8 tips to make your YouTube video go viral

Have you seen Will It Blend? It's a crazy series of videos by Blendtec, a small blender manufacturer. The series has been seen by millions of people. My favorite is Will It Blend? – iPhone. If you haven't seen it yet, do yourself a favor and take a minute to watch. This YouTube video has been seen 1.6 million times.

Recently I appeared on MSNBC Your Business with JJ Ramberg to discuss how to make your YouTube video go viral. Viral marketing is the phenomenon of other people passing along your ideas to friends via email or blogs or other online means…for free! You can watch my appearance here. My 14-year-old daughter said that they should have taken away the swivel chair! (You’ll see what she means if you watch).

Here are some tips to make video go viral. Creating a video is easy and it is free to post onto YouTube. All you need is a simple $300 digital video camera and a YouTube account.

Most importantly: Your video needs to be funny or amazing or remarkable or have some fascinating information or be controversial. Basically the video needs a reason for people to pass it on. If you can find pass along value connected to your organization and its products, great. I'm not a fan of stupid contests or celebrity endorsements unrelated to a company and its products.

Tip # 1 – Homemade is just fine
You don’t need to hire a professional. A homemade quality video can work great. But plan ahead and shoot several takes to get it right.

Tip #2 –Your video should be no longer then 2 minutes (preferably less)
Think very short. Although YouTube will accept a video that is less than 10 minutes, smaller than 100MB try to make the video between 30 seconds and 2 minutes.

Tip #3 -- Make your description clear and specific.
To best promote your video, you'll want its text description on YouTube to be accurate and interesting. Use descriptive keywords and language that people will find when they search for videos like yours. And use the correct categorizations on YouTube so people will find it.

Tip # 4 -- Don't attempt "stealth" fake customer insertions to YouTube.
Some companies try to sneak corporate-sponsored video onto YouTube in a way that makes it seem like it is consumer-generated. The YouTube community is remarkably skilled at ratting out inauthentic video, so this approach is fraught with danger.

Tip #5 – Try a series of similar videos to build interest
Sometimes a series of videos works great. The Blendtec Will it Blend? videos are a perfect example. The even sell t-shirts now!

Tip #6 – Tell everyone about your video!
When upload your first few videos, you are likely to hear a deafening silence. You'll be waiting for comments, but none will come. You'll check your video statistics and be disappointed by the tiny number of viewers. Don’t get discouraged. It takes time to build an audience. Make sure people know it is there and can find it. Create links to your video from your home page, product pages, or online media room. Mention your video in your e-mail or offline newsletters, and create links to your video as part of your e-mail signature and those of other people in your organization.

Tip # 7 – make sure bloggers know about the video
Sending a link to the video to bloggers or commenting on other people's blogs (and including a link to your video) is a good way to build an audience. If you comment on blogs in the same space as yours, you might be surprised at how quickly you will get viewers to your video.

Tip #8 – Experiment a lot to find something that hits
While I think it is difficult to purposely create viral marketing buzz, it is certainly possible. Create a number of campaigns and see what hits, then nurture the winners along. Think like a venture capitalist or movie studio and try a number of things in order to get that elusive hit.

Good luck. And if you do create a cool video, let me know.

Comments

[freevideoworkshop]

"Creating a video is easy and it is free to post onto YouTube."

Yes, creating a video is easy. You just go shoot whatever you've planned. But if you're doing a two-minute video, then you would have to shoot raw footage longer than than that. The challenge is editing the video to two minutes, adding sound, subtitles and so on. How do you go about it? Which video editor do you choose? If you're lost, you can head to www.freevideoworkshop.com, where you'll find artictles on starting video editing, the latest freeware digital video utilities and even a full free basic video editing course. Happy exploring.

[Dave]

I think the best videos may appear to be amateur-made but on closer examination were professionally edited.

I'm working with one client here in Phoenix to produce a series of YouTube-destined videos, some informative, some humorous, some user-contributed. It's going to be a lot of fun

[George]

Awesome blog. I especially liked tip #4.

Honesty in who you are and what you are doing is critical. The online crowd is very discriminating. If you exaggerate or make false claims, you will be hunted down and executed in a public forum.

[Moksh Juneja]

Loved your tips to create a viral!! But this would also work for podcasts as well as, if we want to popularise, our very own blogs... like I just did!! Hope it works!!

http://mokshjuneja.blogspot.com

[Dianna Huff]

David,

Congrats on the MSNBC appearance.

[Bob Zagami]

Just finished your book David and really enjoyed it.

BTW, I agree with your daughter on the swivel chair!

[Angel Armendariz]

Thanks for the tips David. The viral ability of YouTube is phenomenal. It's definitely crucial to keep your tips in mind...I look forward to using your tips...we'll see what happens. Like the old business saying goes, "Keep failing forward."

[Toy Fighter]

Thanks David...it's odd that more custom publishers aren't getting into helping companies produce these. It would seem fitting that content creators, which do such a great job in print form for companies, wouldn't see an opportunity to produce online video shorts.

[Videopreneur AdrianLee]

Thanks for the 8 insightful viral video tips.

[tld]

I broke the time limit tip but the video I made is still worth checking out if you like birds.

[Cam]

Hey man! Love the article! Checkout this practise video i made, turned out real well!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWOMjJ_-hQA

[diveristy production network]

I liked the 8 tips and also the interview segment with MSNBC Your Business with JJ Ramberg.

I wonder if those people at Will It Blend?, are kicking themselves for not being on REVVER instead and gaining revenue, each time the video was watched or shared.

[John Morris]

Hey David,

Great article. What do you think about targeting your viral offer to your market? You see a lot of companies going for games and humor in viral marketing... but, that doesn't seem to fit their market.

What are your thoughts?

Also, posted a youtube video on viral marketing. Not necessarily viral, but I believe it gives good content on HOW TO create a viral hook. It's at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9RXbL9kvH8

I'd be interested in your thoughts on this!

Thanks!!

John Morris
CEO, Viral Marketing Laboratory
http://www.ViralMarketingLaboratory.com

[Kami]

Hi there!

Just read your blog and found it to be very helpful. I put my video up a couple months ago and have close to 400 viewers so far. Is that good? I mean obviously it's not a million but is that considered a good start. You can view it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WiL6jqYcbk&NR=1
I'd love to hear your comments!

Kami :)

[Kami]

Oops, forgot my web address..he he

[Kami]

oops, forgot my website :)

[Brad Newman]

Thanks for the great tips! I think I figured it out...

:)

http://www.aromahand.tv

[Tre]

Hi, I just discovered your site! I'm an NYC publicist at a boutique firm and I'm about to make you mandatory reading for our staff! What an awesome resource...we're launching a digital short (hence the exploration encouraged in Tip #7!) soon so your list was auspicious! Keep up the great work.

[Brainard Carey]

This is a halloween scare my son made by remixing a film and home video.
Viral or not, it is here for your holloween pleasure, enjoy!

[Nicole Zylstra]

Good advice and encouraging. The internet can seem like such a daunting space. Meanwhile...

Cowtown Stories are a comic look at life in a boomtown for two starving artists.

[Frank Rumbauskas]

It's true that you can use an inexpensive consumer camera but when I shelved the Circuit City camcorder and invested in a $5,000 professional video camera my results shot way up. I went from a lukewarm response to videos sent out to my list, to my first video with the $5,000 camera which generated over $6,000 in sales and paid for itself instantly.

[Mark]

Thanks for the great article. My collaborator friend and I are just experimenting with creating some viral videos...We've had over 500 hits in a few days and it's looking like this may get some steam. I'm a fan of your work now, thanks for the encouraging post!
BTW...we shot and edited it with the camera and free i-movie software in my new macbook! It's shot in front of a large high def TV which produced an awesome "greenscreen" effect.

Husband Whisperer - This woman has realized that Cesar Millan's "Dog Whispering" techniques work fine on men, too... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ0Yyku3AfY

[T Demop, Blogging for Business]

One more tip -- think "stupid!"
Just joking David -- great list and info.

[The Dart-Throw Trader]

This is what happens when you lock a trader in the basement too long...

http://www.dartthrowtrader.com

[Sergey Rusak]

It is important to submit video as comment on your friends MySpace or LifeJournal profiles.

Average MySpace user has about 100 friends, each of this friend has another 100 friends... if your video are really funny it could reach thousand viewers if people become to share it.

[Adil]

I am totally bought into the viral marketing idea and I know that YouTube is a free market for everyone.

I think this method would work really well if you are promoting a business/product and targeting millions of people.

The problem with my business is that it is a local business and there isn't necessarily a well-defined target audience.

Therefore I do not think this is a recipe for all situations and should be used with caution.

[Thanks!]

That was great! I really liked the Blending iPhone part.
You were mentioning good YouTube series, so I thought I would mention one I found.

It's called the Rocket Series. It's a home made basic animation, but its HILARIOUS!

You can watch the first episode at http://youtube.com/watch?v=uF0594x0-vw

[Chez]

Found this recently on youtube, wonder what this guy is up too..

Anyway i sent my details to him, be nivce to know what he plans.

Worth watching

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M2A_bsI_to

[Mark Lewis]

Imagine, overnight your message can be passed on to thousands of people, be seen all over the world through the joint powers of the internet and word-of-mouth advertising. Ask yourself this... Have you got what it takes? Will you be Famous By Morning?

[Kathy]

Thanks for these excellent tips.
Do you think it's possible to do a well-done youtube for an alternative medicine site? To be entertaining and unique, yet retain credibility for the medical community as well?

[Alexis]

Well, this is a shameless comment ;)
Anyway, I made a list of video sharing sites: more than 250 sites with niche, country, rank...
Check it out at http://www.ilikesharingvideos.com/video-sharing-sites/en/
Cheers!

[Chuck Hoskins]

Great ideas. I hadn't seen the iPhone video before, pretty amazing. After I watched it, I watched all the others. Good stuff.

[Tony Oppenheim]

Great tips! Just what we're looking for. Thanks!

Here's our future viral vid! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pid-DxRSs84

[Sunil]

Loved your Tips and here comes my new video as a comment

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9XfVl6_R7_k

Thanks for great tips..

[Tree Hugger for McCain]

Great post -- this information was a BIG help!

[igotfakeid]

Great tips, and this is viral marketing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itKTSnNxC0s

[heman!]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dWwrwHUFY0

[TAT]

Yeah, you were right man, I guess i should improve my video quality and skill..thx for this guide

[Chris]

In keeping with the spirit of this article, feel free to check out and pass on my potentially viral video... it's a hilarious tribute to father's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv8VfqnWqH4

Chris

[Julian (ItTakesII)]

This is a good article on the basics of making a a video go viral. Do you think this video has viral potential?:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jixj7dANAUI

[Kevin K.]

Well, it's not 2 minutes long (3:26), but my video does seem to resonate with people so far (484 hits in just over 24 hours without even e-mailing my friends and family yet and with no prior exposure or videos). Now I need to take it to the next level and really get it out there. Let me know what you think!

[Kevin K.]

Sorry, I thought the link would pop up.

Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuzY09h6bs0

[Kaypee]

Thanks for the tips. Much appreciated.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FMnyfvgJALg

[JACK]

Check Out my new Stop - Motion Video - Its quite a good laugh :)
thanks
http://www.youtube.com/user/Britishbred

[Hi im rawn]

I was trying to make my video viral...Im almost there.. thank you...its accordion sex
youtube.com/watch?v=ZkqAZ7k50Ok

[dude]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f94HzFILusw

[Nanette]

Thanks for the tips, I would love to know what you think of our attempt at a viral. Check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNKiLqulbGY

[Monte Willis]

Great advice!! I am going to get it done. Thanks and Best regards.

[Monte Willis]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvOJfQ65JD0
I guess I should follow the advice!

[dj-free]

yeah , good tips.
check my video if you want.
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=pjtNJFYN0H0

[Annie]

Watch this video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xLMSFKh27I

[Joe Mescher]

I became a 'YouTuber' almost completely by accident.

My mom gave me a Flip Mino video recorder for my birthday and I've been shooting every since.

Even had one video picked up by the local paper's website.

Thanks for the tips!

Latest Clip: Rabbit Hats & Christmas Tree Hunting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgjA-u08on0

[Tom Varano]

Spread the word.

[BOy George]

How to make a video go viral? CHeck THIS OUT!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovRF5MpxDYY

[double glazing shop]

Thank for the tips on posting videos. http://www.doubleglazingshop.co.uk/

[solar panels]

Good advice now we can post our customer testimonials for solar panels

[tanya]

Please check out this amazing video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H87wS9eUYU

This and more at Channel G:
http://www.channelg.tv/

and tell me what you think:
tanya@channelg.tv

THANKS!!!

[coasaata]

Youtube Today Screensaver can play the most popular videos of youtube as screensaver. it's also a cool player tool to watch youtube videos. free at:
http://www.2flyer.com

[Evert Bruyns]

Hi David,

I really hope you reply my post

Question: How do I REACH the masses??? I.e. outsource/PAY friends to make comments and post my video and email their contacts??

I think I have followed most of your tips, and my video is getting good hits, but it seems to have peaked already. Over 200 in the first two days but slowed down significantly, even though so many people who has watched it tells me how great it is etc etc (yet they almost never leave comments on youtube, just tell me personally)

I've read somewhere that the first 24 or 48 hours (don't remember) are the most important as you want to try and get on the "most viewed videos per day" page on youtube and then you begin to get a run off their user base.

So what do I do next? Start over and move on to the next video, reload the current video and simply change the name of my video? I have called a few marketers in my area, but they didn’t have any experience with viral videos, are there marketing companies that could help overseas (NZ based clients) as it seems making it and throwing it on youtube clearly doesn’t work.

I believe my lack of REACH is my main challenge, I could be wrong. But I myself am new to the net, blogging etc and my friends are not bloggers either, this is why I'm thinking of outsourcing and/or paying friends. No one seems to be bothered to do it unless there is real incentive, it could be due to the fact that there is so much clutter on the net already, or maybe my video just isn't good enough either?

Cheers

Evert

Here is the link to the video, if you would like to critique: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOK-3uePkFw.

(note this was the third in a 3 part series, it makes references to the previous two which may not be obvious in the final video)

[David Meerman Scott]

Evert,

You're looking for people to pass it on and if that isn't happening, then you can't force it. I'd say that you should make some more videos and hope that one goes viral.

David

[Evert Bruyns]

Hi David

Thanks for the speedy reply, I really do appreciate it. I think your right, perhaps I'm trying too hard to push it. Even though I think it the culture here could have a slight impact, I'll let it be and stick with your advice.

Thanks again for your reply, I really appreciate it heaps!

Cheers

Evert

[cathrine ann]

Hi there: Here is an honest and inspiring video - I used to be homeless, penniless and unemployed and turned it all around at the age of 40 to build a multi business award winning company and become a millionaire! Not bad for someone who grew up in a dysfunctional, alcoholic parent home, became a mother at 14, went to jail, lived on the streets...whew! If I can do it, so can you!! please visit: www.cathrineann.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHOfBbujzjU
>CAT<

[anas]

Hello guys i found this site that made my youtube video very famous lol

my youtube video is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otp8kvv2o7U

155 Full Ratings - Views: 28,454

This is the site that made my youtube videos famous:
http://www.viewtube.ws/

I hope this helps as it did help me so much :)

Anas

[arthurbarbato at twitter]

omg! I'm a lucky guy - - - found this through a twitter!
awesome, David!

[Art Bettuzzi]

David,

Great tips! Thank you. I plan on using them as I promote my new video to raise money to help build some more homes in Pass Christian, Mississippi.

Art

[Wilco]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQTHVEc7xpk

We tried my best and this is what we came out with

[sarah day]

I'm trying to get a contest commercial to become viral...it's 30 seconds but it's pretty cool.

http://doritosguru.ca/mattygates/I%20Dream%20of%20Chicks

[Article2Video]

Create a "tips" video such as "5 tips to get laid tonight". Put first 2 or 3 tips into your video. And tell that the rest of the tips together with tons of other tips are on your website. Tell it again in your video description. This way you will get a high CTR to your sites.

[MagicIn10']

I'm letting you know about my video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9x0RneBl_Q

Thanks for the info man!

[magia magos]

Dude thanks for the insights!

[pj]

great advice, i used all of this in a video contest i entered. hope it works!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNyX1tIvQOs

[KalusConK]

Hello David,

I'm on a contest here in Dominican Republic for the chance to attend the Roger H. Academy at the Cannes Lions Ad Festival this June, in France. It's about making a viral campaign for a local Broadband Internet Provider, Tricom.

Please check it out, because the more views, commnents and rates I get, the more chances of winning I'll have. It's only 34 seconds long.

This is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tza0vPPxn2k

The copywrite is in spanish, here's the translation [please read it after you watch it, hehe]:

- "Doesn't the video load?"
- "Switch to Tricom's Broadband Internet"

I really need the most help as possible... if you like it please spread the word, and comment on my video.

Thanks,

Carlos [KalusConK]

[Linkua]

And do it in different languages to make it spread faster http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68xGMSujhr8

[M. Caldwell]

I think that YouTube videos can be a great help when promoting something new or trying to gain recognition for something. Tip #5 is very useful; making a small series alway leaves people wanting to come back for more. With a goal of having them subscribe to your videos or YouTube account.

Right now I am working on a project to plan a fictitious event: an Award Show, YouTube videos would be a great Teaser air prior to the award show. Making small videos with the artist that may be in attendance, performances, and surprises to come throughout the show.

[Sophie]

http://www.youtube.com/user/bonjourmodele1

[Rotten Gods]

Thanks for the tips but as you know creating a video is very hard, hope you had some good tips for that too :)

[Bruce Trinh]

Hey,

Great tips you got there.

Cheers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-BCVMF3npk
http://www.earn123k.com

[Mikhael Gaht]

Its not easy trying to promote your youtube video no matter how funny it is. I have a friend who has aroused my interest in internet marketing but he works ard to promote his project ideas and none have been a huge success yet though his latest video which may be seen by some as controversial is very funny and could potentially be a hit. It is a crazy teddy dancing to an electro house track in which the singer is singer his or her love for the new Nokia N97. It is really crazy but I like it. check it out at for ideas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY-DD_fWSHE

[Seh]

I appreciate the tips. I've become an online video marketing junkie. I use to create video and post it to multiple sites in order to try to create the viral effect. Then I found a more efficient way to create traffic with video. I started posting to http://www.Adwido.com because they target specific keywords in order to boost my traffic and it was free to create an account.

[msmelfrmnz]

Friends of mine are destined to be the next 'Flight of the Conchords' from New Zealand.

Check them out here:

Old Friends by Moffilaide

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ActG2ktA1T8

[ultimatenerd22]

well, i should put a link to one of my videos then.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj3SzOxsLqQ

[Tyler Wilson]

Great article. I also think that the best videos are one's that people find are great content. I upload videos and pretty much don't do anything and I find if I did a video that had real value then it gets distributed in a big way. But I'll definitely try some new tips I learned here. Thanks.

http://www.ColdCallCrusher.com

[DJ Tony B]

This was great info! I loved your tips! Thanks for posting this!!!

DJ Tony Be

[Tony]

Great Info David! I wish I could get that many viewers!

Here is my latest video enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCO9-nPlBu8

[john doe]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_0pmuow3rA

[john doe]

go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_0pmuow3rA

[Sara]

Great article David! This is just the information I was looking for...

Check out my youtube video here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qmnZcqZfkw

Thanks.
Sara

[5u623r0]

another tip check it out!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mZIw9b4OiI

[Pal Danhauser]

Very helpful, now check out the new trailer for my upcoming film, "Feeding Randy!"

http://www.feedingrandy.com/Main.html

And if you like it, become a fan on FACEBOOK!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1248890420554

[phillip]

here watch comment rate and subsrcibe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdw-irWhuNA&feature=player_profilepage

thanks

[abhishek]

Hey guys just checkout this awesome movie..

[JOBOB]

JOBOB HERE. You will love this one. Horror movie stars, hot girls and you guessed it.....JOBOB

[susan]

thanks for the info!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfyjgbsPlL0

[bartonwyatt.blogspot.com]

We already have a TV channel for our firm here: http://www.bartonwyatt.com

However, using the video as a viral marketing tool sounds like a brand new alley for us to explore.

[whoami2four6o1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY2XH4Ae3PU

Choosing the right title, description, and tags also makes a huge difference. The right combination of magic words can guarantee an appearance in search results, which drives a lot of YouTube traffic.

Ex. Think of what people are searching for that is related to your video content. You can throw the words "funny" or "humor" in your tags.

Check out my video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY2XH4Ae3PU

- Broadway superstar invites audience member onstage to perform a duet.

[Payroll Software]

Hi,

Here come's my cool video.

http://www.lenvica.in/content.php?page_name=attendance_management_views

Biju
http://www.lenvica.com

[twitter.com/j2thamo]

I listened to the tips and all i got was this lousy video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Eyc3Da5qys

[Mike Painter]

I think as long as a video has some sort of value it will be watched.

[Emilio]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1pWgKfhH94