STEP 1: Be Awesome and put it on video.
STEP 2: Share it with the world.
STEP 3: Success.
….Wouldn’t it be great if it really was that easy?
There’s some good and bad news.
The good news is that, in a very simplified way, it is that easy of a process.
The bad news is that each step is much, much more complicated.
First let’s start with the basics….what makes an awesome video?
Since the advent of the viral video era with such classics as ‘Starwars Kid’, ‘Keyboard Cat’, and ‘Shoes’, everyone under the age of 45 has been trying to figure out the secret sauce to ‘going viral’.
But is viral what makes an awesome video?
Moreover, would a viral video even be the trigger for success for your brand?
Here’s the thing: with the meteoric rise of a fb-insta-twitter-pinterest-snapchat-youtube-tiktok saavy generation, the bar has been raised. Social videos are no longer the domain of cheeky 16-year-olds with a decent webcam. Now, even your 92 year old grandma with a good iPhone can record and upload with relative ease.
Anyone can get their 15 seconds of fame with one great video.
That’s right. 15 seconds, not minutes. With exponentially increasing Social Media competition and rapidly-changing social media platforms, it is becoming more and more difficult to produce a singular video that is able to create a long-term impact on people.
So, let us offer you an alternative approach to making a ‘viral’ video:
Make GOOD videos….and a lot of them.
So, why would you want to focus on creating good videos rather than viral videos?
Well, for one, after the madness that has been 2020, the term ‘viral’ is not quite so appealing anymore. (forgive our occasionally poor taste in humor)
For two, in the oversaturated social media landscape of 2020, it’s not about having that one ‘hit’. It’s about consistency. It’s about being there on people’s social media feed regularly. It’s about impacting your particular community.
In 2011, a study reported that people, on average, took in 5 times more information every day than they did in 1986. That was 2011. Think of how that’s grown by 2020.
That said, although people are exposed to more information, that doesn’t mean they are absorbing and remembering all of that information. The human brain still has limitations on its capacity for short term memory retention. That is why multiple and consistent exposure is critical.
Overwhelmed? Let’s get back to that three step process we introduced in the beginning and break it down a bit.
STEP 1: Be awesome and put it in a video.
First, if you’re going to make videos, you have to start with a subject that you know a lot about or that you love enough to invest an exorbitant amount of time researching. Preferably, both.
Then, put your own spin on it! Embrace the “purple cow” in you. Find that something that makes you different and interesting. Maybe it’s your corny jokes or your awkward dance moves or your waffles.
You will not be a good carbon copy of the people that you idolize. No matter how hard you try, you can’t be a GaryVee because you are not GaryVee. We don’t mean that you can’t learn from those you admire, but it is imperative that you find your own authentic way to stand out in your videos.
The downside? This whole process takes a whole lot of trial-and-error. It took our Good Monster Founder and CEO, John Timmerman, almost 7 YEARS of making videos to really get into the right cadence. Learning that element of you and what you love that really resonates with people and connects with them is not easy. It takes time, and that’s ok. Experiment. Be foolish. Be brave.
The bright side to this experimentation phase is that now videos are easier to make than ever. They require lower production, lower budget, and a more conversational tone than in prior years. So while you may need to invest a lot of time and energy to find your groove, you won’t need to invest much else.
STEP 2: Share it with the world.
Put out videos. ALL. THE.TIME.
Consistency and frequency is key. Do it as much as your brain can handle, even when you don’t think you’re ‘ready’. Just start posting and it will become easier over time.
This step should be in conjunction with Step 1. You should be putting out videos even while you’re still trying to figure out the right angle. The videos don’t have to be the highest quality, they just have to be regular. Folks may tell you that bad videos will impact the almighty ‘algorithm’.. and they might. However, the benefits of being present, working out the kinks, and getting over the fear of putting yourself out there outweigh the drawbacks of harming the algorithm. Unless your show is focused on killing puppies, you’ll most likely be fine putting out a few awkward videos. Plus, the more videos you have, the less the potentially bad ones will impact the algorithm.
Wait! Before you pull that trigger though, we should let you know that it is worth doing a little bit of research to find out where your audience is. While we encourage you to put your videos anywhere and everywhere that you can, you should focus on one platform that your target audience is on most often. The more you focus, the more you can carve out your niche. The aim isn’t to reach everyone, but to become a strong presence in the targeted community of people that you want to have an impact on.
STEP 3: Success!
Well…if you do it long enough. It takes time, dedication, and enough humility and wisdom to keep falling flat on your face and taking the steps to get up and get better.
*BONUS STEP* Captions don’t hurt.
As we said, you don’t need to go ‘crazy’ in making high-quality videos, but here are two quick stats that might want to make you take the extra step of adding captions:
- 69% of people view videos with the sound off in public places
- 80% of folks are more likely to watch through a whole video when captions are available
There are tons of apps out there that add captions to your videos and it may be worth the small investment of money and time to draw that audience in.
Now, go forth and record, record, record! Can’t wait to see your faces.
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