Have you ever seen a video with on YouTube with over a million views and thought to yourself, “If only I cоould get even 10% of these viewers!”or “How did that video get so many viewers?!”. The chance of this happening organically is minimal. There is “viral” technique involved. The video producers definitely worked behind the scenes to make it happen.

When people think about “internet videos”, they think of videos like Sony Bravia ads, Smirnoff’s Tea Partay videos, or Soulja Boy music videos. Take note though that these types of videos expectedly have millions of viewers because they are known offline as well. Viral techniques will only enhance its popularity but it will not create it.

But in this post, we will share some viral video production methods that will help you get 100,000 views at the very least:

Content is Not King in Viral Video Production

If you want to have a true viral video, realize that good content is not even necessary! Don’t get the wrong idea though, good content will get you repeat visitors but generally, there is no need to agonize over how the “viral” concept will fit your business. Your business should be made to fit in a great viral video concept:

• Make it short and snappy
• Design it with “remixing” in mind
• Don’t create an obvious advertisement
• Shock your viewers
• Use Sexual Appeal

How to Reach 100,000 Views

Now, the core concept of viral videos in YouTube is utilizing the advantage of its site traffic. An estimated 80 million videos are being watched on a daily basis and a significant number of these views are actually coming from the “Videos” tab.

The key to generating continual viral success is to get your video on the “Daily Most Viewed” video list. Getting there requires some marketing tactics such as getting relevant bloggers to post the video on their blogs, imbedding the videos on MySpace comments, sharing the video through Facebook, and sending it out to your email list.

Title Optimization

Using the video’s title and its thumbnail are the most effective way to convince viewers to click on that link. Who wants to view a video with boring titles? Do something to make your viral video stand out from the rest. Make sure you choose a catchy title with “exclusive”, “leaked”, and “behind the scenes” somewhere in it. There are lots of misleading titles in YouTube, don’t go this route though unless you’re truly desperate.

Thumbnail Optimization

Now that you have a catchy title, you need to choose a thumbnail that complements it. YouTube gives you three options for the video thumbnail. You can edit the video and get grab the most interesting frame. Two rules you should remember: thumbnail images should be sharp and clear and it ideally has to have a face in it.

Use the Power of Comments

Have a heated conversation with yourself. Better yet, get someone involved in it as well. Log in at different times of the day to generate some sort of discussion. Everyone would love to join in the fray and add their thoughts as well. Don’t be afraid to delete negative comments that aren’t good for your brand.

Please see an example of a successful viral marketing campaign below (OfficeMax: «Life Is Beautiful, Work Can Be, Too»). Keep in mind that an effective viral video does not have to be this long and expensive.

http://www.vimeo.com/1754384

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