By now you’ve likely heard of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. The viral videos are causing a frenzy across social media. Facebook reports 2.4 million ice bucket challenge videos have been uploaded resulting in 28 million posts, comments or likes! The challenge isn’t your run of the mill hashtag activism, either. The ALS Association has received nearly $23 million in donations since the end of July; that’s up from less than $2 million during the same period last year. The ice bucket’s success is worth examining. Understanding why it works can go a long way towards helping you create a viral video campaign for your charity or organization.
3 Keys to Making Successful Viral Videos
1. Value
Viral videos in general work because they add something to our lives. This can be anything from helpful information to a good laugh. Before making a video you need to have a clear goal in mind. Do you want to increase awareness or actively solicit donations? Also, what does success look like? Is it getting a certain number of likes on Facebook or do you want your message to spread across all social media platforms?
2. Create Community
Social media is all about community. Good viral videos have the ability to create conversation. Consider the ice bucket challenge. I first learned about it from friends in my Facebook feed. The challenge is inclusive; participants are encouraged to get their friends involved, which is great for building an audience.
3. Call to Action
Not all viral videos are alike. The ice bucket challenge falls under the category of activism. The success of these videos are hit and miss. The ice bucket challenge is popular because, not only does it support a good cause, but it’s also very easy. All you need is some water, ice, bucket and someone to record the whole thing.
Now that you know some of what goes into making a great viral video, get out there and create one of your own! Maybe start with the ice bucket challenge!
Photo Courtesy: slgckgc via Flickr
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