4 Tips for Creating a Viral Video

Communication is all about emotion and what better way to bring that out than through a video.

Everyone knows the Old Spice Guy, the infamous ‘Motherhood’ Fiat video, the controversial Volkswagen Superbowl ad or even the touching video where a young boy hears his mother’s voice for the first time. These are only a few of the videos that have generated global popularity since being released. Oh, and who could possibly forget the video that took the world by storm - Gangnam Style.

Viral videos are all the rage and with the latest buzz around Kmart’s ‘Ship My Pants’ commercial, the biggest communication question remains, ‘What makes a viral video?’

1. Evoke powerful emotion. Admit it, we have all seen or heard something that made us laugh until our stomachs hurt or cry through a box of tissues. Don’t make it too sad, however, as research shows that if a video makes us sad we are less likely to share it.

2. Be different. Challenge the norm. Take a risk and you could be the next BIG thing.

3. Be REAL. This is a key concept for social media – authenticity is key.

4. HAVE FUN. Most important, of course.