How To Set Up Your Videos To Go Viral

I love videos, films, creatives.

Everything with moving images, stories, slideshows, or photos.

Before I got into media buying, I was a freelance videographer and editor.

I produced a lot of commercials for local startups, musicians and dancers.

These projects were mainly produced for early Web 2.0 at that time, but the formula to make them work is the same for today's online world.

In this video, we will cover: How to set up your videos to go viral

Back then You needed to prepare your project with a ‘fishing’ formula if you wanted to have a good engagement.

Of course, you didn’t have to export hundreds of multi variations of content like today, but the principle was the same.

Today when we’re shooting mainly for Facebook ads & Youtube ads, we’re exporting and mixing a crazy amount of creatives.

We need to export images, prepare slideshows, build stories, combine with pre-engaged videos, post-engaged comments, 3D pics, etc.

Before, We had to shoot with a DSLR, but now we can do it with anything: a GoPro, iPhone and cheap web cameras.

All that was new to me 5 years ago, but I was able to make the mental shift and figured it out.

The general idea of successful ads in 2021 is to have tons of material in different formats and in different angles to be able to test.

Everything depends on your brand style (fitness, clothing, motivational brand) and your audience, think about the color pallets that get your ideal buyer to purchase you should be creating content based on that while at the same time making sure your editing style meets your brand language & tone.

But, Let's be real, your ad copy is the most important part and that's what we're about to cover.

Look here is the deal: If you want to have good engaging videos that can go viral and get cheap clicks then you need to follow the FISHING formula.

I have a few different FISHING formulas in my toolbox but the most basic one that gives the best result is still: B.H.A.R.C. FISHING

And I’ve seen many video companies that specialize in online ads now using it.

Some of them successfully, some of them not as much.

The name for this strategy is BHARC, but let me explain what it means:

1-B means BAIT

2-H means HOOK

3-A means ACTION

4-R means REEL

5-C means CATCH

Step 1: you need to throw bait into the ad space (ocean).

You need to find a picture or short video that will stop your ideal customer's endless scroll, the reason they stop is that the picture or video is so funny, or amazing, or they have never seen anything like it, it's silly, or weird, or funny colored, or miserable, or painful, or… you get what I mean.

You need to spark curiosity in the first 3 seconds or your video will be trash!

I suggest that when you get a finished video from your video person or production company, you must also hire a VA video editor on UpWork and ask them to prepare several variations of the same video with different intro clips (1-3s) and thumbnails, so media buyers can test and scale the best performing.

They can get these intro clips online (I didn’t say to steal but borrow …or they can re-shoot).

You can also ask the person who made you the original video but it will probably be more expensive and they wont know exactly what to do.

Some people online are doing just that and they can find you a lot of viral intro-clips you can implement in your videos very fast.

They can also cut and splice your video into different combinations and formats, and also add subtitles or text over your video.

TIP: Videos with text overlay or subtitles usually perform much better than without.

Step 2: HOOK. This step is easy.

You need to capture attention and hook your audience. Usually from 3 to 10 seconds in your video.

You will introduce your product here and explain why it is the most special thing they’ve seen online.

Your product of course is super awesome, high quality, and affordable to most pockets.

This is where you will have to be very experimental and try lots of stuff again.

You never know how the audience will see the super-dope video you spent thousands of dollars on production or even just a few bucks. It’s all about testing - have I said testing enough today? :)

Step 3: Time for action! This is for the first10-20 seconds.

This is where you want to Demo how your product or service works etc.

Try to Be funny while demoing or hire a very good-looking model.

You’ll be surprised how more often men will buy something if cute women are introducing it in a soft and whispering voice.

And vice-versa! Women 45+ like young men too! So show those six-packs in the video but do it under the T-shirt, because lately Mr. Zucks doesn’t like too much skin showing!

On Facebook, Skin is forbidden like in the '50s so... You need to be creative!

Step 4: is all about social proof.

Screenshot testimonials from IG or FB or Amazon or wherever people are leaving reviews of your products or services.

The difference between testimonials and without can be 1-4%! But again - don’t be lazy and test! You’ll be surprised at what can happen.

You must test with UGC testimonials, authority reviews, and pics, say caption them "X said this and this".

If you have a big brand that is well known and has millions of followers, please don’t be shy to ask for reviews!

Use this 20-30 seconds into your video. It Can be more, depends on how many you can fit in.

Step 5: - It’s time to catch your fish! Call to action, scarcity, discount.

TEST! Test everything with your media buyer.

The more editions and variations you have, the better results they can get for you!

Ok, this is from 30-40 seconds into your video but be curious and test to 50 or even 60 seconds.

It’s good to test different durations. Did I mention testing?

So the formula is simple and it can be used in many variations and styles.

We have more formulas in our pocket that we recommend to our clients.

If you want to know more of these proven formulas to attract your ideal clients to you & close them, let's set up a call with our Brand Curator and see if we'd be a good fit to help you.