This video from Ted Talks examines why some videos tend to go viral while thousands of others do not.
Anyone with a camera and internet access can upload a video to YouTube and potentially get famous. Of course your fame may be short-lived, but anything is possible. In this video, Kevin Allocca shares the three elements that viral videos have that make them so popular and Get Noticed through Video.
1. Tastemakers
Uploading your video on YouTube alone will probably not get you noticed. It must be shared by a tastemaker. These are the people that share the video and draw attention to it. These tastemakers must be people that can reach out to large groups such as late night hosts (think Jimmy Kimmel and Conan ‘O Brien), TV shows (like Tosh.O and the Today show), people with a large Twitter/Facebook following, or popular bloggers. Once these people recommend a video, it can instantly go viral.
2. Participation
People enjoy watching videos, but they also like to be apart of it. Videos that encourage participation become successful because people recreate them and make parodies. Then these remixed videos are uploaded and allow everyone to get a piece of the popularity.
3. Unexpectedness
Of course it makes sense that a video must be entertaining or unique to get attention. If videos can portray ideas or perspectives that haven’t been seen before, people are going to share it with others. Sometimes it isn’t about doing something completely new, but just capturing a moment in a different way than before.
Many of these videos are created without the thought of gaining recognition from them, but somehow by one or all of these elements, they become popular. Using your own videos in your blog or uploading them to YouTube could maybe benefit you in the future. If it relates to your business it could increase awareness of your brand and potentially bring more customers. Just keep in mind that as a business you want the right attention, and not just attention in general. Make sure what you upload online will not come back to bite you and that it represents your company positively. Get Noticed through Video!
