4 rules to make a video 'go viral'

I hate that phrase and I hate the idea that you can make something with the intent that it 'go viral'.

I can't tell you how many marketing meetings at record companies I've sat in and someone comes up with the blindingly brilliant idea that we should make 'a viral'.

Really?

'Cos if it's that easy, we'd all do it, all the time.

I think it's pretty much undisputed that most things that go viral do just that - and without that necesarily being the plan or the intention. They go viral because they capture people's imagination. I think that is probably the case with the Dave Carroll video below.

That said, if you've decided that you fancy trying because you know the massive exposure that it could give you, then this is a very short recap of a few pointers given by an expert in a talk at Music Tank the other day.

1. Strong Creative:

focus on doing what you do being the best...sweat the content to make it as good as it can possibly be

make it fun to watch and easy to share – think about building in cues that work: stop motion, slo mo, tempo...even cute kittens (yes really!)...

2. Influencer Endorsement:

Seed the video to influencers – bloggers, twitterati etc – introduce the artist/band and the video, then ‘walk away’...playing to their strengths by leaving it to them and trusting their judgement is far preferable to having a great video ignored because you’ve been too ‘in yer face’.  If you want to kill a video’s viral chances at birth, pester, cajole and otherwise irritate said influencer...So having asked them to post/comment/tweet & poke, leave it!!

Read the whole thing here.

And here's the Dave Carroll video that he references.