Tag: viral videos

Categories
Uncategorized

Are Viral Videos Worth It?

Oscar Wilde once said, “Everything popular is wrong.” What is popular, Wilde maintains, is not an accurate barometer of good, or high, art. It would be easy to agree if it weren’t for the viral video.

Clocking in at an average of 1 minute, the viral video is a fast and relativity cheap way for businesses to brand themselves. The ideal viral video has a minuscule budget and it is entertaining enough to not only generate views, but create conversation, debate, and, as Google would put it, buzz.

The only hitch of course is finding an idea relevant enough to demand the internet users’ attention.

With over 2 billion videos on Youtube alone it isn’t exactly an easy feat to make a video to go viral. Should companies even bother?

The Hurdles of Making a Viral Video

Crafting a perfect viral video isn’t a science. Companies can take notes from viral successes sponsored by firms like Smiroff and Sony, but they can’t find the formula of success.

Companies can employ tech-savvy start-ups to market their videos using SEO tricks, blog promotions, and extensive forum postings. It’s not illegal, but it’s a practice lost in the internet moral gray area.  In the end, heavily promoted videos can attract tons of views. It’s a wise investment for firms who are selling a high volume, widely distributed product. It’s not a silver bullet strategy and not all companies can rely on it.

What’s the True Value of Viral Videos?

Even if you do create a video that goes viral, what exactly happens? Maybe nothing.

After the comments and views die down there is a chance that nothing will happen. Just ask this comedian. He produced a viral video and after the initial “fanfare” he was left where he started. He didn’t get more work, his blog traffic leveled out, and he didn’t make a fortune in ad revenue.

The same thing can happen to a larger brand. More views doesn’t translate into more sales or more traffic. Internet flash mobs are fickle. It might be better if brands and entrepreneurial people focused on attracting the attention of people within your niche, people who can help them, and not every person with internet access.

The Utopian Future of ‘Viral’ Videos

Hopefully, online video ads will become less broad in their scope and focus on advertising a product or service to a specific group of people, to a specific blog audience, or to a specific location. Online video ads need to become less like prime-time commercials and more like local ads on public access. They need to be tailored and charming rather than manufactured and plugged. There’s no point trying to please everyone all the time.

Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill_streeter/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

Categories
BLG Leadership Insights

Media Companies on the Edge: Should Businesses Invest in Social Media Campaigns?

Traditional media companies are turning to online videos in order to attract a new generation of fans and followers.

Media companies from Forbes to Fast Company have their own ‘video’ sections on their websites—as well as their usual article offerings.

That’s right, even the New Yorker has a few videos proudly displayed.

What can their transformation teach the business world and leaders?

What Can We Learn From This Media Revolution?

It’s wise for traditional media companies to realize that they aren’t exactly in the business of selling books or articles, but rather distributing needed/desired information. So, it’s no surprise that some established media companies, knowing their audience is increasingly online and equipped with smart-phones, are trying to produce interesting online video.

Traditional media’s desire to publish online content is similar to companies pushing for an increased social media presence in order to target and talk to a larger audience. However, as we have seen, efforts to use social media have sometimes failed…and badly.

So what does a business do? Risk reinvention in order to target a new generation of fans, but potentially lose focus…and customers? Or, stick to its core business, perfect it, and abandon all efforts to remain cutting edge?

The problem is highlighted best in the media industry. Let’s look at two examples of media firms that have either chosen to embrace the internet or merely accept it.

Successful Online Reinvention:

HarperCollins: You can’t leave your house in the morning without hearing about the ‘death of print’. However, HarperCollins refuses to lay down and collect dust. They have decided to kick their online presence into overdrive and host a series of highly produced videos that revolve around their newest offerings….

Continue reading “Media Companies on the Edge: Should Businesses Invest in Social Media Campaigns?”