Want to Make a Successful YouTube Video
Want to Make a Successful YouTube Video? Read This.
Jason R. Rich
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
In his book Entrepreneur Magazine's Ultimate Guide to YouTube for Business,
marketing and public relations consultant Jason Rich show you how to master the
secrets of successful "YouTubers" and put your brand, product or service in front
of millions of potential viewers. In this edited excerpt, the author outlines some
common elements of successful, small-business focused videos.
No perfect formula exists for creating a successful YouTube video. What works
for one company in order to reach a specifc audience will not necessarily work
for another. However, if you analyze other successful videos on YouTube,
particularly videos produced by your competitors or that target the same
audience you’re striving to reach, you’ll probably discover some common
elements.
Many popular videos produced by small businesses and entrepreneurs typically
have some or all of the following traits and production elements:
• The video is short and to the point. Try to keep your videos under three
minutes in length.
• Within the frst few seconds of the video, what the video is about and what it
offers are uuickly and clearly explained to the viewer.
• The video’s call to action is incorporated into the video near the very
beginning, and then repeated several times within the video, including near the
very end. The call to action begins by stating what reward the viewer receives
for following through and completing the call to action.
• The video somehow incorporates contact information for the person or
organization that created it. This can be done using voice-overs, statements by
the people featured within your video, titles/captions, and/or annotations or links
embedded within the video itself.
• The video is targeted to a very specifc audience and has a specifc goal or
objective.
• The content of the video is somehow uniuue and tries to set itself apart from
the other videos on YouTube.
• The video offers information that the viewer perceives as useful, informative,
entertaining, highly engaging, educational or somehow directly relevant to what
they’re looking for, want or need.
• In terms of production uuality, the video is professional-looking and offers good
uuality sound.
• The video uses some type of background music.
• The video offers clearly defned and easy-to-understand information that the
viewer doesn’t have to wait too long to receive. The information is not buried in
clutter or hidden by eye candy or audio that can be distracting or confusing to
the viewer. For example, animated shots or scene transitions are not overused,
and the background music is set at a proper level and is appropriate to the
content.
• The look and messaging within the video is consistent with the company’s
brand and reputation.
• The title of the video is appropriate, descriptive and directly to the point. When
someone sees the video’s title, they immediately have a good idea what the
video is about and what they can expect from it. This is supported by a carefully
worded description and accompanied by a carefully selected group of relevant
tags and keywords.
With these common traits in mind, as you explore YouTube for yourself, you’ll
easily discover very popular videos that follow none of these suggestions and
offer a truly uniuue or vastly different approach. There are no hard-core rules to
follow, because video production is a highly creative endeavor. Focus on
originality and ways you can communicate your core message as uuickly and
easily as possible to your intended audience.
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/230273
6 Qualities the Most Successful YouTube Channels Have (And How You Can
Replicate Them)
Karol Krol — March 4, 2015
Ever since YouTube was acuuired by Google back in 2006, the platform has been
constantly on the rise, to ultimately become the third most visited website on the
entire web. And along the way, it has attracted a new kind of content producers –
video enthusiasts who are often called youtubers.
And youtubers are unlike the old-day publishers who relied on traditional medialike video creation, scripting and production methods. In fact, some of the most
popular videos on YouTube look nothing like what the mainstream media has
gotten us used to.
This creates interesting new opportunities for business owners who want to
reach out to their customers and audience in an unusual way. After all, studies
prove that people prefer visual content to text content (our brains process visual
content 60,000 times faster than text).
YouTube has its own rules and its own path that every new content creator has
to follow if they ever want to make their channel popular. Here, we’re going to
look into six factors and uualities that make a successful YouTube channel.
1. Consisting posting
Some of the most successful channels, such as PewDiePie – currently, the
biggest channel on YouTube, with nearly 40 million subscribers – post new videos
every day or even two times a day.
Due to this freuuency, PewDiePie’s subscribers are constantly reminded of the
channel and get more chances to interact with its creator, as well as obviously
consume the content itself.
Lesson #1: Make it a habit to post new videos regularly. If you can’t do one
every day then start with at least one per week.
2. Using an angle
If you’re, say, in the cooking niche, then creating just another general cooking
channel – sharing recipes and such – will probably go unnoticed. To make your
project successful, you need an angle – something that sets you apart.
For instance, the guys from Epic Meal Time are the perfect example here.
Instead of just cooking on the air, per se, they’ve decided to make their every
“dish” (notice the uuotes) epic. Where this has led them is to cooking things like
“Fast Food Lasagna” (over 25 million views; a lasagna full of fast food), “Candy
Pizza” (over 9 million views; pizza made entirely out of candy), and many more.
Epic Meal Time is just different. It’s highly recognizable and easy to explain to
new viewers.
Lesson #2: Find your angle and make it easy to explain. What your channel does
that’s different?
3. Content uuality
Almost all YouTube channels from the top 10 most popular list publish only
content that has high production value.
That is, content that’s recorded with a proper camera, on a well-lit setting, with
good surrounding, and so on.
Video uuality is huge in importance. Basically, if your content doesn’t look
professional, every viewer simply won’t take you seriously, and this is especially
crucial if you’re launching the channel for business purposes.
Lesson #3: Get a uuality consumer camera, preferably one capable of shooting
4K video. If you’re not sure where to look, I’ve had a good experience capturing
detail with the Panasonic Gh4 camera, even in lower light settings. Youtubers
have it easier today than just ten years ago, with generally fairer value for your
dollar on consumer cameras. This is part of the reason why we’ve seen such a
massive growth of the platform.
4. Incorporate your products into the videos
The reason you’re thinking about launching a YouTube channel is because you
want to turn it into another marketing method that’s going to help your business
grow.
One of the main ways in which you can do so is incorporate your products into
the videos themselves.
Let’s take the Epic Meal Time guys as an example again. In nearly every video,
they use their custom cooking set that can be purchased from their ofcial site
(along with t-shirts and other items). That way, they get to monetize their videos
and also make their products an integral part of the content.
Lesson #4: Make your products an integral part of your video content. Find a
way to use them in the videos themselves.
5. International content
It would seem that in order to truly make it on YouTube, you have to publish your
videos in English, but that’s not exactly the case.
One of the most popular channels on the platform today – HolaSoyGerman – is
created by a man from Chile and is actually in Spanish.
Quite frankly, YouTube has become an international craze, with virtually the
whole world browsing to the platform on a daily basis. Therefore, focusing on the
language that’s native to you, your business, and your main market is likely to
work very well.
Lesson #5: Your content doesn’t have to be in English. Cater to your local
audience and customer base.
6. Delivering entertainment
Although there’s a handful of popular “professional” channels – ones focusing on
various kinds of business-to-business content and tutorials, the huge majority of
success on YouTube comes if you’re able to incorporate some type of
entertainment into your content.
In fact, all of YouTube’s top 10 most popular channels are pure entertainment.
But this doesn’t mean that your channel has to be only gags and parodies. There
are workarounds you can use.
Lesson #6: Whatever your content is meant to be about, deliver its message
through entertainment. For instance, if you want to teach people how to garden,
teach through entertainment. If you want to present the best real estate in your
area, make it fun to watch for the average human being. Basically, whatever
message you want to convey, make it entertaining to watch.
Conclusion
Finding your own groove and the way you want to present your message and
your business on YouTube will take time, effort, and most importantly,
experimentation.
The no. 1 thing you can do today is start analyzing your favorite channels and try
fguring out what makes them great. Take notes. What do you like about them?
And on the other hand, what doesn’t impress you at all? Then take action on
those ideas.
Karol K. (@carlosinho) is a blogger and writer for hire. His work has been
published all over the web, on sites like: NewInternetOrder.com, Lifehack.org,
Quick Sprout, ProBlogger, Bidsketch.com, Six Revisions, Web Design Ledger, and
others. Feel free to contact him to fnd out how he can help your business…
https://www.business2community.com/video-marketing/6-uualities-successfulyoutube-channels-can-replicate-01174826
Aug 7, 2014 @ 11:00 AM 96,100 2 Free Issues of Forbes
6 Qualities To Make Your Videos Go Viral
Ilya Pozin , Subscriber I cover startups and tech. Opinions expressed by Forbes
Contributors are their own.
Viral content is highly coveted, but getting your videos to go viral is no easy feat. Highly
sharable content can give your business a lift, leading new people back to your site and
increasing conversions. Creating a viral video, however, is far from easy.
Having a piece of content go viral is like winning the Internet’s version of the lottery. It’s
incredibly difficult to achieve and often hard to replicate. For every viral video success, there
are dozens, if not hundreds, of failures. Even Upworthy, the king of virality, only has 0.3
percent of posts going viral.
But there are still actions you can take to improve your odds of viral success. Help your
company reap the benefits of video with these six tactics to help your videos go viral:
Be Short and Sweet
Keep in mind, you’re creating content for the 140 character Twitter generation. Our attention
spans are getting shorter and shorter, which means it’s time to tighten up your video content.
A survey published in The New York Times found more than 19 percent of people had left a
video after only 10 seconds. By a minute in, the video had lost a staggering 44 percent of
viewers.
Since you’ll lose almost half of your audience by the end of minute one, put your most
interesting, fascinating, funny, or surprising information first and foremost in your video.
Creating viral video content is one place where you never want to save the best for last.
Be Upbeat
Jonah Berger, author of the book Contagious: Why Things Catch On, found the most highly
sharable content tended to evoke strong emotions in the reader or viewer. And of those
emotions, the most sharable content tended to be that which had a positive or upbeat note.
Using empirical research, Berger and UPenn Professor Katherine Milkman found happy
emotions tended to outperform sad emotions in the realm of sharability.
To be sharable, content needs to strike an emotional chord in viewers. These same viewers
are more likely to share upbeat content, so if you want your videos to go viral, it’s important
to strive for a positive spin.
Be Timely
If you want your videos to make the jump to virality, it might be time to brush up on your
current events. By hooking into an existing Internet meme or popular topic, you increase the
odds your content will be viewed and shared by those already interested in the topic.
This can be anything from a current event in the world, to a pop culture topic dominating the
news. For example, just look at how many parodies of popular entertainment like Game of
Thrones and Frozen exist on video channels. If you speak the same language as your target
audience and present interest in the same topics, they’ll be more likely to share your content.
Be Involved
One of the keys to virality is engagement. Engaging with an audience can lead to loyalty and
interest. After all, everyone likes to be heard. This is the approach taken by companies like
Old Spice in several of advertising campaigns.
At one point, the Old Spice man, played by actor Isaiah Mustafa, answered fan questions on
social media in short YouTube videos. Adding an engagement portion to your videos, like
answering viewer questions, can give your content a boost and make it more sharable.
Be Informative
Your audience is always searching for new information and better ways to perform everyday
tasks. If your video content is interesting and informative, it is also highly sharable. Everyone
wants to learn something they didn’t already know, and videos can be a great tool for
curating top-notch information.
At my company Pluto.TV, we curate the best videos for viewers, whether they’re looking for
world news or cat videos. You need to take a similar approach to your videos, and curate the
best and most informative content to surprise and inform your viewers.
Be Inspiring
By now, the incredible story of Upworthy’s success is old news. The site skyrocketed to more
than six million unique page views per month in its first year, thanks in part to its famous
(and infamous) headlines. Another reason is because the site looks to find inspiring stories to
share with their large readership.
To get the viral edge you want, look for stories to inspire your readership, whether it’s a story
of overcoming struggle, standing up in the face of adversity, or just finding success.
Audiences love a good inspirational story, and the more inspirational it is, the more your
audience will want to share it with others.
Creating viral videos isn’t easy -- if it was, every business would have a few viral hits. These
six pieces of advice can help you improve your content’s sharability and quality, improving
your odds at viral success.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ilyapozin/2014/08/07/6-uualities-to-make-yourvideos-go-viral/#391a4c43154e
What makes a ‘good’ video project?
By Barbara Stefanics Wednesday, February 1, 2012 IBDP Teacher Blogs, ITGS No
tags 0
Recently I was asked “What makes a ‘good’ video project?”
The question was referring to the basketball video on
http://itgsopedia.wikispaces.com/3.9+Introduction+to+project+management+and+Project
What makes the basketball video good is that the content was well planned in advanced with
a complete storyboard with all of the shots. Not all of the effects were planned in advanced
because some of the “creativity” of speeding up the shots emerged as the student was
working on the project.
In making videos the details of the storyboard and the focus on the content is absolutely vital
to the success of the video (criterion D) which will make or break an ITGS film. In many
videos students are attempting to take long sequences of film that are badly filmed. They are
also not watching lighting and what is in the background. The student who made this film
made the same mistake and the entire film had to be filmed twice!
One “advanced” IT technique is uusally over-looked is using the proper equipment to record
quality video. This means using an external microphone / tripod / lighting. The evidence is
clear in the videos. Not all of these may be required, but they do make the difference in the
quality of the video clips.
Considering what equipment is necessary and how to use them effectively is more effort in
taking quality footage than just point and shoot. This usually ends up with disappointing
results.
All of these tools together would count as one advanced technique in recording the video.
Also the students do not need to use expensive equipment, they can improvise on how they
stabilize the camera or deal with lighting. They need to explain their approach in criteria E
and take a photo of their setup.
If a student is going to create a film for his client, he must do research into what makes a
good film for the type that they are intending to create. In this case the student decided to use
the approach used by Nike (sport sequences) and researched tips how to make a good
promotional film. It is also advisable if the student can meet with the film teacher or someone
who is knowledgeable about filming.
I just ran across a full length feature film (Olive) that has been shot with a cellphone! The
film director clearly states at the end that what makes the film work is the focus on the
content. I really believe this! You may wish to share the “making of” Olive with your
workshop group, but focus on the last minute. The beginning is interesting on how it was
done. It points out that in making movies and working with equipment that sometimes it takes
a bit of ingenuity to make the filming work. ITGS students obviously would not get into this,
but the “making of” is useful for the topics of cellphone and video in the syllabus.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/12/olive-smartphone-movie.html
A small 5 minute clip from the movie is on http://www.olivethemovie.com/
You might wish to show about 2-3 minutes of it because you are tight on time.
The “making of” is also on this site, but there is a good intro on the LA Times and the
‘making of’ can be shown from the site as well.
So what makes the video good – the thorough research, detailed planning and the filming of
the content.
Now for the second question. Where are the advanced skills?
http://itgsopedia.wikispaces.com/3.9+Introduction+to+project+management+and+Project
I added an explanation beneath the movie on ITGSopedia. In criterion E, the student would
need to explain with screenshots all of the advanced skills. In the making of videos, there
could be also photos involved showing the use of the particular equipment used to
successfully capture the content.
There are also additional techniques involved in the making of the film which may not be
considered “advanced”, but may help explain how the film was made.
The writing of the documentation along with diagrams and screenshots is ultra important in
criteria D and E. The students should use the model set out in Examplar 1 (Keith Findlater
Photography) to model the write-ups for each criteria and adapt them to the kind of project
that they are creating.
Ideally the process that is being followed is:
1. student researches necessary information or investigates for a criteria
2. student writes up the criteria (criteria C, students only write the frst
columns and the last in the planning and fll in the rest as they develop the
product)
3. student submits the criteria as a frst draft
4. teacher provides feedback on the frst draft
5. student refnes the draft and saves this copy on the school server
6. student goes back to step 1 for the next criteria
So when the project is done, the documentation is done.
Important tips:
the students in their plan need to be capturing screenshots and placing
them in criterion E as they develop the product. The screenshots in E are
from the “making of’ and not the fnal product.
the student needs to use appropriate euuipment (ie external microphone,
tripod, lighting or other euuipment to ensure a uualitycapture of the video.
the client needs to be involved in all of the criteria from A through F. This
would be also apparent in the schedule in criterion C.
Bottom line: producing a video may seem easy on the surface. Producing a successful
short video is very difficult.
Criteria for Judging a Video Contest
Posted by Jennifer Hibbs on June 27, 2017 in Articles, Contests, Instagram,
Promotion Planning, YouTube | No Comments
Fae Savignano, Marden-Kane SVP, provides this in depth post on video contest criteria.
Marden-Kane has provided you with information about “Good Criteria for Judging a
Contest” and a follow-up article on “Criteria for Judging a Photo Contest”, well what about
Video Contests? I’m glad you asked. Taking into account all of the previously suggested
Judging Criteria in the articles above that may also apply to a Video Entry including some of
the standouts below, I would like to expand that list to include the following
recommendations geared specifically to VIDEO Contests:
I don’t want to put too much pressure on you, but the Judging Criteria is the glue that holds
the Contest together and the key to selecting your perfect winner. First, decide what you are
looking for in that perfect entry, what your marketing goals are, and how will the content be
used. Once decided, you can now select judging criteria that clearly meets those parameters.
The Official Rules should clearly state what the entrant can do and most importantly what
they cannot do, what is acceptable and what is not. Don’t leave it up to the entrant to guess
what you want to see, be clear with your objectives and your requirements, and they will
respond accordingly.
And in addition to the information we provided in our “6 Tips for Creating a Contest
Winning Entry” blog, here is what the Judges should look for when judging Video Contest
Entries:
1] Did the Entrant follow the Official Rules including How to Enter, Eligibility
Requirements, Entry Limitations, required Releases and more, specifically the Entry Content,
Creative and Technical Requirements? More specifically:
Was the Entry Form completely flled out?
Is the video in the correct fle size and format?
Does the video length fall within the reuuired time limit?
Was it upload where and when as detailed in the ofcial rules?
Is the content matter appropriate to the contest theme and does it meet
the posted criteria?
Was the entry submitted/received within the prescribed time period?
Are you allowed or not allowed to include music, the sponsor’s product, or
people other than yourself?
Was proof of permission submitted for any and all copyrighted materials
used in the video?
Has the video entry been properly identifed, named and/or tagged as
reuuested in the rules?
Note: Per the FTC, an acceptable disclosure for a video entry in a prize promotion should
include audio or copy placement at the beginning of the video to state “this is my entry”.
2] How does the Entry fare against the published Judging Criteria? Every Entry should be
judged on its own merit, based on the established criteria. A properly designed Judging
Criteria will have the judges focusing their attention on the qualities that are going to be
weighed and assigned a value or score.
3] It is recommended to include an explanation/definition of each Judging Criteria so both
Entrant and Judge can fully understand the Sponsor’s intent. Such as, but not limited to:
Impact – what you feel when you frst view the Entry. Does the video
evoke an emotion from the viewer? Does the video engage you from the
onset or does it lose momentum?
Creativity – how the Entrant was able to convey their idea, message or
thought in an original and imaginative way through their lens, narrative,
performance, etc.
Style – how the Entrant is able to showcase their personal originality and
techniuue to infuence how the video is presented and interpreted.
Subject Matter – was the subject matter addressed in the narrative,
performance and music (if applicable) in the video appropriately represent
the Sponsor’s promotional theme?
Story Telling – how the Entrant is able to let their Video Entry evoke the
viewer’s imagination, which may differ by each viewer. Is the story being
told the right story for the Sponsor and their brand?
4] Does the Subject Matter/Content/Performance fall within the assignment/theme? Is it
relevant? What is the Impact? What does the Entry emote, within a Visual, Emotional,
Aesthetic, and Intellectual context?
5] Even if the Technical Requirements have all been met, does the Video Entry create the
visual impact that it should? Does the Entry exude technical excellence? Here are some
examples of what to look for:
Performance – or the manner in which the entrant presents themselves,
speaks to the camera and relays their message. The best performance is
one that is the most natural, which does not look contrived, scripted or
stiff. Does the speaker know what they are talking about and do you
believe them?
Production – the uuality of the video including how smooth the
transitions are, and whether the editing compliments the fow of content.
Having that fnished look. Was the Video Entry truly ready to be entered or
were some fnishing touches, edits still reuuired?
Focus – the video in its entirety should be in focus, as sharp focus is key.
Avoid extensive and sharp movements while flming. Video movement
should be smooth and transparent. Also, limit and/or avoid zooming and
animations.
Lighting – how the Entrant was able to use and control light. Was the
lighting applied in the video (manmade or natural) properly used to
enhance the visuals? Is the entrant and images clearly visible, centered, in
focus and without any glare? Was the video well-lit throughout flming and
each shot properly exposed?
Background – is the background unappealing, messy, unattractive or
distracting? Does it contain copyrighted materials?
Audio – the audio/sound should be heard and the dialogue should be
intelligible and dynamically balanced. The sound in all shots should have
the same volume.
Music – if music is reuuired and/or allowed to be included in your video
entry ensure that it is appropriate and engaging to the listener. However,
obtaining appropriate music that you can legally use will be problematic.
Please be aware that you cannot use music without proof of permission as
you may infringe on the copyright rights of the publisher, the composer,
the performer, mixers, master, their heirs, et al.
6] Does the Video Entry tell a full story? What is the overall impression? What is the effect?
Does the Video Entry stand on its own, as complete and outstanding? Does it have the Wow!
Factor?
And finally, the Judge(s) selected by the Sponsor to judge their Contest Entries ideally should
be an expert or have some degree of expertise in what they are judging. A professional
videographer would be a perfect choice; however, this is not a requirement, but it will help
the Sponsor select the Best in Show! Plus, the Entrants gain a sense of fair play when they
see that the winner was chosen by an expert. It should be noted that the Sponsor can also be a
part of the Judges Group as they are the experts in what their brand and marketing goals are.
Since creating and uploading a video is now a common trend, no wonder Video Contests
have increased in popularity. Video Contests can generate social awareness and involvement
with the sponsor and their brand. The content provided can attract new followers and promote
social sharing. There are many more reasons why you should run a Video Contest for your
brand and many different types of Contests to choose from, click here to see some notable
examples. And, when you are ready to run your next Video Contest and customize the
Judging Criteria to meet your specific goals, contact us.
To read more posts by Marden-Kane, please visit our main blog page or subscribe to our
email list.
http://www.mardenkane.com/articles/criteria-for-judging-a-video-contest.html
Jason R. Rich
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
In his book Entrepreneur Magazine's Ultimate Guide to YouTube for Business,
marketing and public relations consultant Jason Rich show you how to master the
secrets of successful "YouTubers" and put your brand, product or service in front
of millions of potential viewers. In this edited excerpt, the author outlines some
common elements of successful, small-business focused videos.
No perfect formula exists for creating a successful YouTube video. What works
for one company in order to reach a specifc audience will not necessarily work
for another. However, if you analyze other successful videos on YouTube,
particularly videos produced by your competitors or that target the same
audience you’re striving to reach, you’ll probably discover some common
elements.
Many popular videos produced by small businesses and entrepreneurs typically
have some or all of the following traits and production elements:
• The video is short and to the point. Try to keep your videos under three
minutes in length.
• Within the frst few seconds of the video, what the video is about and what it
offers are uuickly and clearly explained to the viewer.
• The video’s call to action is incorporated into the video near the very
beginning, and then repeated several times within the video, including near the
very end. The call to action begins by stating what reward the viewer receives
for following through and completing the call to action.
• The video somehow incorporates contact information for the person or
organization that created it. This can be done using voice-overs, statements by
the people featured within your video, titles/captions, and/or annotations or links
embedded within the video itself.
• The video is targeted to a very specifc audience and has a specifc goal or
objective.
• The content of the video is somehow uniuue and tries to set itself apart from
the other videos on YouTube.
• The video offers information that the viewer perceives as useful, informative,
entertaining, highly engaging, educational or somehow directly relevant to what
they’re looking for, want or need.
• In terms of production uuality, the video is professional-looking and offers good
uuality sound.
• The video uses some type of background music.
• The video offers clearly defned and easy-to-understand information that the
viewer doesn’t have to wait too long to receive. The information is not buried in
clutter or hidden by eye candy or audio that can be distracting or confusing to
the viewer. For example, animated shots or scene transitions are not overused,
and the background music is set at a proper level and is appropriate to the
content.
• The look and messaging within the video is consistent with the company’s
brand and reputation.
• The title of the video is appropriate, descriptive and directly to the point. When
someone sees the video’s title, they immediately have a good idea what the
video is about and what they can expect from it. This is supported by a carefully
worded description and accompanied by a carefully selected group of relevant
tags and keywords.
With these common traits in mind, as you explore YouTube for yourself, you’ll
easily discover very popular videos that follow none of these suggestions and
offer a truly uniuue or vastly different approach. There are no hard-core rules to
follow, because video production is a highly creative endeavor. Focus on
originality and ways you can communicate your core message as uuickly and
easily as possible to your intended audience.
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/230273
6 Qualities the Most Successful YouTube Channels Have (And How You Can
Replicate Them)
Karol Krol — March 4, 2015
Ever since YouTube was acuuired by Google back in 2006, the platform has been
constantly on the rise, to ultimately become the third most visited website on the
entire web. And along the way, it has attracted a new kind of content producers –
video enthusiasts who are often called youtubers.
And youtubers are unlike the old-day publishers who relied on traditional medialike video creation, scripting and production methods. In fact, some of the most
popular videos on YouTube look nothing like what the mainstream media has
gotten us used to.
This creates interesting new opportunities for business owners who want to
reach out to their customers and audience in an unusual way. After all, studies
prove that people prefer visual content to text content (our brains process visual
content 60,000 times faster than text).
YouTube has its own rules and its own path that every new content creator has
to follow if they ever want to make their channel popular. Here, we’re going to
look into six factors and uualities that make a successful YouTube channel.
1. Consisting posting
Some of the most successful channels, such as PewDiePie – currently, the
biggest channel on YouTube, with nearly 40 million subscribers – post new videos
every day or even two times a day.
Due to this freuuency, PewDiePie’s subscribers are constantly reminded of the
channel and get more chances to interact with its creator, as well as obviously
consume the content itself.
Lesson #1: Make it a habit to post new videos regularly. If you can’t do one
every day then start with at least one per week.
2. Using an angle
If you’re, say, in the cooking niche, then creating just another general cooking
channel – sharing recipes and such – will probably go unnoticed. To make your
project successful, you need an angle – something that sets you apart.
For instance, the guys from Epic Meal Time are the perfect example here.
Instead of just cooking on the air, per se, they’ve decided to make their every
“dish” (notice the uuotes) epic. Where this has led them is to cooking things like
“Fast Food Lasagna” (over 25 million views; a lasagna full of fast food), “Candy
Pizza” (over 9 million views; pizza made entirely out of candy), and many more.
Epic Meal Time is just different. It’s highly recognizable and easy to explain to
new viewers.
Lesson #2: Find your angle and make it easy to explain. What your channel does
that’s different?
3. Content uuality
Almost all YouTube channels from the top 10 most popular list publish only
content that has high production value.
That is, content that’s recorded with a proper camera, on a well-lit setting, with
good surrounding, and so on.
Video uuality is huge in importance. Basically, if your content doesn’t look
professional, every viewer simply won’t take you seriously, and this is especially
crucial if you’re launching the channel for business purposes.
Lesson #3: Get a uuality consumer camera, preferably one capable of shooting
4K video. If you’re not sure where to look, I’ve had a good experience capturing
detail with the Panasonic Gh4 camera, even in lower light settings. Youtubers
have it easier today than just ten years ago, with generally fairer value for your
dollar on consumer cameras. This is part of the reason why we’ve seen such a
massive growth of the platform.
4. Incorporate your products into the videos
The reason you’re thinking about launching a YouTube channel is because you
want to turn it into another marketing method that’s going to help your business
grow.
One of the main ways in which you can do so is incorporate your products into
the videos themselves.
Let’s take the Epic Meal Time guys as an example again. In nearly every video,
they use their custom cooking set that can be purchased from their ofcial site
(along with t-shirts and other items). That way, they get to monetize their videos
and also make their products an integral part of the content.
Lesson #4: Make your products an integral part of your video content. Find a
way to use them in the videos themselves.
5. International content
It would seem that in order to truly make it on YouTube, you have to publish your
videos in English, but that’s not exactly the case.
One of the most popular channels on the platform today – HolaSoyGerman – is
created by a man from Chile and is actually in Spanish.
Quite frankly, YouTube has become an international craze, with virtually the
whole world browsing to the platform on a daily basis. Therefore, focusing on the
language that’s native to you, your business, and your main market is likely to
work very well.
Lesson #5: Your content doesn’t have to be in English. Cater to your local
audience and customer base.
6. Delivering entertainment
Although there’s a handful of popular “professional” channels – ones focusing on
various kinds of business-to-business content and tutorials, the huge majority of
success on YouTube comes if you’re able to incorporate some type of
entertainment into your content.
In fact, all of YouTube’s top 10 most popular channels are pure entertainment.
But this doesn’t mean that your channel has to be only gags and parodies. There
are workarounds you can use.
Lesson #6: Whatever your content is meant to be about, deliver its message
through entertainment. For instance, if you want to teach people how to garden,
teach through entertainment. If you want to present the best real estate in your
area, make it fun to watch for the average human being. Basically, whatever
message you want to convey, make it entertaining to watch.
Conclusion
Finding your own groove and the way you want to present your message and
your business on YouTube will take time, effort, and most importantly,
experimentation.
The no. 1 thing you can do today is start analyzing your favorite channels and try
fguring out what makes them great. Take notes. What do you like about them?
And on the other hand, what doesn’t impress you at all? Then take action on
those ideas.
Karol K. (@carlosinho) is a blogger and writer for hire. His work has been
published all over the web, on sites like: NewInternetOrder.com, Lifehack.org,
Quick Sprout, ProBlogger, Bidsketch.com, Six Revisions, Web Design Ledger, and
others. Feel free to contact him to fnd out how he can help your business…
https://www.business2community.com/video-marketing/6-uualities-successfulyoutube-channels-can-replicate-01174826
Aug 7, 2014 @ 11:00 AM 96,100 2 Free Issues of Forbes
6 Qualities To Make Your Videos Go Viral
Ilya Pozin , Subscriber I cover startups and tech. Opinions expressed by Forbes
Contributors are their own.
Viral content is highly coveted, but getting your videos to go viral is no easy feat. Highly
sharable content can give your business a lift, leading new people back to your site and
increasing conversions. Creating a viral video, however, is far from easy.
Having a piece of content go viral is like winning the Internet’s version of the lottery. It’s
incredibly difficult to achieve and often hard to replicate. For every viral video success, there
are dozens, if not hundreds, of failures. Even Upworthy, the king of virality, only has 0.3
percent of posts going viral.
But there are still actions you can take to improve your odds of viral success. Help your
company reap the benefits of video with these six tactics to help your videos go viral:
Be Short and Sweet
Keep in mind, you’re creating content for the 140 character Twitter generation. Our attention
spans are getting shorter and shorter, which means it’s time to tighten up your video content.
A survey published in The New York Times found more than 19 percent of people had left a
video after only 10 seconds. By a minute in, the video had lost a staggering 44 percent of
viewers.
Since you’ll lose almost half of your audience by the end of minute one, put your most
interesting, fascinating, funny, or surprising information first and foremost in your video.
Creating viral video content is one place where you never want to save the best for last.
Be Upbeat
Jonah Berger, author of the book Contagious: Why Things Catch On, found the most highly
sharable content tended to evoke strong emotions in the reader or viewer. And of those
emotions, the most sharable content tended to be that which had a positive or upbeat note.
Using empirical research, Berger and UPenn Professor Katherine Milkman found happy
emotions tended to outperform sad emotions in the realm of sharability.
To be sharable, content needs to strike an emotional chord in viewers. These same viewers
are more likely to share upbeat content, so if you want your videos to go viral, it’s important
to strive for a positive spin.
Be Timely
If you want your videos to make the jump to virality, it might be time to brush up on your
current events. By hooking into an existing Internet meme or popular topic, you increase the
odds your content will be viewed and shared by those already interested in the topic.
This can be anything from a current event in the world, to a pop culture topic dominating the
news. For example, just look at how many parodies of popular entertainment like Game of
Thrones and Frozen exist on video channels. If you speak the same language as your target
audience and present interest in the same topics, they’ll be more likely to share your content.
Be Involved
One of the keys to virality is engagement. Engaging with an audience can lead to loyalty and
interest. After all, everyone likes to be heard. This is the approach taken by companies like
Old Spice in several of advertising campaigns.
At one point, the Old Spice man, played by actor Isaiah Mustafa, answered fan questions on
social media in short YouTube videos. Adding an engagement portion to your videos, like
answering viewer questions, can give your content a boost and make it more sharable.
Be Informative
Your audience is always searching for new information and better ways to perform everyday
tasks. If your video content is interesting and informative, it is also highly sharable. Everyone
wants to learn something they didn’t already know, and videos can be a great tool for
curating top-notch information.
At my company Pluto.TV, we curate the best videos for viewers, whether they’re looking for
world news or cat videos. You need to take a similar approach to your videos, and curate the
best and most informative content to surprise and inform your viewers.
Be Inspiring
By now, the incredible story of Upworthy’s success is old news. The site skyrocketed to more
than six million unique page views per month in its first year, thanks in part to its famous
(and infamous) headlines. Another reason is because the site looks to find inspiring stories to
share with their large readership.
To get the viral edge you want, look for stories to inspire your readership, whether it’s a story
of overcoming struggle, standing up in the face of adversity, or just finding success.
Audiences love a good inspirational story, and the more inspirational it is, the more your
audience will want to share it with others.
Creating viral videos isn’t easy -- if it was, every business would have a few viral hits. These
six pieces of advice can help you improve your content’s sharability and quality, improving
your odds at viral success.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ilyapozin/2014/08/07/6-uualities-to-make-yourvideos-go-viral/#391a4c43154e
What makes a ‘good’ video project?
By Barbara Stefanics Wednesday, February 1, 2012 IBDP Teacher Blogs, ITGS No
tags 0
Recently I was asked “What makes a ‘good’ video project?”
The question was referring to the basketball video on
http://itgsopedia.wikispaces.com/3.9+Introduction+to+project+management+and+Project
What makes the basketball video good is that the content was well planned in advanced with
a complete storyboard with all of the shots. Not all of the effects were planned in advanced
because some of the “creativity” of speeding up the shots emerged as the student was
working on the project.
In making videos the details of the storyboard and the focus on the content is absolutely vital
to the success of the video (criterion D) which will make or break an ITGS film. In many
videos students are attempting to take long sequences of film that are badly filmed. They are
also not watching lighting and what is in the background. The student who made this film
made the same mistake and the entire film had to be filmed twice!
One “advanced” IT technique is uusally over-looked is using the proper equipment to record
quality video. This means using an external microphone / tripod / lighting. The evidence is
clear in the videos. Not all of these may be required, but they do make the difference in the
quality of the video clips.
Considering what equipment is necessary and how to use them effectively is more effort in
taking quality footage than just point and shoot. This usually ends up with disappointing
results.
All of these tools together would count as one advanced technique in recording the video.
Also the students do not need to use expensive equipment, they can improvise on how they
stabilize the camera or deal with lighting. They need to explain their approach in criteria E
and take a photo of their setup.
If a student is going to create a film for his client, he must do research into what makes a
good film for the type that they are intending to create. In this case the student decided to use
the approach used by Nike (sport sequences) and researched tips how to make a good
promotional film. It is also advisable if the student can meet with the film teacher or someone
who is knowledgeable about filming.
I just ran across a full length feature film (Olive) that has been shot with a cellphone! The
film director clearly states at the end that what makes the film work is the focus on the
content. I really believe this! You may wish to share the “making of” Olive with your
workshop group, but focus on the last minute. The beginning is interesting on how it was
done. It points out that in making movies and working with equipment that sometimes it takes
a bit of ingenuity to make the filming work. ITGS students obviously would not get into this,
but the “making of” is useful for the topics of cellphone and video in the syllabus.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/12/olive-smartphone-movie.html
A small 5 minute clip from the movie is on http://www.olivethemovie.com/
You might wish to show about 2-3 minutes of it because you are tight on time.
The “making of” is also on this site, but there is a good intro on the LA Times and the
‘making of’ can be shown from the site as well.
So what makes the video good – the thorough research, detailed planning and the filming of
the content.
Now for the second question. Where are the advanced skills?
http://itgsopedia.wikispaces.com/3.9+Introduction+to+project+management+and+Project
I added an explanation beneath the movie on ITGSopedia. In criterion E, the student would
need to explain with screenshots all of the advanced skills. In the making of videos, there
could be also photos involved showing the use of the particular equipment used to
successfully capture the content.
There are also additional techniques involved in the making of the film which may not be
considered “advanced”, but may help explain how the film was made.
The writing of the documentation along with diagrams and screenshots is ultra important in
criteria D and E. The students should use the model set out in Examplar 1 (Keith Findlater
Photography) to model the write-ups for each criteria and adapt them to the kind of project
that they are creating.
Ideally the process that is being followed is:
1. student researches necessary information or investigates for a criteria
2. student writes up the criteria (criteria C, students only write the frst
columns and the last in the planning and fll in the rest as they develop the
product)
3. student submits the criteria as a frst draft
4. teacher provides feedback on the frst draft
5. student refnes the draft and saves this copy on the school server
6. student goes back to step 1 for the next criteria
So when the project is done, the documentation is done.
Important tips:
the students in their plan need to be capturing screenshots and placing
them in criterion E as they develop the product. The screenshots in E are
from the “making of’ and not the fnal product.
the student needs to use appropriate euuipment (ie external microphone,
tripod, lighting or other euuipment to ensure a uualitycapture of the video.
the client needs to be involved in all of the criteria from A through F. This
would be also apparent in the schedule in criterion C.
Bottom line: producing a video may seem easy on the surface. Producing a successful
short video is very difficult.
Criteria for Judging a Video Contest
Posted by Jennifer Hibbs on June 27, 2017 in Articles, Contests, Instagram,
Promotion Planning, YouTube | No Comments
Fae Savignano, Marden-Kane SVP, provides this in depth post on video contest criteria.
Marden-Kane has provided you with information about “Good Criteria for Judging a
Contest” and a follow-up article on “Criteria for Judging a Photo Contest”, well what about
Video Contests? I’m glad you asked. Taking into account all of the previously suggested
Judging Criteria in the articles above that may also apply to a Video Entry including some of
the standouts below, I would like to expand that list to include the following
recommendations geared specifically to VIDEO Contests:
I don’t want to put too much pressure on you, but the Judging Criteria is the glue that holds
the Contest together and the key to selecting your perfect winner. First, decide what you are
looking for in that perfect entry, what your marketing goals are, and how will the content be
used. Once decided, you can now select judging criteria that clearly meets those parameters.
The Official Rules should clearly state what the entrant can do and most importantly what
they cannot do, what is acceptable and what is not. Don’t leave it up to the entrant to guess
what you want to see, be clear with your objectives and your requirements, and they will
respond accordingly.
And in addition to the information we provided in our “6 Tips for Creating a Contest
Winning Entry” blog, here is what the Judges should look for when judging Video Contest
Entries:
1] Did the Entrant follow the Official Rules including How to Enter, Eligibility
Requirements, Entry Limitations, required Releases and more, specifically the Entry Content,
Creative and Technical Requirements? More specifically:
Was the Entry Form completely flled out?
Is the video in the correct fle size and format?
Does the video length fall within the reuuired time limit?
Was it upload where and when as detailed in the ofcial rules?
Is the content matter appropriate to the contest theme and does it meet
the posted criteria?
Was the entry submitted/received within the prescribed time period?
Are you allowed or not allowed to include music, the sponsor’s product, or
people other than yourself?
Was proof of permission submitted for any and all copyrighted materials
used in the video?
Has the video entry been properly identifed, named and/or tagged as
reuuested in the rules?
Note: Per the FTC, an acceptable disclosure for a video entry in a prize promotion should
include audio or copy placement at the beginning of the video to state “this is my entry”.
2] How does the Entry fare against the published Judging Criteria? Every Entry should be
judged on its own merit, based on the established criteria. A properly designed Judging
Criteria will have the judges focusing their attention on the qualities that are going to be
weighed and assigned a value or score.
3] It is recommended to include an explanation/definition of each Judging Criteria so both
Entrant and Judge can fully understand the Sponsor’s intent. Such as, but not limited to:
Impact – what you feel when you frst view the Entry. Does the video
evoke an emotion from the viewer? Does the video engage you from the
onset or does it lose momentum?
Creativity – how the Entrant was able to convey their idea, message or
thought in an original and imaginative way through their lens, narrative,
performance, etc.
Style – how the Entrant is able to showcase their personal originality and
techniuue to infuence how the video is presented and interpreted.
Subject Matter – was the subject matter addressed in the narrative,
performance and music (if applicable) in the video appropriately represent
the Sponsor’s promotional theme?
Story Telling – how the Entrant is able to let their Video Entry evoke the
viewer’s imagination, which may differ by each viewer. Is the story being
told the right story for the Sponsor and their brand?
4] Does the Subject Matter/Content/Performance fall within the assignment/theme? Is it
relevant? What is the Impact? What does the Entry emote, within a Visual, Emotional,
Aesthetic, and Intellectual context?
5] Even if the Technical Requirements have all been met, does the Video Entry create the
visual impact that it should? Does the Entry exude technical excellence? Here are some
examples of what to look for:
Performance – or the manner in which the entrant presents themselves,
speaks to the camera and relays their message. The best performance is
one that is the most natural, which does not look contrived, scripted or
stiff. Does the speaker know what they are talking about and do you
believe them?
Production – the uuality of the video including how smooth the
transitions are, and whether the editing compliments the fow of content.
Having that fnished look. Was the Video Entry truly ready to be entered or
were some fnishing touches, edits still reuuired?
Focus – the video in its entirety should be in focus, as sharp focus is key.
Avoid extensive and sharp movements while flming. Video movement
should be smooth and transparent. Also, limit and/or avoid zooming and
animations.
Lighting – how the Entrant was able to use and control light. Was the
lighting applied in the video (manmade or natural) properly used to
enhance the visuals? Is the entrant and images clearly visible, centered, in
focus and without any glare? Was the video well-lit throughout flming and
each shot properly exposed?
Background – is the background unappealing, messy, unattractive or
distracting? Does it contain copyrighted materials?
Audio – the audio/sound should be heard and the dialogue should be
intelligible and dynamically balanced. The sound in all shots should have
the same volume.
Music – if music is reuuired and/or allowed to be included in your video
entry ensure that it is appropriate and engaging to the listener. However,
obtaining appropriate music that you can legally use will be problematic.
Please be aware that you cannot use music without proof of permission as
you may infringe on the copyright rights of the publisher, the composer,
the performer, mixers, master, their heirs, et al.
6] Does the Video Entry tell a full story? What is the overall impression? What is the effect?
Does the Video Entry stand on its own, as complete and outstanding? Does it have the Wow!
Factor?
And finally, the Judge(s) selected by the Sponsor to judge their Contest Entries ideally should
be an expert or have some degree of expertise in what they are judging. A professional
videographer would be a perfect choice; however, this is not a requirement, but it will help
the Sponsor select the Best in Show! Plus, the Entrants gain a sense of fair play when they
see that the winner was chosen by an expert. It should be noted that the Sponsor can also be a
part of the Judges Group as they are the experts in what their brand and marketing goals are.
Since creating and uploading a video is now a common trend, no wonder Video Contests
have increased in popularity. Video Contests can generate social awareness and involvement
with the sponsor and their brand. The content provided can attract new followers and promote
social sharing. There are many more reasons why you should run a Video Contest for your
brand and many different types of Contests to choose from, click here to see some notable
examples. And, when you are ready to run your next Video Contest and customize the
Judging Criteria to meet your specific goals, contact us.
To read more posts by Marden-Kane, please visit our main blog page or subscribe to our
email list.
http://www.mardenkane.com/articles/criteria-for-judging-a-video-contest.html