Last updated on July 1st, 2022 at 04:52 pm
I like Internet videos because they show what can go viral on the Internet.
They are a good indication of what people are looking for on the net. Which is important information when one is trying to market the hell out of something placed on the web, which I acquaint to being much like attempting to explain the importance of a bath to my terrier dog Boonie. She doesn’t agree with it, she fights it with paws and claws, but in the end, feels better. She becomes happy with the experience when everyone pays attention to her new pretty self.
Dan and Chip Heath of Fast Company tell us that if you want people to talk about your product or service, you need to ratchet up one of three secrets to make a message go viral:
- It is emotional – People compulsively share emotional experiences, and the more intense the emotion, the more likely they are to talk about it.
- It is doing a public service – Sharing it might actually save someone’s life.
- It has to have a trigger – A trigger is an environmental reminder to talk about an idea.
When presenting something to an audience on the Internet you have to ask yourself if it is entertaining enough for visitors to send to their friends. This is more easily said than done. Presenting on the Internet needs be more than helping our visitors – it needs to be good enough to share with family and friends in a way where family and friends will like it too – a sure thing. They want to be proud enough to say, “I discovered this amazing thing . . . ”
As a creative, I know this can be extremely difficult to do, so in honor of Mother’s Day I offer up two different viral videos as examples of what I am talking about. Do you think these videos meet the criteria?
First I present to you mother and comedian Anita Renfroe singing her version of life as a mom:
By Oct. 1 2007, approximately 1.5 million people had seen this video. By Oct. 19, the number had risen to 8 million; the video had gone viral.
Followed by Tim Hawkins’s view of moms from a son’s point of view:
To date, this video has been viewed over 350,000 times.
Catherine Hughes is a magazine columnist, content creator, blogger, published writer, and former award-winning mom blogger. Catherine collaborates with companies to craft engaging web content and social media narratives. Her work, highlighting stories of the resilience and success of Northern California residents, appears in several print magazines. She treasures motherhood, her son, friendships, rugby, and animals.
Note: Articles by Catherine may contain affiliate links and may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on an affiliate link.