If you have ever wondered how viral videos are made here are 10 video qualities that encourage users to share video content throughout social media platforms and blogs. It is not a specific equation to the creation of viral content; it is more like a game of bingo. The more the qualities you have the higher the chances of your video going viral.
1. Do a Spoof/Parody of Something Familiar
If you play off of something that known by everybody such as a popular TV show, movie, or song, people will have a reference point for relating to your content. It is exactly why Weird Al Yankovic is now famous. It is the humour associated with seeing something familiar in a new light, whether you choose to make the video with people or to use motion graphics. For motion graphics in Nottingham, why not check out Fat Free Media.
2. Use Music in Your Videos
Elements that help stimulate other senses (short of taste or smell) help make your video more entertaining and engaging. Hint: Try creating your own music or using music under a Creative Commons license. It would be particularly bad to have sound removed from your video because of a record company’s copyright.
3. Make a Very Short Video
The best advice regarding the creation of content is to keep it short. You actually add value if your content is easy for consumption. Always cut down your footage to the absolute minimum no matter how awesome it is. Most people have just a few minutes or less to spare watching videos.
4. Keep Music Up Tempo
Deviations to this tip exist, but using upbeat music as a focus or background is an excellent way to capture the attention of your viewers and raise their excitement. It has been observed that faster music performs better than slower music.
5. Edit Your Video Right
It is always a good idea to edit your video into quick, sharp scenes. Each second of your video is a game aimed at holding the attention of viewers. If you have a single scene 15 seconds or longer, viewers can easily get bored and stop watching. Having quick scenes of 3 to 10 each helps stir curiosity and helps to increase the chances of your video being watched all the way through.
6. Be Genuinely Funny
Always ensure that you are funny to other people besides yourself. You might assume that you are making humorous content, but the question you need to ask yourself is whether outsiders are likely to appreciate it. Is it an inside company joke that other people are likely not to understand? Test your video on a few people outside your company before you publish it.
7. Never Get Stuck on Quality
The best videos don’t always have to be recorded on expensive cameras, in HD, or even edited by a film editing professional. The value is always evident in the creativity of your ideas as opposed to the gloss.
8. Be Larger than Life
People love to watch crazy things that they probably don’t see too often in their everyday lives. Take some risks and capture something genuinely remarkable on camera. Don’t be afraid to create ridiculous office scenes, act silly, or perform amazing but safe stunts. It is the same type of creativity that’s responsible for SNL’s success.
9. Use the First 5 Seconds to Shock Your Viewer
The first five seconds of the video will determine whether or not the person will keep watching. Avoid making the mistake of using a long intro to “set the stage.” Simply jump right in and grab the viewer’s attention before he/she moves on to something different.
10. Get Rid of “Company Friction”
It might be a bit challenging for companies that create content as part of a marketing program to do this. If you put your logo everywhere and your call-to-action is sales-related, people will think that your video is a commercial and won’t be willing to share it. The best advice is to find a balance that’s creative and subtle. Can you ask the audience to do something that relates to your company indirectly?