5 Tips To Creating An Effective Viral Video Marketing Campaign
This is a guest article written by Eric Guerin. Eric Guerin is CEO and Executive Producer for SmartMarket Movie, an online marketing video production company specializing in word-of-mouth / viral marketing videos ending with a call-to-action.
Viral marketing sounds like something you may be stuck in bed with for a few days maybe with a stuffy nose, and a fever...but it doesn't have to be. Did you know that every minute over 10 HOURS of video are uploaded to YouTube. Think about it...10 HOURS...while you were just thinking about this...another 10 hours just got uploaded to YouTube! So how do you make your viral marketing video stand out? How do you get it passed on to others without you asking (hence the going "viral")?
Here are 5 tips to keep in mind when creating a viral marketing campaign for your online video:
- State Your Objective - Before you hire a video production company or pick up a video camera...why are you making the video? Like any other marketing endeavor online or offline you need to have a plan. Part of this plan should also be tracking the effectiveness of your campaign - whether using a website analytics program to track the video views or using a service like TubeMogul where you can accurately track the viewing statistics from a number of video sharing sites through one panel - you'll want to know how effective your viral marketing video is and having tracking systems in place will help simplify this process for you.
- Be Yourself - Viewers respond to originality, so do what comes natural. Be inspired, make it memorable and capture the viewer's attention. Don't make your message too "salesy". You can increase your brand recognition with a very clever video without ever having to give a sales pitch. A sales video without a hook story will be watched once and forgotten but a video with a hook that captures the viewers' emotions can get passed on endlessly.
- Keep it Short - Online video should be shorter than 3 minutes to be effective. Most of the pieces we produce are between 1 and 3 minutes in length. If you have a ton of ideas - make a series of short videos instead of one long one. It will only help to increase your brand recognition. A great example of this is the Blendtec Videos. They have created a series of videos titled 'Will it Blend?' that have been a hit all over the web and a new video is released weekly. Since starting this series in September of 2007 their videos have had over 30 million views and their online sales have grown by more than 500%.
- Write A Good Description - Video-sharing sites let you create "tags," which are words that describe your video. These tags, along with the title and description, are how your video will get searched for and located on video sharing sites. Search engines like Google have recently added video to their search results, so optimizing the metadata around your videos is increasingly important. The more "relevant" metadata you add describing your video, the more likely someone is to find your video. Remember to be accurate, don't place your video in the "comedy" category because you think it will get more views...especially not if it is about file compression algorithms which would probably do better in the technology "category".
- Increase Your Online Profile - Now that you've launched the video online. How do you let people know about it? Embracing social media platforms as part of your communications mix is an integral first step. Blogs, social networking sites (such as LinkedIn, Facebook & Twitter) and video sharing sites (such as YouTube, MetaCafe, Revver & DailyMotion) are where consumers spend a majority of their time online and where the greatest opportunity for online engagement exists. Where applicable, send bloggers a link to your video or comment on other people's blogs and include a link to your video there, as long as it is relevant. By relevant I mean don't add a link to your video about your kitchen gadget company to a blog about a non-profit school. Don't spam bloggers with comments adding your video link if it adds nothing to their blog.
Most importantly, add the video to your website, make it part of your email marketing campaign, add a link to the video in your email signature, add it to your blog - if someone sees the video on YouTube and then views it again on your website...this only helps to increase your brand recognition.
Here's an example that we utilized for ourselves using word of mouth or viral marketing as a self-promotional piece in a B2B environment with measurable results. Last September I was named by a regional Business Journal to their 40 Under Forty list. So to celebrate this we created a funny movie poking fun at myself. We set very clear goals to:
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Increase our brand recognition within the region served by this Business Journal.
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To open a discussion which would hopefully lead to a working relationship with the Business Journal.
First, we sent it to our contact at the Business Journal to get their "blessing" before sending it out to our e-newsletter subscribers. The Business Journal's editor-in-chief called us within 15 minutes to say that it had already been forwarded around their entire office and they wanted to show it at the awards banquet the next night with over 500 attendees. At the event the owner of the Business Journal (and several other regional business newspapers) came up to me and asked if they could send it out on their e-newsletter to their list of over 5,000 subscribers.
Within about two weeks after the event our e-newsletter subscriber list doubled and from that event we have created videos for two of the event attendees, we produced videos for all three business journals owned by this company and have all three business journals set up to resell our online marketing video product. As with any word of mouth marketing campaign, it needs to grab people's attention and be easily passed on. We include a call-to-action at the end of the video on our website video versions which simplifies this process.
Although these tips won't guarantee the success of your viral marketing campaign, this will at least give you the tools to get started in the right direction. So put down the Menthol VapoRub - a viral marketing campaign won't require a trip to the pharmacy. Just a shot of creativity and a "call me in the morning".
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I was talking with a friend of mine who shocked me by telling me that someone actually came to her door recently, trying to sell her magazines. I was in disbelief that door-to-door salesmen still existed and that they could think they could get any business with these old, outbound marketing techniques.
She went on to tell me how he had come to her door under the ruse of some pre-college program whereby he was competing for a scholarship, which he would win just by visiting enough people door-to-door.
She went along with it, although completely surprised and confused, until, of course, he whipped out his trusty catalog of all the magazines he was actually trying to sell. She was, of course, shocked and appalled and immediately tried to get him off her doorstep as soon as possible. No, I don't want any magazines. No, I don't want this catalog of coupons either. No, no, no.
After my laughs subsided, and I got over my shock that door-to-door salesmen actually still exist, it got me thinking. There are so many things about this salesman's approach that are incredibly ineffective (and annoying). So here are my inbound marketing tips for this unfortunate merchant.
1. No more interruption marketing.
You're really going door to door, pulling people away from their dinner, or family, or tv? You really think you are important or interesting enough for them to want to talk to you instead of doing whatever they were doing when you rang their doorbell? They have not invited you into their home, and they certainly do not happen to enjoy being interrupted in the middle of their day (nor will they necessarily be home when you happen to stop by their house). Instead of spending your whole day interrupting people, and hoping they pay attention to you, try setting up a blog and writing interesting content, so that people want to hear what you have to say and come find you when they're interested in your products.
2. Get found by the prospects looking for you.
My friend is not interested in buying your magazines. Nor your coupon book. But I bet there are people who are interested. Why not connect with them? Instead of spending your time going door to door to every single person, spend your time setting up a website, a blog, an online presence, so that when people are looking for exactly what you sell, they find you. This is a much better use of your time and effort.
3. None of that bait-and-switch!
With a bait-and-switch, you introduce one offer (You're the 10,000th visitor! You win an iPod!) but, after the prospect buys into it (clicks on the ad), they're redirected to a completely different offer (What? I didn't want any Viagra). After switching stories on my friend, Mr. Salesman - from your college scholarship competition to your true mission, to sell magazines - my friend was not actually interested in buying your magazines. That is not the story that interested her. Just because she was interested in your scholarship program, that does NOT mean she's interested in your magazines. It does NOT mean she's going to buy your magazines.
With inbound marketing, you spend your time creating thoughtful content that is of interest to your audience. You get found by the people actually looking for what you sell, and you engage with your market so that they come to you when they're ready to buy. By leveraging inbound marketing techniques, Mr. Door-to-Door Salesman, you use your time and effort more effectively so instead of getting the door slammed in your face, you're engaging in conversations and generating more business.
Photo by Hamed Saber.
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Financial aid -- it's about as far as you can get from media. No way to create content in that business, right?
Absolutely not, said Chris Penn when I spoke with him at the Affiliate Marketing Summit in Boston earlier this month.
"Every business is media, and you need to be participating in media, or be left out of the conversation."
Chris is the Chief Technology Officer of the Student Loan Network, as well as founder and producer of the Financial Aid Podcast.
His podcast is a highly successful content-based inbound marketing strategy. It's introduced tens of thousands of people to The Student Loan Network, and demonstrates the marketing value of great content, no matter what your line of business.
You can hear more from Chris in the video of our conversation, posted below.
Even better, if you hurry, you can get one of the last tickets to the Inbound Marketing Summit, where Chris will be speaking on Sept. 8.
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This article is by guest writer Catie Foertsch from www.OurTownLLC.net who has a lot of experience producing video of many types and formats.
Video grabs people's attention far more quickly and effectively than text or photographs. So why not make a video to market your business? It's not hard. These six tips will help you make a good-looking, effective video.
- Start with a script. If you don't, you'll turn on the camera and find yourself tongue-tied as you try to think of what to say. Unless you're using a teleprompter, bullet points are better than paragraphs. Develop a list of bullet points and then rehearse your way through them a couple times, honing what you want to say just like you do when you're rehearsing a power point presentation. Remember that people are trained to watch video as story, so frame what you say with a beginning, a middle, and an end. (More about the end later.) And - while you might want to say a whole lot about your business, boil it down. Don't overwhelm your viewer with detail.
- Don't try to impress your audience by channeling someone who impresses you, like maybe Seth Godin. People have a very, very sensitive authentic-meter, and can tell immediately if what they're seeing is faked or forced. Remember the old maxim about doing business with people we know, like and trust? Video is a great way to let people connect with you in all three ways but it only works if their authentic-meter tells them they're watching a real person. So be yourself.
- Don't use the camera's built-in microphone. Buy a wireless lavaliere mic and clip it on your lapel. You can pick one up for short money, and the difference in the professional quality of your video is huge. To find one, Google lavaliere mic. Just make sure that the one you buy has the right connections for your camera.
- Be vigilant about your lighting. This is one of the easiest ways to make your video look good. Don't shoot against a window because your camera will adjust to the outside light and you'll be way too dark. Don't place yourself directly under an overhead light because you'll get very nasty raccoon eyes, as the light casts shadows from your brow. Do point a light source directly at your face, to counter shadows from overhead light. You can take the lamp shade off a table lamp so the light shines on your face, or point a desk lamp at yourself. Don't place it so close that you blind yourself, just use it to fill in the light on your face. It'll make a big difference. And, if you have dark skin, do not shoot against a light background as the camera will adjust for the background. Place yourself against a darker background so the camera adjusts to your face and not the white wall behind you.
- Frame your face well. If you're placing your video on your website it's going to be relatively small, so if your face is small in the video it will be very difficult to see on your website. Why does the size of your face matter? Because we want to watch your face as you talk. And beware of too much head room. Head room is the space above your head in the frame, and too much leaves lots of empty space and too little you. So - bring your head very close to the top of the frame. Aim for a head-and-shoulders shot without a lot of headroom and you'll look great.
- End your video with some kind of call to action. This is because people watch videos to watch a story, and every story must have an ending, and the most effective ending for a marketing video is a clear communication of what the person should do next. Here's an example: "Bankruptcy is not easy, but we have the experience and the know-how to help you through this. So call us, right now, and let's get started."
What's the bottom line? Communication-wise, video is the sharpest tool in your toolbox, and making good video isn't hard. So why not start using video to communicate your message?
Photo by danny.hammontree
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A lot of companies we talk to already know they want and need to start a blog. "But we're waiting," they say. "We don't know what to write about and we don't want to start the blog until we know we can maintain it."
First, I want to say, stop waiting. You're losing valuable time. Don't sit back and let your competitors and your customers do the talking for you. Don't get left out of the conversation that has already started.
I also want to point out that a blog is not a newspaper. It doesn't need to go through dozens of edits and approvals, it doesn't need to be perfect. A blog is a way for you to engage in a real, informal conversation with your market. If they want to read the same old stuffy marketing fluff, they can go to your corporate website.
Finally, a blog is not just about you, you, you. If you don't know what to write about, ask someone else. That's right - you don't have to stick yourself in a dark corner and type through the night, coming up with brilliant answers to difficult questions. You do not have to - nor should you - isolate yourself in the blogging process. A blog is about engaging in a discussion with others, so why not involve them right there in the article.
Some ideas:
- Interview a thought leader or peer. Hear and share what someone else has to say on a relevant topic.
- Invite your peers, customers, prospects to write a guest post.
- Have a customer share a success story (as long as it's not product-related).
- Propose a question. You don't have to be all answers all the time. Initiate a conversation on your blog. Chris Brogan does this a ton and his blog is hugely successful for it. (In this post, he even goes so far as to ask his readers what he should blog about!)
By including other people in the blogging process, you both lighten the load on yourself while also making your blog more engaging and interesting. You also get the added benefit that whomever you are engaging will likely promote the article to their network, expanding your blog's reach and audience.
Hopefully now the thought of launching a blog is a little less daunting. But if you're still wary, you should check out our classic articles:
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