Blendtec Has Viewers Waiting.

On May 26, 2011 Blendtec put out another video. And they have subscribers just waiting for them (I’m one of those people). As of 4:00 PM on May 27th the video had been viewed 51,612 times.

They’ve added entertainment to the promotion of their product. The work on a KISS basis (Keep It Simple Stupid). And the videos are short and sweet.

Here’s another video from one of YouTube’s greatest success stories.

Another social media success.

There are two basic tools you need to create a video. First, you need a camera. Second, you need software to make your video presentable.

Get An Inexpensive Camera First

I have purchased a Flip Ultra. Today it is listed on their website for $149.99. This is a very simple camera, but it can do a good job creating a video for your Internet business. If you haven’t created any videos, then it may be a good idea to invest in this and create a couple. From that point you can determine the level of camera you will need to create the videos required to promote your products. The Ultra comes with a built in microphone that limits your sound capabilities. But, for some this is all they need.

Get Some Editing Software

The next thing you need to be able to do is edit your video. Windows Live Movie Maker is software that may already be on your computer. It came with the last one I bought. If not you can download it for free. This software allows you to move pieces of your video around so you can create a flow that keeps the viewers attention. You can also add text portions to the video.

I created a video for a customer with just these tools. You can see it at their blog site starnes-rocks.com

Learn Too Make A Video

The next step is to get your hands dirty! Go make a video. Shoot some action, insert it into your software, edit it, and post it on YouTube. Once you have done it a couple of times you will realize that it is easy.

Learn To Create A Work Of Art

Once you’ve learned the mechanics, learn how to create a message that stands out from your competition. View their videos. Then, make yours better. And better doesn’t necessarily mean a better quality video, it means a better message. Even if your videos are of lesser quality you can come up with a message that is unique enough to communicate a message that people will talk about. That makes it viral. And viral videos get traffic.

‘Tis the Season

Look what can happen! The element of surprise, an abundance of smiles and a positive message. I have just watched a wonderful video. And as I am writing this post about it I am watching comments come in on YouTube at a rate of roughly one every three or four minutes.

Alphabet Photography On YouTube

Alphabet Photography has posted 21 videos on YouTube. Most have been viewed less than a thousand times. One that was posted on November 6, 2010 has 5,018 views. Is it a clip of several different videos and promotions that the company has done for itself. And, frankly, it is a little boring and I am suspicious as to how it has received that many views in less than a month.

A Different Path With An Element Of Risk

Someone came up with the idea to create a video for the season that was not a direct promotion of the business. It does not promote their products or company any more than in credits at the end of the video. It promotes the holiday season. It promotes Christianity. And that adds a risky element in this day and age. I say “more power to them!”

This will be a good video to keep your eye on through the holiday season. It was created on November 13th and posted on November 17th. As of November 28th it has over 2.7 million views.

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What do you think will happen to their business as a result of this viral video?

Merry Christmas to everyone, and may Alphabet Photography be greatly rewarded for the wonderful benefit they have provided the world this great holiday season!

A Simple Expression Of Love Goes Viral

One of the coolest stories in social media today is that of Matt Harding. He was born on September 27, 1976. As a video game developer in Westport, Connecticut, he was not enthused by his career prospects. Matt quit his job and started traveling. One of Matt’s trademarks among his friends was a dance that he was known for. So, while traveling in Vietnam, a friend suggested he do his dance and they put it on video to upload and show his friends at home. So they did it. His friends loved it when they saw it on the web.

He recorded the dance at many more locations on his trip and ended up creating a video containing nothing more than dance scenes. The video was passed around the internet. Matt’s video was being viewed thousands of times a day, prior to YouTube. Once YouTube came into being, Matt uploaded it there. It had gone “viral”.

Stride Gum Sees an Opportunity

After the video was uploaded on YouTube, viewership exploded. When Stride Gum saw the viewership the videos were getting, they saw an opportunity. They approached Matt and offered to sponsor his trips. So, with Stride’s sponsorship, Matt was able to organize another trip and completed a second video. This consisted of Matt dancing alone in from of famous monuments around the world.

In the middle of the second trip, while Matt was in Rwanda, the idea of dancing with people from the area presented itself. So he decided to do a third video, this time dancing with people. The video took 14 months to create and involved travelling to 42 different countries. It contains shots from 70 different locations. This trip was far more complicated because it involved much more organization. But it was well worth it.

A Viral Video

On September 26, 2009, I wrote my first article about this video for my BusinessAndSocialMedia.com site. It had been viewed 23,795,433 times and ranked by 98,051 people. As I update the article, in November of 2010, it has been seen 32,500,284 times and ranked by 107,536 people. It is still being viewed almost 23,000 times a day!

A Subtle Promotion

When you watch the video the first thing you see is a black screen and then the word “Dancing” appears. From there the cut goes to an alleyway in Mumbai, India. And Matt begins to dance. The video cuts from location to location with music and other audio from the scenes. At the 4 minute 25 second mark of a 4 minute 29 second video, a special thanks to Stride Gum appears with their web address. Five seconds of exposure! And Matt didn’t even wear a Stride t-shirt!

Take a look:

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The video has generated all kinds of spin offs. Just Google “Matt” and you will see many links related to his videos. Most of those take you to YouTube, where there are more videos related to the project.

You can click here to get to his website ( http://wherethehellismatt.com/ ) and view his latest video.

This is prime example of a viral video and what viral marketing can do.

From the St. Petersburg Times, Sunday, August 23, 2009:

Memory. • It’s Halloween, and Michelle Phan is 5 years old. • Her classmates have come to school in glamorous princess costumes that cascade and billow. One girl, she remembers, is beautiful in a saffron Belle gown from Beauty and the Beast. • But Michelle’s family is on food stamps. No princess dress for her. Instead, she finds a paper plate and a red lipstick. She smooshes a crimson nose center and sketches a face around it. • A lion. A strong cat. • She wears it like a mask. • The princesses laugh. For Michelle Phan, the stomach-pit pain that comes with inadequacy never quite goes away. But lessons last longer. • Now, she understands, she did what others couldn’t. • “I made something out of nothing.”

Chasing A Dream

Michelle was born in Massachusetts on April 11, 1987. Both of her parents were born in Vietnam.  They divorced when she was a child and Michelle was raised by her mother.

At the age of 18 Michelle was studying dermatology at Tampa Bay Technical High School. Her mother wanted her to become a doctor. The two were struggling to make ends meet. But Michelle wanted to do something else. Her passion was art. And makeup was her art. Several months later Michelle applied for a behind the counter job at a department store selling Lancome beauty products. She was turned down for the job.

Blogging and YouTubing

Michelle began blogging at the age of 16. Then in 2007 she made her first makeup video for her friends.  Jump ahead to 2009. Michelle quits her job at a sushi restaurant to concentrate on creating YouTube videos. She becomes a web star. He new status gains the attention of an investor. The two teamed with a doctor and a scientist to start a skin care company called IQQU Beauty.

In February of 2010 Michelle announced that she had signed a deal with Lancome to be their video makeup artist. This was the first such contract for a YouTube video creator. Here is her announcement:

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The Most Subscribed YouTuber

On January 26, 2010, Michelle Phan became the most subscribed YouTube Guru of all time. Her most famous video, the “Lady GaGa Poker Face Tutorial” has 17,951,652 views as I am writing this blog.  Her videos are noted for a unique style that incorporates her voice over instruction, music and text subtitles.

Here is her Lady GaGa video:

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To visit Michelle’s YouTube Channel go to http://www.youtube.com/michellephan. If you’re like me, you’ll want to check in on this one occasionally. This dream has just started!