This document outlines seven secrets to creating viral video marketing content. The secrets are: 1) Create content that is share-worthy by being inspiring, useful, topical, or able to celebrate life or change the world. 2) Engage viewers quickly within the first 15 seconds. 3) Prioritize storytelling over high production values. 4) Optimize content for mobile by making square videos that fit screens well. 5) Have a distribution strategy to seed content across platforms initially and push it with notifications, mailers, and blogger outreach. 6) Avoid making overt ads and focus on providing value before branding. 7) Think in terms of ongoing conversations rather than one-off campaigns.

1. Secrets of a
Viral Video Marketer
“Finding the method to the madness”
By Aashish Chopra

2. India's internet base to touch
730 million by 2020(Nasscom, AUG 2016)
“By 2020, India will have an estimated 702 million smartphones in use”
“75% of these new users are expected to consume data in local languages. “
"The go-to-market strategy for gaining new users will have to be different
as these customers will consume more audio and video content than text”
(Nasscom Head Research)
importance of viral marketing

3. • chaotic news-feeds (2000 posts filtered daily: FB)
• too much competition (Facebook reach dropping)
• survival of the fittest, most remarkable content
• BS radars evolved, no trust
• attention spans dropping
the challenge
overwhelming
content density

4. Viral is an outcome, not in your hands
Just like..
Blockbuster movie is an outcome
Topping exams is an outcome
A Gold medal is an outcome
:)
What’s in your hands,
is your performance (action)
wrong focus

5. the seven secrets
here we go

6. is it share-worthy?
first

7. • Why would anyone share it?
• Loyalty is earned, not forced
• Friends tagging friends
• It’s not about the views - but shares!
first - is it share-worthy?

8. • inspirational
• useful
• celebrate their life
• topical
• change the world
first - share-worthy topics

9. (video)
what indian students
pack when they go abroad
(7m, NDTV on day 1, organic)
first - is it share-worthy?

10. move fast and engage
second

11. second - move fast and engage
• 15 sec rule - smashed
• First 3-6 seconds
• First impression
• Second - first impression
• 1-2 minute video

12. (video)
unusual beaches
(1 week: 40m, 20k app installs,
1m shares, organic)
second - move fast and engage

13. (video)
unusual hotels
(10m views)
second - move fast and engage

14. storytelling beats
production value
third

15. third - storytelling beats production value
• Tiny Screen: Production Value
• HD Camera in your pocket
• Video is made on paper first

16. (video)
travel hacks
(APAC most shared FB post)
third - storytelling beats production value

17. (video)
hotel hacks
(30m views and counting)
third - storytelling beats production value

18. make for mobile
fourth

19. fourth - make for mobile
• square videos: native to mobile screens,
square vs rectangle, more real estate
• think front and centre: rule of the selfie
• clutter free: tiny screens,
FB user experience

20. (video)
ibis hotels - goa
(1m views)
fourth - make for mobile

21. (video)
ibis hotels - hyderabad
(3 days: 3m views, 50k shares,
organic)
fourth - make for mobile

22. (video)
ibis hotels - hyderabad
(1m views, surge in restaurant
walk-ins)
fourth - make for mobile

23. distribution strategy
fifth

24. • Launch Day/Time: Tuesday/Wednesday?
• Multiple versions: FB, YT, Whatsapp
• Initial seeding: cross platform, core group
• Facebook is the new YouTube: boost after organic peak
• Push: Mailers, Notifications
• Outreach to 3pm content blogs, bloggers, news
fifth - distribution strategy

25. please don’t
make an ad!
sixth

26. nobody gives a **it about us,
our brand, our products or services
it’s about them
provide value first, branding next
sixth - don’t make an ad

27. think conversations
not campaigns
seventh

28. seventh - conversations not campaigns
• Travel hacks
• Inside the bag
• Unusual beaches (400k comments, 1.4m shares)
• Ibis Goa
• Ibis Hyderabad

29. last words
It’s not about being creative;
but about being creative consistently
Do 10 experiments; 2 will work
just like movie studios
80% of success is showing up - Woody Allen
execution is everything

30. thanks :)
Aashish Chopra
@aashishc
Watch ixigo videos at
Facebook.com/ixigo/videos
Join mailing list for upcoming book and updates on
kick-ass content experiments :)
www.aashishchopra.com
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