Although the term viral has long been associated with the spread of infectious diseases, over the last few years it has more commonly be linked to how quickly online video, articles and e-books are shared by Internet and mobile apt users. This has led to the rise of the viral marketing concept, where content (visual, sound or print) is specifically designed to encourage sharing.
Viral marketing content is given away free to make sharing much easier. But being free does not necessarily make content a potentially viral phenomenon. You need an angle, something that will compel viewers or readers to share your content with their friends and family. In this post I will be looking at some of the themes that can make a video viral.
Shock & Awe
The shock and awe theme is one which is often used to grab peoples attention and to demonstrate power. It is a theme with high viral qualities simply because it is spontaneous and stands out from the norm.
Last weeks top viral videos on YouTube were all about the tornados which impacted the Southern United States, killing scores of people and leaving behind them a trial of devastation. Although these videos gripped viewers with footage of natures awesome power, as a marketing tool they are limited. No business in the mainstream would want to be associated with death and destruction.
The shock and awe theme is one which needs to be used carefully so that it does not offend the sensibilities of viewers. For this reason, the shock and awe theme is not one that is easily harnessed for marketing purposes. Moreover, because of their very spontaneous nature, shock and awe events are very difficult to capture. Capturing shock and awe events very much depends on the videographer being in the right place at the right time.
The Cute & Cuddly
There is nothing like the comic antics of a small child or furry animal to set audiences purring Aw! Thats so cute. But, again, from a marketing perspective, such a theme has its limitations. Cries of foul will be heard if the theme is seen to be used in a way that is deemed exploitative.
The Unusual
Something that is unusual or out of the ordinary will catch an audiences attention very quickly, especially if it is entertaining and bereft of anything offensive. One such video clip that hit the YouTube viral hotspot last week was the six minute performance of Edward Reid during an audition for Britains Got Talent.
Edward, to the backing of Leona Lewis Run, gave a rendition of some well known nursery rhymes that was simply out of the ordinary. The BGT panel of judges and the audience were expecting something more traditional, but were pleasantly surprised when Edward started to sing Oh McDonald Had a Farm, quickly followed by Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. The video clip of Edwards performance has received over 2.5 million views on YouTube in the last ten days, which is simply phenomenal.
Like most unusual and entertaining events, Edwards video clip contained all the elements of a good viral marketing vehicle, especially if you are producer of nursery rhyme books and audios. This is why the unusual and entertaining is a theme that is frequently used by online marketers to good effect.
Comedy
Comedy remains, to this day, the most popular theme used by online marketers. Laughter is a source of inspiration for many and as such is a very sharable commodity when it comes to the creation of online viral content.
The downside to comedy is the fact that it is very subjective. What is funny to audiences in the USA is not necessarily funny to audiences in the UK. So it is vitally important for viral content producers to use a subject that has universal appeal. Budweiser, Pepsi and Toyota have all been successful in producing comic viral content that has widespread reach across a range of international audiences. This is, perhaps, because comedy is more easily captured than other potentially viral themes.
At the end of the day, your choice of theme will very much depend on your product and the audience you want to attract. The key here is to use a professional video production company to help you determine the best viral theme for your video content.
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