Want to make your video popular or go viral? Fret not. Because it might be much easier than you think. There’s no secret recipe, really. All it needs to be is simple, direct, and have a significant impact on your audience’s emotions. The video needs to be able to communicate with the audience on a deeper level, because it doesn’t matter how good your initial marketing plan is if your video doesn’t hold its own. Make sure your video’s short, and have a catchy title. Here are some pointers to keep in mind:
1. Content
Plots capture minds. We like to follow a storyline, be it in TV shows, films, books, or documentaries. We want to know who the characters involved are, what the conflict is, and how it is resolved.
What better way to show this to a viewer than in the form of audio-visual videos? To show them how it plays out, and give them a sense of closure with a satisfying conclusion. The content of the video heavily relies on the plot and how the sequence of events takes place. It needs to grasp the attention of the audience and keep them engaged.
If the subject or the plot does not interest them, they will be distracted and the audience is then lost. The trick is to keep the video revolving around the main idea and not drifting from it at all. It needs to be short and crisp so as to have a significant impact on the audience. The longer the video, the quicker they’ll lose interest.
The title of the video is what will draw your audience. It needs to be brief, and catchy. For example, tutorial videos do best when their titles begin with “How to”. But it shouldn’t be so brief that readers aren’t sure of what it’s about. Try and make it about something current and relevant that people can relate to, or it wouldn’t be as appealing.
Don’t just spit out facts and reasons about the topic at hand, because videos have the power to communicate both visually as well as with audio – it’s just about finding the right balance and getting through to your viewer, making them want to tell others about it.
2. Optimize your video for SEO
In order for your video to get the most views, it needs to be one of the top few search results on search engines. And for that, the title needs to contain key words that describe the video so it’s relevant enough to be there. Because honestly, how many pages of a search engine do we actually go through to find what we’re looking for?
Include a link in your description of the video back to your site. This is so people who want to know more are given a direct link from the video to the organisation’s official website. This way it can be shared easier, too.
3. Frequency
Did you know that websites such as YouTube have algorithms that place special weight on the first 24 hours after a new video is posted? Well, it’s true. Also, factors such as the right time of day, and day of the week actually matter. You need to know when to post because that’s when it is most important to get your marketing strategies on point. You need to post regularly enough so it reaches an considerable number of people, and the frequency of seeing your brand name or your style of videos allows you the popularity and makes you a familiar name.
4. Share, share, share!
Once you have your video up on websites like YouTube, ensure that it’s also up on others like Vimeo so that the chances it has of people viewing it are greater the more websites you have it up on. Make sure you send the link to your video to as many people as you can, and post it up on blogs, websites, and social networking profiles.
Try and get as many subscribers as you can, and use softwares that let you track and analyse the activity that takes place around your video. Start debates, discussions, and share it on related groups so it is more likely that people interested in the topic would take the time and view it.
5. Promote & Engage
Provide a space for all those who view your video to rate it and leave comments so that it becomes interactive and your audience is able to get in touch with you if they want or need to. It can allow for heated discussions, and could even pull in more viewers. Keep in mind that you might need to make a number of attempts before reaching success. It is an uphill battle, but not impossible to fight.
