4 things every video needs to succeed

As he explained his ideas (which consisted of text and logos plastered throughout), I quickly realized one thing: He didn’t want a viral video at all. He wanted a promotional video.

This is common. Clients like the idea that a video promoting their company will “go viral,” and be seen by hundreds and thousands of people. They don’t realize there is no recipe for creating a viral video. If there was, everyone would be pouring resources into producing them.

When you explain that in your funny (sometimes slightly risky) video, there will be virtually no mention of the company, and that the logo will only appear at the end, the response is usually something along the lines of, “But it doesn’t tell people much about our company. How will we make money?”

So many attempts to create viral videos fail, and usually for the same reasons. Here’s the key to creating a successful video:

1. The video must evoke emotion.

If there is ever a viral video production school, I would expect this would be taught on the first day. It’s the most important video lesson you can learn.