WhatGives!? Do Something Good…

Client: We would like our video to go viral.
Me:  Um, okay.  Here’s our checklist:

• Monkeys in hats.
• Famous athlete who just finished rehab/winning a national championship/doing something charitable (preferably “for the kids”).
• Current pop hit mashed up with client jingle, created by a 12-year-old in another (preferably less-fortunate) country.
• Spectator minor injury caused by collapsing tent (preferably wedding), tripping waiter (preferably carrying cream pie), and/or baseball/football (preferably to the groin).
• Coyote stepping off cliff, turning to face camera, holding up “Uh oh” sign, and falling (preferably landing in a puff of smoke).
• Complete control of the internet.

And it all needs to look like you found the footage in the attic of a deserted house just outside a small town in a presidential primary state.

Let’s do it!!

We live in an era of visual stimulus and whether you’re an international brand or a local nonprofit, you need to use imagery to tell your story.  However, just as you use your thesaurus to find just the right words to describe your product or mission, you need to use it to select the proper visual representation.

video, announcement, commercial, endorsement, promotion, television show, web series, demonstration, public service announcement, presentation, slide show, photo essay, montage, music video…

What are you trying to show to people?  What is the best way to represent that vision?  And, this one really matters – how can you connect emotionally with your audience?

It ain’t all piano-playin’ possums, people.

Although everyone wants their video to be seen by as many people as possible, a better, more effective goal is for your visual message to seen and embraced by as much of your target audience as possible.

So here’s a better checklist:

1. Research your audience.
   Who already loves you?  Working moms? College students?  Large animal veterinarians?  You can’t craft a clear message until you can define your pool of passionate supporters.
2. Research information platforms.
   Don’t blindly grab at the latest thing. Working moms are probably on Facebook, but college students do everything on their smartphones; tech lovers may be on Twitter, but you’ll still reach most people over 50 via email.  What imagery format fits in with your target audience’s preferred delivery method?
3. Research video format options.
   Ah, for the simple days when it was VHS versus Beta. Now it’s flv vs. mp4 vs. mov vs. wmv vs. the thing that’s being invented this afternoon.   You need to understand how a video will be seen before you can decide on what will be seen.
4. Decide what it is you really want to happen.
   If you just want to spread your name, then bring on the monkeys and the babies and the embarrassing pratfalls.  If you have a specific call to action (Purchase? Download? Donation?), don’t bury that request in unrelated photos of waterskiing squirrels.  (Unless, of course, you’re selling water skis.  Or squirrels.)
5. Keep it short.
   For the love of Pete, keep it under four minutes.  Keep it under two if you can.  Your core message is probably three words.  Buy this car. Donate to UNICEF. Download this coupon.  The other minute and 57 seconds should give you plenty of time to make ‘em laugh and/or make ‘em cry.
6. Title it. Tag it. Share it.
   “PSA 2012″ is a verrrry bad title.  Put your name or genre in the title.  “Bob’s Possum Sanctuary” or “Possum Hijinx” or “Safe Haven for Animals”.  Try not to get too cutesy; be clear.  Then add as many tags as might be relevant.  Tags are what will bring up your video in someone’s search results.  Finally, share it with everyone you can.  Remember, everyone in your audience has their own audience.  Encourage people to spread the word!

I realize I haven’t given you any kind of specifics as to content of your video.  That’s because Academy Award-winning screenwriter William Goldman’s pronouncement holds true for feature films and powerpoint presentations alike.  Nobody knows anything.  There’s no magic formula for successfully grabbing an audience.  We cannot explain the failure of some highly anticipated films, nor the success of those TV commercials showing people exasperated with blankets lacking armholes.  It’s a mystery.

So.

Be as smart as you can.  Be clever.  Be concise. Be audible.  (Nothing kills a video faster than bad sound.)  And be persistent.  One video or slide show won’t change your business.  It’s just part of the conversations you’re consistently having with your supporters and customers.  Right?

[Photos go viral, too, you know.]

Share/Save