but these will often be user-generated. When it comes to making viral marketing videos, making them high quality certainly won’t hurt and it will always make something more watchable and sharable.
-
Keep an eye on analytics
You can make the production of your viral marketing videos a bit more of an exact science if you track things like engagement metrics, and where your most engaged viewers come from. If you can pinpoint why they click away from your video then you can edit the one you’ve got or use that information to inform the next video you make.
Oh and also,
Don’t forget your video’s real goal
Going viral should be your video’s secondary aim. It would be foolish to put all your efforts into achieving something so unlikely. More importantly though, actually communicating something about your brand, like benefits and the problems your product solves are what will give you the real ROI. You don’t want to create a video that goes viral but has zero effect on sales. So make sure your video is a promotional tool first and a viral video second.
Don’t be unprepared for success
You need to turn all those shares and all that exposure into customers. But without things like a buy now button or a social channel to follow or an email list or a functional website, then you’ll have made a pointless video and you’ll have legions of warm prospects with nowhere to go.
Beware of going viral for the wrong reasons
They say all publicity is good publicity but I think this proves otherwise.
Making sure you don’t create something like what’s above will come down to common sense and remembering that if you’re going to address a touchy subject tread carefully. Get a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th opinion. Creative direction by committee is a nightmare. Still, you should make sure you get your video in front of a few down-to-earth people if you want to be on the safe side and avoid a viral disaster.
5 examples of businesses whose videos went viral
We’ve covered a few already but here are a few more viral marketing videos that demonstrate some of the above principles.
Squatty Potty
This absolute classic worked for several reasons. Firstly, it was so incredibly mental and hilarious that you couldn’t help but pay attention. It’s not every day you see a unicorn pooing out glittery ice cream. It hooked attention quickly and had a high production quality. Not surprisingly, it made some great headlines.
ConsentIsEverything.com
A brilliantly clear and simple message that addressed a topic of conversation that’s thankfully being spoken about more and more these days. This video was so popular it was picked up by UK police authorities and re-dubbed with an English voice-over.
Dove's "Real Beauty Sketches"
Whilst Dove is certainly an established brand, the figures this video generated put other TV and online video figures to shame.
The raw emotion and inspiring positive messages this ad promotes make it the perfect addition to any woman’s social feed/inbox/day.
Chipotle's "Back to the Start"
This is emotional storytelling at its absolute best. That’s because, for one thing, it communicates perfectly with zero dialogue. It also highlights an issue that’s very much on everyone’s lips: sustainable farming. The premium animation makes it even more watchable, hence why it racked up over 12 million views and tons of great P.R.
GoPro: Fireman saves kitten
If this doesn’t make you feel something then you have no soul. The intimate portrayal of hardcore heroism combined with the joy felt when something so cute and innocent is brought back from the dead should be enough to make even the most stony-faced robots’ hearts jump. It’s also a brilliant demonstration of a GoPro’s ability to withstand harsh conditions.
Final thoughts
There’s a great deal of overlap between the art of making good viral marketing videos and just making good videos. Hooking attention, making something that’s engaging, etc. will always be the target to aim for. Videos may or may not get shared for all sorts of reasons, so it’s up to the video creator to just focus on making a good video first and making it go viral second.
At Bullseye Motion, we never try to make a video go viral. However, we do stick to several principles that can certainly help it do that. These include having a high-quality production value, always keeping things succinct, and making sure we use humor and emotion wherever possible. If you're curious to see how we can make this happen for your business, click below to book a meeting with me, Bullseye's creative director.
P.S. all comments and feedback on this blog are appreciated! If there’s any way you think it could be improved, then feel free to shout and I’ll see if I can work them into a redraft. xx
