How to create viral video content

19 Feb

Written By Julia

As the popularity of channels like TikTok and Instagram’s Reels increase, the future of digital marketing lies with video content. Video allows you to combine an idea or a story with the power of images.

It allows you to connect with your audiences in a way that used to be only accessible to companies who could afford a television commercial.

Consumers love video content because it is amusing, absorbing, and easy to digest.

In 2021, when Coronavirus swept the world and people were forced to stay in their houses, they began using video to connect and share their experiences more than ever before.

Video has now become integral to the way we do business and interact with each other, if video marketing was not on your radar, it should be now.

Here are my tips and tricks for creating good video content

Be authentic

I see authenticity as one of the most important facets of good video content.

Consumers browsing social media are looking to be entertained, and are much more interested in real videos which could have been shot on an iPhone and don’t look like advertising.

Have you heard of Netflix’s Tiger King documentary? Of course, you have, because it was wildly successful.

I think one of the reasons audiences were so taken by this show is that all of the characters are so authentic.

Just in case you haven’t seen Tiger King the protagonist; Tiger King, is a gun-toting, redneck, country music singer with an obsession with tigers and a mullet.

The show also features Carole Baskin; a woman who dresses like she is at Woodstock and potentially killed her husband, and Doc Antle; a man who looks like John Travolta with a long white ponytail, who uses Tigers to lure young women into joining his harem.

Yes, they are all bat-shit crazy, and that makes good television, but they are also authentic and do not apologise for their eccentricities. In my opinion, this is why the world became obsessed with this show and fell in love with the characters in it.

You can harness the same authenticity that Tiger King uses in your own content (without being as crazy as the cast).

For example, If you are launching a new product use video to showcase the build-up, and then the launch. This way you are using storytelling to activate audiences' emotions, and when the product finally launches they will have already been persuaded.

Do behind-the-scenes videos

This can work for any business or influencer. People are craving authenticity and a behind-the-scenes video makes people feel closer to you because it is as if they are getting a sneak peek into your life. Kim Kardashian is great at this when she is organising a Skims event she takes her audiences on a journey from the event set-up, to what she is wearing, to the actual event.

Use humor

Be your real and funny self and audiences will love you for it. If you have bloopers from serious V-blogs don’t be afraid to use them. Don’t be afraid to make your audience laugh. If you can do this it will associate the positivity they are feeling with your brand. If you want some inspiration on how to incorporate humour all you have to do is watch a few TikToks.

Pretend you’re on a reality TV show

Go on dates and document them, or document your life failures and successes, go on far-out journeys, and tell the story.

Think about the success of shows like Love Island and Married at First Sight. Treating your content like reality TV could be very entertaining for audiences, and something many people fear to do.

Do whatever you can to be different

Try and use video in a way that is different from what other people are doing.

For example, beauty influencers always unpack boxes of freebies they have received and talk about each one. Why not do yours differently and feature each product on its own? Try telling a compelling story that incites emotions at the same time!

You could get your male friend (who knows nothing about face masks) to try and put one on, his ineptness would be hilarious and thus utilise humor to build positive brand connotations.

Or, instead of simply unpacking the mascara. You could use it before you go on a first date and tell the audience how nervous you are and how you hope the mascara helps, thus utilising empathy and humor.

I have used a beauty blogger as an example here, but you can apply this concept to any niche.

A great way to stand out from other video content creators on Instagram is to ‘show not tell.’

So many influencers just put a cam filter on and talk to the camera. This isn’t compelling, and it certainly doesn’t evoke emotion (unless they are talking about something emotional), and if audiences have their phone on silent they will skip through your story without engaging at all.

To avoid this, when formulating your stories try to show the readers rather than tell them. You are lucky enough to have the visual stimulant of video at your fingertips why on earth would you tell your stories by simply talking?

I can’t stress enough how important being different is in order to get cut through. Think about the content you could make that is truly remarkable, and then maybe, it will go viral.

People don’t go viral by being boring or reserved. The ‘cash me outside, how bout dat?’ girl went viral because she was an absolute character and didn’t hold back on national television.

During Covid-19, the guy who told news cameramen he was going to ‘punch a few cones’ whilst in isolation went viral simply for being brutally honest and shocking audiences.

Think about how you can create content unique enough to go viral.

Create How-to videos

How-to videos are a great way to use video content to position yourself as a trusted advisor to your followers.

When I hear the words ‘how-to videos’ for some reason it brings to mind a dad cheerily showing me how to set up flatpack furniture in his backyard, but how-to videos are not just about setting up flatpack furniture or how to build a birdbath.

You can do how-to videos in any niche, and if they are generally helpful they are a great way to grow a following or harness the power of SEO on YouTube.

Some things to think about when creating your first how-to video are.

What questions do your customers want to be answered?
Can you compellingly answer these questions?

If you can create a how-to video that provides value to your audience it can provide you with online traffic for years to come when like-minded consumers discover your content.

Think about what things you are an expert in and ways that you could tie that tutorial back to your product.

Remember! Try to add some personality to your video. If you can add humor and emotion you will make it even more effective.

Connect

The best way to connect is by using emotions. To do this you need to think about what emotions motivate your audience and structure your content to evoke them.

Remember, you have a range of emotions that you can draw from audiences it doesn’t just have to be happy or sad. You can use inspiration, love, or even anger.

Imagine all viewers have their phones on silent

I rarely have my phone on loud as I am often watching stories when I am in the office or in the presence of other people. If a story is not engaging on silent I will skip past it.

Ways to overcome this are to use subtitles and avoid long stories of you just talking to the camera without showing the audience what it is you are talking about.

Keep it simple

Keep the story simple! You are not making a Hollywood blockbuster (or an arthouse film) so make sure each scene is short and snappy.

Where possible use the age-old storytelling technique of having a beginning, a middle, and an end or a resolution.

Use viral trends on TikTok

I just spent this whole article telling you to be different, but when it comes to TikTok, forget all of that and follow the herd!

On TikTok one of the easiest ways to go viral is by following the herd. By this, I mean sampling “viral” or popular sounds, themes, or music that are trending because everyone is using them.

As a millennial (AKA boomer to the TikTok generation) I can not understand why they enjoy watching different people doing the same spiel over and over again, but they do. Perhaps it is about connection… The ability to sample anyone’s audio on TikTok and then recreate these same scenes provides this deeper sense of connection with people you don’t know. Something that Instagram and Facebook are lacking.

That being said, there is still merit in being different on TikTok some of my all-time favourite TikTok accounts (like The Inspired Unemployed (what can I say I am an Aussie after all) create all their own content and these guys have over 1 million followers on TikTok.

Julia