Viral Marketing Videos: the key to subtle selling

Video-sharing sites such as YouTube are an amazing success. Millions of viewers tune in daily. While many of the video clips are created by people, just like you and me, companies are diving into the excitement. The key to a successful viral marketing video is making it seem homemade. The viewer wants to peek into a real and private world. So, the selling needs to be subtle, but the entertainment is exaggerated.

As with all viral marketing, the success is measured by how often it is viewed and then forwarded by the reader. The challenge is creating a video that will deliver a message, entertain, not offend, still be considered hip enough to forward on to a friend and not appear like an advertisement.

What is a viral marketing video?

Viral marketing videos are delivered on-line. In addition to YouTube (and other video-sharing sites) they are posted to Websites, blogs, and sent peer to peer as email attachments in MPEG or Quick-Time or WMA format. They are often used to promote new movies, musicians, consumer products, political candidates and to bolster a company image. The videos often feature entertainment not found in common commercials. Situational videos may use product placement to subliminally market a product. The content is less regulated and not censored. For this reason, they are often used for harsh competitive advertising.

Why are viral marketing videos more effective than blogs, podcasts and Second Life?

A picture is worth a thousand words. This is certainly true of viral videos. A simple message can be understood after watching a short video. Viral videos are considered quick and entertaining. Viral videos are less expensive than traditional commercials and product placement in a movie or television show. They require less energy on behalf of the viewer, making them more appealing than labor intensive blogs (like this one). The viral video can simulate a face to face marketing experience, which is more personal and effective than an impersonal blog or podcast. The message can be shared rapidly with email distributions and on-line communities. Finally, the forum is uncensored and encourages creative freedom.

What are the disadvantages of viral marketing videos?

There are so many appealing visual images on the Internet that it can be difficult to capture and to keep the viewers attention. Once the viewer's attention is captured, the video can not overtly sell. Yet, a video that is too subtle will fail to deliver its message and reach its goal. While having creative freedom is usually considered an advantage, it can lead to the creation of offensive videos that loose the viewer’s interest.

What are the qualities of an effective viral marketing video?

A successful viral video is subtle selling using exaggerated entertainment. The viewer should feel they are being entertained and not sold to. Great sales people don't sell: the customer buys. Good marketers don't advertise: they entertain. Viral marketing videos also attempt to entertain and empower the customer.

The video includes appealing images or images that capture the viewer's attention. As with any advertising environment, the competition to capture the viewer's attention is fierce. The video must be creative and fresh. Successful viral videos often appear unpolished and homemade. Viral marketing videos give the customer the feeling of being a voyeur into a secret world.

For example, consumer products can be effectively marketed by viral videos using product placement. An effective viral video for Coca Cola might be a rough, homemade video of high school girls. This mini-drama features the girls sitting on a bench outside of school, engaged in the usual gossip and of course drinking a Diet Coke.

Finally, as with any marketing effort, you begin with a goal. This is also true of viral marketing videos. The video must include a subliminal call to action. Your goal may be to persuade the viewer to believe, do, buy or simply forward the video along.