Red Rider Creative

The Business of Viral

Videos

A viral video is a loose term that refers to a video clip that spreads

rapidly through the internet through online sharing. While some put a

restriction on the term, such as a required amount of views in a number

of days (e.g., five million views in three to seven days), this is not

always the case.

For a video to be viral, it needs to create a lot of buzz on the internet. It

should garner coverage from media outlets or popular blogs, and the

video’s content should be a subject of discussion on social media

networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit.

The Types of Viral Videos

While there are hundreds of kinds of content that has gone viral, they

fall into two major categories: amateur viral videos and branded viral

videos. Amateur viral videos are funny, with the footage originally

intended for family and friends’ viewing.

Branded promotional videos are from companies that contain marketing

messages and aim to raise brand awareness.

Amateur Viral Videos

According to TIME, there are three ways an amateur viral video can be

profitable. Monetized videos on YouTube can gain money with the

AdSense program, which places ads on a footage. The viral video

“Charlie Bit My Finger,” for example, gained over £100,000 in 2012.

For amateur videos that look commercially attractive, production

companies might be interested in featuring the clips in their ads; they

are willing to pay thousands of dollars for the opportunity to ride the

wave of the viral video’s popularity. For viral videos that reach a

different level of popularity, merchandising is another option.

Branded Viral Videos

Brands tap into the culture of viral videos to connect with their

audiences. The aim is for the video to provide pleasure to the viewer and

embody the qualities of the company.

Sources:

http://www.adweek.com/digital/what-makes-a-video-viral/

http://www.toprankblog.com/2016/03/video-marketing-

campaigns/

http://www.redridercreative.com/

http://time.com/3956080/viral-videos-money/

http://mashable.com/2014/04/02/viral-branded-

videos/#SqcrLloUAiqN

“… What were once brick-and-mortar businesses are now becoming

adroit visual storytellers,” Mashable published.