You know how valuable video can be for boosting your brand’s profile, especially when it comes to sharing content on social media. But there’s one online achievement that marketers everywhere crave: making a video go viral. The opportunity for success is certainly there. 55% of people watch videos online every day, and videos are shared 1200% more times than links and text combined.  Plus, as of 2020, more than half of the world’s population is on social media. That’s a lot of eyeballs. Still, the question of how to make a viral marketing video spread like digital wildfire is a tricky one. There’s no science behind viral video content, but there are a few tips and tricks that could help you unlock the true marketing potential of this phenomenon. Vimeo’s marketing video maker is a great place to start crafting your next video. Here are five ways to make a video ad with a strong ROI that just might hit it big.

1. Optimize the format

The first thing to consider when trying to make a video go viral is to create content with a specific platform in mind. Designing your video for mobile viewing is priority #1, but it’s also important to keep your aspect ratios optimized. The formats you’ll want to keep in your toolkit are square (1:1), vertical (9:16), and wide (16:9), which will allow you to build content for Facebook, Instagram, and beyond.

2. Think 5 seconds at a time

A general rule of thumb for creating super sharable content is to keep to the “5 seconds at a time” rule. This means you should be giving a viewer another reason to keep watching every 5 seconds. This can be done or defined in many different ways — jokes! fun graphics! shocking twists! — and it’s a crucial mentality to keep your ad fresh and engaging. Consider this genius viral video from Dollar Shave Club. A little tongue-in-cheek profanity, some goofy visuals, and a silly sense of humor helped this ad rack up millions of views upon release.

3. Use text strategically

You want to keep your viewer engaged, but it’s also important that your video conveys information about your brand, small business, or service. Don’t underestimate the power of strategically placed text to help present information more quickly, as well as reinforce your video ad’s points.

4. Give ‘em a reason to engage

But what really makes a video go viral? Getting people to engage with your video (with likes, comments, or shares) is the quickest way to get your content in front of more eyeballs. Sometimes, creating wow-worthy content can be even more effective than a traditional CTA to encourage viewers to share the ad with someone else. Take this genius one-minute spot from little blumes. This short video combines inventive filmmaking with product-focused visuals for an ad that’s engaging, not gimmicky.

5. Be smart about your CTA

It takes clever messaging to balance an entertaining ad with vital company info, but if done correctly, the payoff can be massive. Get creative! There are plenty of fun ways to showcase your brand or product without making your video feel like an infomercial. Using humor or splashy visuals in your ecommerce video ad for example can help you integrate brand messaging without sacrificing style. Remember: Viral marketing is far from an exact science. Even if your video doesn’t take the internet by storm, you can rest easy knowing your brand is making content optimized for today’s online landscape.

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