Going Viral: Top 5 Ways to Create Viral Advertisement Videos
Today, we’re looking into the elusive viral video and what strategic choices you can make to create viral-worthy video advertisements.
Image via: Noble Bison Productions
Let’s start with the unfortunate news: If there were a perfect formula to make a viral video, everyone would make them. However, the good news is that we do understand a handful of specific elements that contribute to making video advertisements go viral. Before we get into these different strategies, let’s clarify what viral videos are, how they’ve changed over time, and how viral ads are different from viral entertainment videos.
What is a viral video?
A viral video is a video clip, home to YouTube, TikTok, IG, FB, or Vimeo, that spreads quickly on the internet through multiple channels, like social platforms, text messages, email, blogs, and so on.
How have viral videos changed over time?
Viral videos are still technically the same thing, but our understanding of virality has changed. If we look back to around 10-15 years ago, a viral video meant everyone with access to a T.V. or the Internet had seen it – think: “Charlie bit my finger.” But a viral video means something else in today’s digital world.
The internet has evolved, and with that, the ways we use the internet has changed. Not only has the number of users increased, but the spaces we use online are much more compartmentalized than they once were (largely due to algorithms and tools like hashtags). And now, with so much content and micro-cultures on the internet, a video can go viral and reach millions of people while still being unseen by the majority. In this sense, it’s much easier and more common for videos to go viral today.
Viral advertisement videos vs. viral entertainment videos:
Creating a viral advertisement is different from a video made for entertainment that goes viral. There’s the serendipitous element of videos that go viral without any intention. But what we want to look at today is how we can intentionally craft advertisement videos that have the potential to go viral.
In today’s world, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram have made virality more common and much easier to execute than in the past. Businesses owners now have access to more marketing tools than ever before, including a more sophisticated system to reach specific audiences with video ads. These tools and a bit of creative genius are how we can get intentional with making ads with the potential to go viral.
Important content tip:
Videos can be potent marketing tools for your business or organization when done well and with integrity. Before we hop in, we want to note that the best content for your brand will always be authentic content, the kind that reflects your brand and team honestly. If you can mash original with these helpful elements below to create an incredible video — that’s great! Just remember to be true to your brand. Otherwise, you’ll quickly get sniffed out for being disingenuous.
Top 5 Ways to Create Viral Advertisement Videos:
INNOVATION & ORIGINALITY
THE PITCH
STRIKE A CHORD
TIMELY & RELEVANT
MARKETING TOOLS
1. Innovation & Originality
Create an advertisement video that is innovative and original. Simple, right? Not exactly. But it's best to start here: We believe there's originality at the heart of every valuable business. So, get your wheels turning by considering the ways your company, products, or services are unique and stand out from competitors. Ads that market something new, different, and innovative will circulate more than just another iteration of a product we've seen and used the same way for decades.
Storyboarding
Storyboarding a viral-worthy video is a skill. It takes time, research, and creative juices to create quality content that performs well. Whether you brainstorm the storyboard in-house or hire a video production company to help you develop the concept, the goal is to take what's unique about your company, products, or services and think about how to share it through visual storytelling. If you've been teetering on hiring professional help to storyboard and/or film your video content, it's a wise investment for your business to up its game. And just think — a viral video can change a company overnight.
2. The Pitch
Amidst your creative and innovative video must therein lie your pitch. Your video could be entertaining and filmed amazingly, but a clear pitch is needed to convince viewers to take action. In the end, the viewer should know exactly what you're selling and why they should be buying. Dollar Shave Club's viral ad "Our Blades are F**cking Great" from 2012 is the perfect example of educating the consumer and delivering a pitch while also keeping it funny.
Video: “Our Blades Are F***ing Great” ad by Dollar Shave CluB
With over 27 million views, this ad did what it came to do. In it, they pitch a no-frills product the viewer can have delivered to them (quite innovative for its time) — and for a quality price. The pitch itself feels reliable because the speaker is one of the company's founders, and then, to strike a chord with their ideal customers, they've chosen to be ridiculous and comedic. Being that it came out in 2012, the ad would have aligned with millennials, the type of people who, at that time, laughed at these jokes and would be more interested than intimidated to order products online like inexpensive razors.
I recall another viral advertisement from this era, with almost twice the views, the “Girls Don't Poop” ad by Poo Pourri. It has accrued almost 45 million views using a similar formula as Dollar Shave Club (education, pitch, comedy).
Video: “Girls Don’t Poop” ad by Poo Pourri
3. Strike a Chord
As you just saw, whether it's funny or heartbreaking, viral ads somehow strike a chord with their viewers. Emotion is an essential part of marketing because it has potent effects. Not only are people more likely to remember something when it's tied to an emotion, but emotions push us to act, whether that's to buy something, sign up, donate, or so on.
What are some ways viral videos often stir our emotions?
Jokes, comedy
References to traditions and holidays
Desirable outcomes or lifestyles (feelings of desire, motivation, & even jealousy)
Showing relatable experiences (good, bad, & ugly)
Relatable people/characters/roles (we feel, think, and act as they do)
Social statements/references
Political statements/references
Getting Political
It's more common now for brands to take a political stance, but it's up to you and your team whether it's suitable for your company. A good rule of thumb would be not to get politically charged in a way that's distracting from the primary goals of your business. On the flip side, your company or organization may deal directly in politics. In which case, this is the perfect area for you to shine.
Be Mindful
Don't be culturally insensitive or ignorant if you choose to get into bold topics, even for comedic value. You wouldn't want to go viral for the wrong reasons. Remember the Pepsi-Kendall Jenner fiasco? Oof! Tread lightly — your content should always positively boost your brand's reputation.
4. Timely & Relevant
Current pop culture moments, icons, music, and anything else 'of the times' are some of the many ways we connect. When done well, using these timely and relevant references in your ads can be a great marketing technique to go viral. Our brains light up when we feel like we're in on the "it" thing; the joke, the secret. As social creatures, we enjoy feeling a sense of belonging within a community.
5. Marketing Tools
Image via: Noble Bison Productions
Your company could create a would-be viral video, but it won't ever reach the masses if marketed improperly. Luckily, today's social platforms and tools make it easier than ever to reach specific target audiences and boost the potential of your ads catching viral momentum.
Situate your content where it will thrive best. Use the right tools within each platform and medium, such as metadata, hashtags, etc., to share your content with the right people. Marketing research into your ideal customers can further inform how and where you share your video ad.
Since digital marketing is an ever-evolving industry, keep up with the best tactics for video content. For instance, Instagram currently favors 7-second reels using a trending song. And finally, even after you do your part, remember that intelligent algorithms are also at play to share your video advertisements with users who are most likely to find them of interest.
In Summary,
Companies and creatives have a much greater chance of making a viral video advertisement today than ever before. The internet has made it easy for businesses and creatives to market themselves, from learning about target demographics and ideal customers to the opportunity to share content that can reach millions.
Creating the Ad
Storyboarding is half the battle. Get clear about your style of pitch and then brainstorm about which of the above strategies best fit your brand — is it humor, something wildly out of the box, a pop culture reference? Maybe you choose in-group messaging to reach consumers within super niche subcultures. If you have the budget, hire a quality video production company to help you storyboard a video that makes sense for your brand. Finally, use the many tools available when it comes time to share your video online.
Noble Bison Productions is a full-service video production company. We make professional video production easy and deliver beyond your expectations.
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