Viral Media

Social media has many sources of communication that businesses can use to promote their image. YouTube is the largest video sharing website and has become a key promoter for businesses around the world. Video marketing can be a very effective way of getting your message across to your customers. Video content that is entertaining, accessible and easily digestible is the perfect formula for today’s generation. People want to see things rather than just read or hear them. Creating a viral video is what online video creators aim for. For some, virality is the primary goal; for others it is a result of creating engaging content and effectively marketing it. A video is never guaranteed to go viral, but a few factors make it significantly more likely.

A YouTube video is more than a video. It is an opportunity to promote a product or service. When it comes to deciding about YouTube marketing strategies that work, there are certain things that should be considered. The marketing video should try to entertain or speak to people by creating an emotional response of any kind from the viewers. It will prompt viewers to share the video with others, thereby contributing to viral marketing of the product. You want to produce something that people will want to discuss with their friends and family. The title of the YouTube video should be something that grabs the attention of the Internet users and prompt them to watch the video.  Keep it short - The attention span of viewers on the Internet is very short. Promote subtly for better results.  

Dove’s “Real Beauty Sketches” video was one of the most popular videos of 2013, with nearly 54 million views on YouTube. It shares an incredibly powerful and positive message about the way women see their selves, which people felt compelled to share. A forensic artist drew sketches of women based on how they described themselves, and then draws the same image with strangers describing them. Many of the women described themselves in unflattering ways. The strangers’ sketches were closer to the way the women really looked. When I saw this video, I immediately shared it with my best friend. I wish that she could see herself through my eyes. She is a beautiful person, but she does not see herself as others see her.

Dove was subtle in promoting their brand. The only way you know that Dove is associated with this message is in the title and a flash of the Dove logo at the very end. This message speaks to people. It creates an emotional response. It grabs your attention and leaves you thinking. The relatability of the message cannot be ignore. Dove connected with the audience and the marketing technique was a huge success. 

 

Another popular way to connect with your audience is to make them laugh out loud. Kmart has partnered with DraftFCB to try to lift their image. The retail giant has attracted plenty of attention with its play on words. Kmart’s hilarious “Ship My Pants” video had over 20 million views; they followed that up with the “Show Your Joe” holiday ad with 17 million views, and the “Big Gas Savings”. Each of these videos had people talking. Kathy Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb from the Today show featured all three of the above mentioned videos.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the Kmart ads, the risky ads also stirred up some controversy. Some people left negative comment on Kmart's Facebook page. It is impossible to please everyone. Sometimes bad publicity in inevitable. If you scroll through the posts on Facebook, you could see several negative comments left by dissatisfied customers. What is interesting is the manner in which Kmart is responding to the customers concerns.

posted to‎ Kmart

10 hours ago

WARNING! If you order from kmart.com or sears.com, and don't receive your order, be prepared for a long, frustrating fight to get your refund. 4 phone calls (this 1 I spoke with a "supervisor" also), 1 bad feedback, 1 month, & still haven't gotten a full refund. They keep issuing refunds, but they never show up on my credit card account.

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Hermitssa  likes this.

   Kmart Lucy, thank you for bringing your refund issue to our attention. We’d be happy to address this. Please send the following information – contact #, screen name (Lucy Goodson Morrison), phone # used at time of purchase to kmsupport@searshc.com. Thanks.

10 hours ago

o     I'm having the same problem, Lucy. Its been a month now, and I have been speaking with a wonderful sweet lady at corporate. Ive been told that the refund was approved, but I have yet to see it show up in my account. Very frustrated as well.

8 hours ago

§  Kmart Cares Amanda, we thank you for posting. We will forward your post over to your case manager. Thanks, Liz.

8 hours ago

Communication professionals need to have a damage control plan ready for when bad publicity strikes their brand. Monitoring your brand online is a necessity today in order to be on the lookout for an irate customer or a disgruntled employee. An appropriate and timely response is very important.  Do not try to out-insult those who insult you. Do not argue. Your best bet is to listen to your customers’ needs, try to solve the issue, apologize and move on. Look at it as an opportunity to build better customer relationships by solving problems. Make it clear that the company is taking action to resolve the issue.
YouTube alone has more than 4 million views per day. Everyone is watching videos. Video sharing is a huge part of social media, and social media is a huge part of our lives. Video marketing has created an even playing field on which brands, business, and organizations can compete. Like Facebook or Twitter, video social media sites allow real-time feedback and interaction, allowing your brand to engage with the customers. Video is mobile and just one click away from people clicking the buy now button. The exposure that any company can get is amazing.

I look forward to reading your comments and questions. I promise to respond in a timely manner. Please share your favorite viral videos and tell me why you like them.