Viral Video Marketing Strategy:
How to Advertise Your Business Using Video

A viral video marketing strategy is a method to maximize your video search marketing with videos like the following:

Definition

"Viral video refers to video clip content which gains widespread popularity through the process of Internet sharing, typically through email or IM messages, blogs and other media sharing websites."
Wikipedia

So using video in this way is ...

"... a marketing phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message voluntarily (using video)"
Wikipedia

and this is done by using...

"...preexisting social networks to produce increases in brand awareness, through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of pathological and computer viruses."
Wikipedia

...and the reason to use this type of video search marketing is that...

"...the randomness of "word of mouth" distribution, causes huge numbers of people to distribute a video among friends, co-workers, colleagues and reach masses of random users that are exposed to a video which promotes a brand."
Wikipedia

So this type of video search marketing is a way to spread your business message on social media networks on the internet. It's the ultimate word-of-mouth advertising increased at a faster pace thru the power of the internet.

Viral Video Marketing Steps

Step 1: Create a TubeMogul account

Tube Mogul is a free web service that allows you to upload one video to multiple video sites all at one time. So video search marketing makes it easier for the user to find you. It's easy to create the account. Once the account is created just record the login and password information in a safe place. Also do this step...

-Viral Video Sites: Record the name and web site of every site that tubemogul will download to. You will find this information on the tubemogul site.

Step 2: Create Video site accounts and record login information

Create a file that will list all of the video sites that you can download from tubemogul. Record this information for each video site:

-Site Name
-Site URL
-Login Name
-Password

-Account Name: This name should contain the web site name.

-Title: Use high quality keywords that relate to your business.

-Description: Use high quality keywords.

-Genres/Categories: Whatever fits your business concept.

-URL: The URL of your web site.

-Viral Video Options: Choose all viral options.

Step 3: Choose your video hardware and software

Select your tools depending on how you want to use video. Here are some options...

-Webcam: Select a high quality webcam, like a Logitech webcam, to record activity in and around your computer. A webcam is a great tool for teaching others the use of the computer.

-Digital Camera/Cell Phone: Use this for up to 90 second clips. Use a 640x480 option.

-Camcorder: Use for elaborate productions.

-Computer Movie Software: Use Camtasia for Windows and SnapZPro for the MAC. You can also look into Cam Studio for Windows and SnapnDrag for MAC's.

-Screen Capture Software: Use SnagIt or Hypersnap for Windows and Screenshot Pro or SnapnDrag for the MAC.

-Simple Screen Capture Commands: Use the information from the following table:

Screen Commands	Windows Machines	MAC Machines
Screen Capture	Print Screen	Command+shift+3
Window Capture	ALT Print Screen	Command+shift+4

-Compression Software: Use Adobe Flash SWF to make the video easy to view on the internet. The best setting is 640x480.

"What type of software enables...Web sites to dish up all that video without a hitch?...It's Adobe's Flash, an underappreciated program that delivers most of the streaming video on the Web."
Cliff Edwards, "Adobe Wants to Be a Player", BusinessWeek, April 14, 2008, page 076

In April of 2008 Adobe will have the Adobe Media Player available. This player will allow you to download video from multiple web sites for free. You can even subcribe to RSS feeds and paste the code into your player. Then you'll be able to watch the RSS video feeds on your player. All you have to do is download the free media and Adobe AIR from the Adobe web site.

Step 4: Create your viral video

Plan your viral video production, record it, and then prepare it for publication. Think PSREPS...

-Prepare the environment: Check your lighting, background noises, camera angles, and use of microphones.

-Script or Storyboard the Video: Outline your story and record the script and most wanted response from the customer. Decide the look and feel for the video.

-Record the video: Create short little video clips. The shorter the clips the easier it will be to edit the clips. Things to record include a Powerpoint presentation, Images, Screen recordings, Webcam video, and Movies.

-Edit the video: Splice video clips together and smooth the edits. Save the final project.

-Produce the final video format: Save as a WMV (Windows Media Video) file to upload to Tube Mogul. Save to other formats depending on where you would share the video. Places to share video include your web site or blog (Adobe Flash SWF), CD-ROM (AVI Movie File), IPOD (M4V Movie File), camera video (MOV Quick Time), or audio only (MP3).

-Share the viral video: Tell others about the video.

Step 5: Upload video to all video sites listed in tubemogul

Decide how you will describe the video for maximum impact. Create the following for each video:

-Video Title: Use plenty of high demand, low supply keywords.

-Video Description: Use high quality keywords.

-Video Tags: Record all the keywords you use.

-Category: Record the most appropriate category.

-Logins/Passwords: Make sure to have your login/password list handy to log into the various video sites.

Step 6: Check the Videos and your video statistics

-YouTube: Use their embeded code to place a video on your web site.

-Statistics: Use the tubemogul software to see who has been viewing your videos.

Step 7: Plan for Future Monetization options

Don't monetize yet. However, decide how you could monetize your viral videos in the future. Here are some ways:

-Ads: Place ads before(Pre-roll ads) or after (Post-roll ads) your video.

-Affiliate Links: Place text links to affiliate partners or your own affiliate product links on your video. Viewers can click these links while watching your video.

-Bubbleply: Customize another person's video and place your own affiliate links in it.

-Products: Create a video to sell your product or the product of someone else.

-Sponsors: Create a video that others will pay for you to produce. The sponsor would pay you for the video content or pay your to promote their business. That business could be local or nationwide.

-Video Sale: Sell your video to interested individuals or organizations.

A viral video marketing strategy is a great way to leverage your video search marketing campaign so others will find you and your site.

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