The Viral Video Virus: Challenges of Viral Video Marketing

Picture a time before YouTube; is it too difficult to remember that far back?

Born in 2005, the video giant is only 6 years old. It grew up quickly and was bought for a cool $1.65 billion, barely a year after its inception, by a little company called Google.

More video content is uploaded to YouTube in any given sixty-day period than all 3 major US TV networks have created in 60 years. Large and small companies alike realize the importance of quality video content. Not only is the Web already saturated with video, it is equally saturated with articles about why video content is important.

The Advantages and Challenges of Viral Video Marketing

Better search optimization, more intimate fan/customer engagement, and the ease of viewing vs. reading are only some of the video’s selling points.

These days, everybody wants a viral video.

Is going viral the only thing that matters, and more importantly, is YouTube the only destination?

Not every video is going to go viral; by definition, it is impossible.

Viral videos are great, but they’re the junk food of the video world. Everyone loves them; they’re easy to consume, and oftentimes they don’t have much substance behind them.

Valuing Content Beyond Virality

A fascinating lecture given by a brilliant astrophysicist probably won’t garner as many views as Lady Gaga’s latest hit, but does this mean that the lecture is of lesser value or quality?

The two videos, simply put, contain different content with different intentions.

As ostensibly easy as shooting and posting a video has become, it can be just as easy to forget that not all content is created equally, and that not all content serves the same purpose.

Creating Quality Video Content

Anyone can shoot decent looking video on an iPhone, but can they add quality sound, smooth editing, and a concise story?

Who is the audience?

Is the video intended for the Web only, or will it have internal purposes?

Is its sole intention to make people laugh or to convey a serious message, or both?

While it has become drastically easier to produce video content, it’s as hard as ever to make it good and worth watching, especially with all the competition.