This week on Social Media Philanthropy we’ll talk about some traits of successful viral videos. While a number of the uninformed think you can make something go viral, it is simply not the case.
Many companies think that they can just make a weird video and people will share it. Sometimes it works, most times it doesn’t. Viral videos are a phenomenon and while many exhibit similar characterstics, there is no formula for a video to go viral.
So while we’re on the subject, what are the types of videos that have the potential to be spread? Every day this week I’ll be covering a sub-section of videos that are spreadable.
Today…
LOL (Laugh Out Loud)
Some videos just make you laugh.
It’s not forced.
It’s just a great idea, well executed and worthy of showing everyone you know.
When something makes me laugh I think to myself about the people I know who would find it funny. Below are a selection of videos that comprise the LOL category of videos. I purposely avoided using the Old Spice commercial.
Clever videos
These are the most effective videos for business in my opinion. It shows that the company can promote themselves while entertaining you in a way that you can connect to.
Other people’s misfortune
Some people like to laugh at the misfortune of others. Many of these videos are most easily found on Fail blog, Ebaums World and Break.com
Totally Over-the-Top Videos
The over-the-top videos are the ones that companies tend to try to replicate. Its worth noting that only a select group of companies can push the envelope. It should be consistant with your brand. Most law firms or insurance companies would have a hard time promoting themselves as a professional organization with racy, over-the-top humor.
The business impact of Laughing Out Loud
The important thing to remember is that even if a video is funny enough to make you laugh out loud there is no guarantee it’ll catch on and even if it does, it’s hard to quantify the effect it will have for you or your business. This is not to discourage anyone from making videos and incorporating them into the marketing mix, I just want to set expectations with regards to “viral” video.
Videos are becoming increasingly important for businesses and individuals alike in their pursuit of business outcomes. Just don’t go into it thinking that if you make something laugh out loud funny that the video will spread like mad, and your sales will skyrocket. Companies that go into making video with the intention of the video going viral will be fighting a difficult battle at every turn. Instead, focus on making something valuable. If you can inject humor into your videos, perfect. Just don’t force it.