This is a guest post by Nadia Jones.
Recently, the New York Times featured an article detailing the lives of those whose YouTube videos generated wild—and unexpected—success. The ability of otherwise “normal” people to become instant celebrities on the Internet demonstrates that there is no better time than now to achieve recognition on a national, or even global, scale. Of course, luck is the essential component when making a silly or entertaining video that millions watch and share, but there are several aspects of YouTube videos gone viral that content marketers can learn from. Here are a few lessons:
1. Look for entertainment or enlightenment in the mundane.
One thing that is common to nearly all viral YouTube videos is that they deal with fairly mundane scenarios—a kid coming home from the dentist, a man amazed at seeing a double rainbow, or a pet doing something silly, to name a few examples. What makes these videos interesting is that everyone can relate to each occurrence in some way or another.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSNhk5ICTI[/youtube]
2. Make titles simple and relatable.
This is true of all content in general—the more descriptive the title, the greater your chances of your content spreading quickly. When it comes to YouTube videos that go viral, you’ll notice that most videos have titles that are detailed and easily searchable. As noted in the New York Times article, a video entitled “Surprised Kitty” is much more easily found than a video entitled “Video of Tigger.” In terms of content market, the principle is the same—focus on a creating a title that is simple, detailed, and catchy.
3. Position your content such that it can be picked up by A-list bloggers.
A YouTube video tends to go from getting several thousand views to receiving several million once someone of importance, say a celebrity, tweets the video. In content marketing, aiming to be on the radar of A-list bloggers will enable your content to spread much more quickly. The easiest way to get noticed by top bloggers is to, of course, put out content of A-list level quality. Being actively involved in the community that these top bloggers create, by reading, commenting, and even guest posting on these blogs will place you firmly within sight of bloggers who can help you spread the word about your content.
4. Use different platforms and methods to market your content.
Viral videos are not simply the result of word-of-mouth popularity exclusively channeled through YouTube. Whether through Facebook, TV appearances, Twitter, StumbleUpon, and more, a YouTube video reaches its viral zenith using several different media platforms. Marketing your content using as many different channels as are available to you—even media that is off-line, like radio and TV—can take your content to the next level.
Doubtlessly, watching and learning from viral YouTube videos will not automatically get you that viral fame we all desire. But it’s definitely a first and important step in learning the ways in which the Internet enables incredibly speedy transmission of already good ideas. Good luck!
Author Bio:
This is a guest post by Nadia Jones who blogs at accredited online colleges. about education, college, student, teacher, money saving, movie related topics. You can reach her at: nadia.jones5 @ gmail.com.
To learn more about how to use YouTube for your business, watch this webinar-on-demand with James Wedmore about how to increase your traffic with YouTube.
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Hi Nadia,
I enjoyed the post and I found it very informative. I am making good progress with my video tutorials on my youtube channel and also with my online learning blog. Of course I would want more views and I will certainly bear in mind your points, especially point 4 which is now on my to do list.
Colleen