Creating Video Content that People Want to Share

You undoubtedly realize how important content is for your business. You probably also realize that there are several types of content that you can share with other people for positive results that will benefit your business. One (and, perhaps, the most obvious) type is written content. Another powerful type of content is video content. The question is, how do you create video content that people want to share with others?

What do you need to do to make your video content appealing enough?

It is a great idea to create short, valuable, compelling videos. However, how do you know if your video content is just going to sit there or if other people are going to feel that it is well worth sharing with other people?  In other words, what do you need to put in that video content that causes it to become popular and to hopefully go viral before too long?

You have probably noticed that other people (and other businesses) have posted videos that went viral. You are probably asking what they did to make that happen. Exactly what it the “viral” formula that they used and how can you get your hands on it?

People are attracted to videos

Because so many people are visual, they will react well to a video (considering that it is reaching them on an emotional level). People generally react to images and content can be extremely effective when you are speaking to the other person rather than the other person having to read words on a page. It is human nature.

If you consider the videos that have gone viral and the ones that are not doing too much, it is important for you to understand that the reason(s) that those videos went viral was not an accident. The video creator probably a really good idea about what he or she was doing in order to cause that reaction in other people.  One thing that is for sure is that you will need to have some sort of roadmap (gameplan) before you create any videos. 

Your video should appeal to other people in a way that makes them want to share

Interestingly, there are several different reasons why a person feels that a video is worth sharing. There are so many different types of videos online and even though each one is different from the others, there are some things that they have in common. Once you learn what those are, you will be able to use the information to create videos that achieve amazingly positive results for you.

Your video should not only give something positive to that person but it should also give the person a sense of getting something positive out of sharing it with other people. The bottom line (and the most basic reaction that you are hoping to achieve) is that your video must cause some sort of human/emotional reaction in the other person. You want that person to feel something. It connects you as human beings with feelings. Exactly how you go about making that happen is up to you but there is no doubt that you are capable of accomplishing that. At that point, the other person will not only be willing but will be excited to share your video.

Your video’s value will keep on giving. That means that the person who shared it will be a hero in the eyes of the recipient. However, if at all possible, you should try to keep the video as positive as possible. You want your viewers to connect positive emotions with the video, not negative ones.

Respect the viewer’s attention span

When it comes to videos, you don’t want to make them too long. Two to three minutes is fine. Just as is the case with written content, people don’t have the time or the patience to stick with a long-winded video that goes on and on. It is important for you to be respectful of the other person’s capacity when it comes to the length of your video. 

Don’t make it promotional

Content (whether it is a blog, a video, or some other type of content) should be informational, not promotional. The last thing that anyone wants is to be given the “hard sell.” Although there is no doubt that your ultimate goal is getting the other person to buy what you are selling, the way that you get to that point is also extremely important. The first thing that you are after is getting the other person so connect with you and to build a relationship together.

If you must promote your brand, you need to do it in such a discrete manner that the other person doesn’t even realize that you are doing it. You want to highlight what you stand for and what you can do for the other person in a way that makes them feel that you are merely sharing valuable information because you are a nice person and want to help him or her to solve the problem(s) that he or she is currently experiencing. It is that simple.

Be discriminating about where you post your video

It is important for you to realize that not all type (and topics) of content are appropriate for all places online. It is important that you do your homework well before you put your videos anywhere so that you are going to get the biggest impact and so that the people who are watching it want to give it to other people so that they can benefit as well. Not all social networks are designed for the same type of content. If you do the research first, it will save you a lot of headaches and frustration later. You will know exactly where to post your videos for maximum impact and the best results possible.

How do you entice people into watching?

This is the biggest question of all. It isn’t enough simply to post the video. You will want to post it on a social media channel where you have a lot of good-quality followers. That is the only way that you will get other people to share your video. It is important that you have established connections with people on those channels. After all, you don’t want to leave anything to chance when it comes to getting your video to go viral. People respond well to what touches them emotionally. That means that it can have humor, sentiment, or any other emotion in between in the video. One thing that is for sure is that the other person will react in some way. 

Conclusion

Just like it is with written content, it is very important for you to have a good sense of the effect that your video will have on the other person. That will only happen if you educate yourself about your platform (to the last detail). Of course, make sure that you give the other person an easy way to interact with you. You do that in the form of a call-to-action (CTA). The CTA is the only way that the other person has to be able to connect with you. If you make your video interesting, have some surprises in it, make it useful, and, of course, make it positive, you will get the reaction that you are hoping for from the other person.

We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. For a complimentary assessment of your online presence, let’s have coffee.

Let's have coffee