Viral Marketing the Easy Way - YouTube Tips

Ready to try out your production skills and post some hopefully buzz-generating content on YouTube? Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Creating a video is easy, and posting on YouTube is free.
Shoot the video using a digital video camera and copy it to your computer. You can then either upload the video to YouTube as is or edit it with software such as iMovie or Windows Movie Maker to add titles and special effects. You might shoot from different angles with one or more cameras and then piece together the footage to create a unified final product. But remember, less is usually more when it comes to special effects. When you’re ready to upload the video, you just need to create a free YouTube account and follow the directions to add the video.

2. Homemade is just fine.
You don’t need to hire a professional. A homemade-quality video can work well and is sometimes preferable. We’re bombarded with overproduced TV commercials all the time—so often that we usually just turn off our minds when they come on. An authentic and interesting video (rather than a slick and polished one) in which your personality shines through can make people notice. But plan ahead and shoot several takes to get it right.

3. Your video should be no longer than three minutes (preferably shorter).
Think very short. When people watch video, they have extremely short attention spans.There are millions of videos on YouTube, and it’s very easy to click away from yours.Although YouTube will accept videos shorter than 10 minutes (smaller than 100 MB), try to make yours between thirty seconds and two minutes. If you have more to say, consider creating a series of videos rather than making one too long.

4. Make your description clear and specific.
A critical component of your video will be its title—the name the world will associate with your work—so think carefully about it. Make it descriptive and unique. To best promote your video, create an accurate and interesting text blurb. Use descriptive keywords and language that people will use when they search for videos like yours. And use the correct categorizations on YouTube so people can find it.

5. Don’t attempt “stealth” fake customer insertions.
Some companies attempt sneaky stealth insertions of corporate-sponsored videos made to appear consumer-generated. A typical case might feature happy twenty-somethings at a party having fun while using products of a certain brand. The YouTube community is remarkably skilled at ratting out inauthentic video, so this approach is likely to backfire and cause harm to a brand. Remember, if your video is worth watching, viewers won’t care that it was submitted by a company.

6. Consider inviting your customer communities to submit video.
One of the most effective ways to use video to drive viral marketing is for companies to develop a contest in which users submit their own video, which then is made available for others to see. The best would-be directors are given prizes, and their videos are usually showcased on the company site. In some cases, the winning videos are also played on TV as “real” commercials. For example, more than 100 people submitted videos for a Mentos contest seeking the best customer-created videos of geysers made by combining the popular mints with Diet Coke.

7. Try a series of similar videos to build interest.
Sometimes a series of videos, such as those from Blendtec, a small company that makes household blenders, works well. Blendtec created a huge hit with their series of YouTube videos called "Will It Blend?" The following videos have each been viewed more than a million times:

8. Tell everyone about your video!
When you upload your first few videos, you are likely to hear a deafening silence. You’ll be waiting for comments, but none will come. You’ll check your video statistics and be disappointed by the tiny number of viewers. Don’t get discouraged—that’s normal! It takes time to build an audience. When you’re just getting started, make sure people know it’s there and can find it.Create links to your video from your home page, product pages, or online media room. Mention
your video in your email or off-line newsletters, and create links to your video as part of your email signature and those of other people in your organization.

9. Make sure bloggers know about the video.
Sending bloggers a link to the video or commenting on other people’s blogs (and including a link to your video) is a good way to build an audience. If you comment on blogs in the same space as yours, you might be surprised at how quickly you will get viewers to your video. However, when commenting on someone else’s blog real estate, make sure you’re on topic and genuinely contributing to the conversation in addition to linking to your video. Don’t just spam bloggers with your link without adding value.

Video content on the Web is still very new for marketers and communicators. But the potential to deliver information to buyers in new and surprising ways is greater when you use a new medium. And while your competition is still trying to figure out “that blogging thing,” you can tap into the world of video and leave the competition behind.