Good Points: How To Make Your Video Go Viral

Let’s say you made an awesome video about your product. Now you want the world to see it and you want a lot of people to come to your website, check out your product and of course, you want people to buy your product.

But how do you generate an audience? The goal is to get as many eyeballs as possible, right? Or is it? Wouldn’t it be great if interest in your video picks up and you wake up the next day, finding it was shared thousands of times?

The truth is, you can’t make a video go viral

It’s either happening or it’s not. And no “growth marketing hack” can change this. If you rely on growth-hacking methods, you will get more viewers, but less of the audience you’re actually interested in. Every new viewer will come with a different expectation. They won’t see your video because they are really interested in getting your product.

What happens when a product goes viral is that it has something people want to share. It is well done, has a really touching, or a funny, or a moving and a compelling story, something we want to share with our peers.

The best (and only) way you can influence the viral effect with a sustainable audience is by actually making your video touching, or funny, moving, providing a compelling story.

Of course, sensational or slapstick clips that have nothing to do with your product can grab attention too, and if it is click-bait, you can be sure it will be shared. But how will this help your product and your sales? More audience of any kind does not translate into more sales.

You need an audience that is interested in what you have to offer. This audience is open to listen to what you have to say.

Fancy animation graphics, or a cool guitar song, or a peppy presenter are only tools – it’s not what will make people want to share the video. The secret lies in how you dramatise your story. How well you bring out the core that makes your product special. The essence of how people experience it.

Provide a story and a message the audience can identify with, then your video has the highest chance to be shared.

Here is your checklist for a good product video

Clicking or tapping the points will check them off from the list:

• Use User Experience research to figure out key points of interests for users.
• Develop a list out of these key points and turn them into a story outline: these points will make the chapters of your storyline.
• Figure out the best way to tell your story. What’s the right format of drama? It’s not a bad good idea to take a few quick-and-dirty shots and run them by people you know to get some feedback. Don’t rely on the day of the actual video shoot to figure this out.
• When you found your storytelling vessel, the way you want to transmit your messages, it’s time to produce your video.
• Everything should be following the thread you developed earlier: the scenes, the actors, the setting, the lighting, the soundtrack, the sound quality of the mix.
• What you found out in the first step comes to play with the elements above. Then you only need to edit it, put it on YouTube or Vimeo, share it and if you run an ad campaign, point to it.
• Make sure your video has a final screen that allows people to continue with the story, to get to your website, or to learn more through other videos.

Do you want to learn more? Let us know your questions in the comments and we’ll do our best to answer them.