Going viral

These days it seems as though one sign (or maybe expectation?) of success in a communications campaign is if a YouTube video goes 'viral.' It is an elusive request, since videos that do go viral sometimes seem to have no reason for earning millions of views (see Rebecca Black.) So, what makes some videos go viral and others resistant? Is there an element of fate or is it something you can target?

In a post from Emma Gannon, she outlines principles that one can use to garner more views. For example:

- Don't over-brand, your content is what should shine
- Make it human and timely
- Grab the attention from the start and keep it

It would seem that from Emma's pointers, the average social media user doesn't want to feel that he or she is being 'marketed' to or sold something, but rather discovering or sharing information or something amusing on their own terms. In a post from Social Media Today, they shared the results of a report from Invoke Solutions that identified (among other things) what made content share-worthy, according to social media users.

These included:

• A considerable range of traits defined share-worthy branded social media content for participants including content that was new or noteworthy (75%), entertaining (69%), valuable advice (68%) and exclusive information (67%). Financial benefit also rated highly at 65%, but its fifth place ranking suggests that social media consumers can be motivated by content without necessarily expecting a financial reward.
• Valuable advice was one of the traits sited for share-worthy content. Third behind new/noteworthy and entertaining. 

When I put these pieces of advice to the test using the video below, I can see the proof. The video was created by a physician at a Toronto hospital. Since posting on December 2, 2011 it has earned 2,368,867. Not too shabby - especially when you consider he is not in the PR biz! It does run a little on the long side, but there are identifiable components that contribute to its success (i.e. content, valuable advice, attention-grabbing design that keeps you watching.)



While there are guidelines that can be followed to make a good video that hopefully resonates, I believe a bit of luck goes a long way to pushing it into viral territory.

Breaking out of my Twitter shell

I remember going to an IABC networking session about social media trends back in late 2008 in Toronto. The panelists were talking about this 'Twitter' thing, and many attendees were even live tweeting during the talks. I figured I needed to get on board with 'tweeting' or be left in the dust, plus it did seem kind of fun!

I opened my Twitter account in January 2009, and I have to confess I developed a bit of a love-hate relationship with the social media tool. It seemed like my comments and observations, my little jokes (that I thought were funny) and personal expressions were just drops in an ocean-sized bucket. I was starting to feel as though what I was putting out there didn't matter. I felt a little shy about reaching out to others too; after all, most of these 'tweeters' were people I didn't even know! Why would they want to connect with me? I began to wonder if Twitter was meant for the Justin Beibers and New York Times of the world. The people and businesses that had already achieved notoriety, and would easily hold the attention of thousands of followers.

Was it really a big deal if I did or did not participate? Instead of bringing me together with people, I felt quite isolated.

Since tweeting for my PR & Digital Media module, I feel a bit more emboldened and I believe it is partly to do with connecting and engaging with a specific group. As Clay Shirkey mentions in 'Here Comes Everybody' p.186, "These twitters are interesting not so much because the messages themselves are informative, but because the receiver cares about the sender." I believe we do look for these kinds of connections with others, whether it is online or in person. It is validating to share with those people who are interested in what you have to say or have something in common, and it builds your confidence when it is acknowledged.

Tweeting won't work optimally for you if you are only throwing random stuff at the wall to no one in particular (although this is certainly allowed). It is really through engagement with others that you truly understand its purpose and get some benefit from Twitter. When I look back at my tweets from my first few months as @laurabee43, there is not a retweet or a link posting or a reply to be found! No wonder I felt alone! Since I've been seeking out others for information, links and ideas, it has felt like a much more rewarding and stimulating experience.

I have found that Twitter is certainly comparable to an ocean, with so many bits and pieces of information zipping by it is easy to feel swallowed up and overwhelmed, but I think you can engage with it as much or as little as you want to. You can jump in and go for a long "swim", or you can dip in a toe; both approaches have their time and place. The important thing is to use the opportunity to connect with others as this will enrich your usage.

Courting the Bloggers

Over the last decade, the number of personal blogs has seemed to increase exponentially (as evidenced by this blog too!). Some have risen to achieve wide recognition and readership, making them appealing to companies that wish to harness their reach. But how do we in PR navigate the waters of blogger engagement? 

 
An interesting post by Louis Gray outlines some of the challenges:

Not every public relations firm is an expert in dealing with bloggers. Some are waking up to the blogging phenomenon and, guessing at the influencers, are simply adding blogger e-mail addresses to their distribution lists, without taking the time needed to see what it is each blogger covers, learning their focus areas, or personalizing an angle. Others are aggressively hustling the top two to five names and ignoring the second layer - which creates stress for those pursued, and resentment for those who are ignored.

What he suggests is that it is not enough to throw pitches out to an assortment of bloggers without any strategy - you must do your homework, create a blog, and get familiarized with the blog domain. If you are not talking the 'language' of a blogger - you will quickly be identified as an outsider.

Adam Singer, writing for the blog Future Buzz, states: 

...if you want to pitch influential or popular bloggers, here is my advice: only provide content that is both remarkable and marketable.  Resist the urge to give them anything else. 

Sound familiar? Pitching and working with bloggers is often comparable to pitching traditional media. However, it must be said that blogs are a different type of animal. At its core, blogging is a shared experience and bloggers are looking to engage others, and receive feedback from their readers. Dig into what hooks motivate a particular segment of bloggers and then package useful content in compelling and interesting ways that PR can use to engage them. Further, if you can develop relationships with bloggers that are mutually beneficial - there are gains to be had.

One example of successful corporate partnerships with bloggers include Coach's move in 2010 to team up with several high profile fashion bloggers asking them to design their own 'limited edition' handbag. Obviously, the handbag giant realized the the reach and influence of these blogs, but they also understood the audience these blogs attracts - a younger, female demographic.

(Pictured above, left: Kelly Framel and Emily Schuman

Another example of blogger and company partnership success is the meteroic rise of Michelle Phan an amateur make-up artist who garnered fame via her YouTube tutorial videos. As of February 2012, her videos have garnered over 530 million views, and she is most subscribed female on YouTube. As a result, she was hired by Lancome to be one of their spokespeople.