Remember this video? Of course you do! The Evolution of Dance video features Judson Laipply, a motivational speaker and dancer, dancing to music ranging from Elvis Presley to Michael Jackson. This video is the #2 most viewed video of all time with over 131 million views, and the #1 most favorited video of all time on YouTube. The Evolution of Dance is arguably the best example of a viral video.

What Is A Viral Video?

A viral video is a video clip that gains widespread popularity through sharing on social media sites, blogs, in emails, etc. The goal of your viral video strategy should be to create the potential for exponential growth in your message’s exposure and influence. Let’s take a look at some ways that you can prepare your YouTube video to go viral.

Make Your Video Stand Out

As of October 2009, YouTube announced that they receive well over one billion views per day. That’s over 11,574 views per second. You have to do something pretty remarkable to stand out in all the noise. This does not mean, however, that you need to have a professionally recorded or edited video – homemade is just fine! Plan well and shoot until you get it right.

Keep Your Video Short

I know what you are thinking. “But Chris, YouTube will accept a video of up to 10 minutes”. Yes, you are absolutely right, but that doesn’t mean you should try to make the video as long as possible. Try to keep it to between 2 and 3 minutes or less. People don’t have a lot of time, so it’s important to deliver your message, make it entertaining and get your point across in as little time as possible.

Good Titles And Descriptions Are Important

Keep in mind that these elements are used in search. You want people to be able to find you, so make your descriptions and titles accurate and interesting. Remember that many people on YouTube are title surfers, so a good title is probably the best thing you can do for your video. If you aren’t going to invest the time to write a good description and title and to correctly categorize your video, you might as well not post it.

Promote Your Video Everywhere

Realize that it takes time to build an audience. Don’t get discouraged when your first video receives very few or even no comments. You will get more hits and interaction as you post more videos and people find you. You should invest a good amount of time in promoting your video. It definitely won’t go viral if people can’t find it. Include links on your website, mention your video in emails and newsletters, share the link with your Facebook and Twitter friends, and be sure to hype up your video on your company blog.

Do you have any helpful information or tips for taking a YouTube video viral?

More examples of viral videos: