Nothing is more explosive for business than a video gone viral. But as more and more producers take advantage of video marketing, some find it harder to make their content stand out. Not only do you have to produce videos that market your company, you have to make videos that entertain and educate–videos that are worth a share.

Besides worrying about what kind of videos to make, you have also have to know where to put them. Do you just go with the obvious and throw your videos up on YouTube? Or do you stick simply to your company’s website? What about all the social media sites and blogs out there?

Making your video be seen is about creating content that people want to see and knowing where and when to release it.

What Kind of Content

Videos that are shared tend to be the ones that create strong emotions in their viewers. A good way to do this is through telling a story. A story with a believable and positive outcome will inspire and resonate with the audience. They’ll want to build a relationship with your company, and they’ll share the video with their friends.

In creating your video, keep in mind that attention spans are short. Half of your viewers will be gone after one minute. Keep your video engaging by putting your most informative and inspiring information first. Or better yet, just cut out all the rest.

You may have a great message to share, but it doesn’t matter if the viewer doesn’t know what to do about it after the video is over. A call to action should be part of every video you make. Make sure your video tells the audience that they should act quickly by sharing, liking, or commenting on your video. By also staying involved with your audience through the comments, you’ll build loyalty and more views. Something simple at the end of your video can lead to big results.
(Check out our blog post “8 Video Marketing Content Ideas” for more video ideas.)

Where to Place It

Simply creating a good video and throwing it up online doesn’t mean that the video will go viral. Just as you should have a strategy to create good content, you should also decide how you’ll promote your video. Your video won’t make much of a dent if no one knows that it exists.

But there are so many sites out there. Which do you use to promote your video? Social media sites like Facebook and YouTube are battling for video uploads. But there are also blogs, your company’s website, email marketing, and other sites, such as Vimeo and Wistia, to consider. Fortunately, you don’t have to choose only one place to release your video. A successful campaign will use the various advantages of these platforms. For example, YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world, it’s free, and does great in Google search results. On the other hand, sites such as Facebook have a far-reaching social impact and potential for sharing. Facebook also has video capabilities that are rapidly growing. (Check out our previous article for more info on the benefits of Facebook versus YouTube video.) And posting your video directly to your company website allows you to keep control of your video and track viewership. Adding a video to a blog post or email will also allow you to create an in-depth written context to go along with your videos.

The best way to know which sites to utilize is by understanding your audience members. Identify the needs of your current or desired audience members. Think about where you can best reach these people and then try a few of the platforms.

When to Share It

Just as you regularly post on social media, your video production should occur regularly to be effective. It’s best to produce as many videos as you can. Posting consistently will give your audience something to look forward to and draw in more viewers. Try creating content that will allow you to post it throughout multiple videos. For example, creating a video series is a good way increase your Internet exposure.

Now make a schedule. Your videos should be spaced out evenly over a period of time. You can even time them to generate excitement for a big event or the launch of a new product. Even after a big event, continue to create regular videos in order to stay at the forefront of your audience’s mind.

Besides creating a video schedule, publish your content at the appropriate times. For example, if you have good content, it may be tempting to publish it directly to the biggest audience possible. But this isn’t always the best idea. A low view count on YouTube could discourage sharing. As Jonathan Allen, Founder of L&T Co., believes, it’s better to first release your video to smaller networks like Vimeo, a specific group of friends on Facebook, or various blogs where your work can speak for itself.

Once your video shows potential to go viral through shares, likes, and comments, then you can publish it to YouTube, already knowing that your view count will grow quickly.