If a video gets posted to YouTube but no one sees it, was it worth making?

Bad news for brands hoping to make it big on YouTube: With nearly 2 billion videos being served up on the site each day, it’s virtually impossible for your branded video to break through the clutter of dancing babies and anesthesia gone wrong and “go viral,” even if Carol from HR thinks it was the funniest thing she’s seen since the final episode of Cheers.

But that shouldn’t stop any brand from exploring opportunities within YouTube (or any other video sharing site). If you implement the below tips properly, branded Web videos can:

- Increase search engine optimization for terms related to a company.

- Drive brand awareness.

- Tell better, more in-depth brand stories.

And, with proper optimization, it’s possible to get some serious eyeballs to your video. So here are some of MGH’s simple tips for optimizing YouTube videos and driving viewership

1. Categorization: Arguably the biggest mistake made by users hoping to make it big on YouTube is in improper categorization of videos.

Most users assume that a video needs to be categorized as “Entertainment” or “Comedy” in order to reach the masses looking for funny viral videos, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. “Entertainment” and “Comedy” are, without a doubt, the two most popular categories on the site, making them two of the hardest categories to break through.

So rather than trying to compete with the next viral sensation, MGH recommends categorizing your video in a less popular category, such as “Travel & Events” or “People & Blogs.” Sounds boring, but this will increase your video’s exposure, while making it easier to reach the top of its category.

2. Tags and titles: What good is a video if no one can find it? Having a video that is easily accessible and favored by search engines starts with a proper title and tags.

When trying to rank against a certain term, such as your brand name, it’s imperative that your video’s title include that phrase at least once. However many recommend including that phrase twice; once at the front of the title, and once at the back (ex. “J. Crew – New Fall Line from J. Crew”).

As an added trick to drive viewership, include words within your title that make it appear more exciting than other videos within its category. Videos that include terms such as “exclusive,” “first-look,” and “new” tend to out-perform those that don’t. Capitalizing these words, while slightly obnoxious, can also attract even more clicks.

Also make sure to tag your videos with as many terms as apply. Use variations of terms to make sure Google can understand in cases of varying search terms (ex. “shoe” “shoes” “sneaker” “sneakers”). And be sure that your tags match terms used in your video title and description.

3.  Front-loading: Unbeknownst to most viewers, YouTube has a ranking system for newly uploaded videos. Videos that receive a high number of views, comments, and/or ratings within a 48-hour period receive, what-is-called, YouTube Honors. Videos that collect these Honors benefit from better placement on the site, and more views.

The key to earning these Honors is timing. As mentioned, you have 48 hours to earn a YouTube Honor. After that time, your video will likely become just one in a billion.

To avoid becoming just another video and to propel you into viral bliss, front-load your video promotion efforts. Send to every contact you have through email, Facebook, Twitter, your blog, etc., and encourage them to not only watch the video, but to leave a rating and a comment. Ask them to post on their own networks – and do it quickly!

If your video receives enough views, ratings, and comments within the alloted time period, it will be earn an Honor, bumping it to the front of its category.

While your video may never reach the depths of  ”David After Dentist” or “Double Rainbow“, branded videos still assist in SEO and can help portray the personality of your brand. Just do it right, spread the word quickly and watch the views fly.

But, what I don’t normally do is watch TV live. As the mom of two small children, I am addicted to my DVR, which lets me watch my shows in the very small space of time each evening between when the kids go to bed and when I turn in for the night. It has been my way of life for years to catch shows days, or even weeks, after they occur – to the point that I can seldom remember when a show actually comes on.

So, needless to say, it is a rare occurrence when I catch a TV program in real time. Until now.

On Sunday night, I was one of 5.1 million people to watch the True Blood season premier on HBO live. Why, you might ask. Well, because they did a darn good job of ambushing me through social media and turning the premier into a spectacular event that I absolutely could not miss.

It started weeks before when I found out via my Facebook page that HBO would be airing six minisodes each Sunday night in advance of the premier. So, of course, I watched those minisodes, and after each one, I was treated to a tantalizing preview of the upcoming season of shows.

But, HBO didn’t stop there. They waged a full-out assault on me (and their 1.8 million other fans) via Facebook, offering us exclusive information, products, behind-the-scenes videos and this wonderful gem a few days before the premier – an apology from HBO marketing for their overzealous promotions – which I watched, laughed at, and shared with everyone I knew.

And, oh no, they still weren’t done.  The Friday before the premier, I was also served up an ad via Facebook reminding me to RSVP to the True Blood event on Sunday night. I did, as did several of my friends, further amping up our excitement. And, don’t even get me started on all of the live tweeting that took place during the show.

These concerted marketing efforts appear to have paid off in that they built a sense of excitement and community about this TV event. Sunday’s ratings boasted a 38 percent increase over the Season 2 debut and a 19 percent improvement over the Season 2 average.

Social media has always been a critical component of True Blood’s marketing strategy, most likely because its viewer demographic are big users of Facebook and Twitter. Last year, it was the top ranked cable show and the first premium show to crack the top 25 primetime performers list (at #18), thanks in large part to fan advocacy and involvement, according to Optimedia U.S.’s Content Power Ratings 3.0.

“Shows such as Glee and True Blood benefit from higher viewer involvement – whether on Facebook or Twitter – and therefore help to generate greater audience value than their TV ratings alone would suggest,” said Greg Kahn, EVP, Business Development Director for Optimedia U.S., in a press statement.

In True Blood’s case, this season premier seems to have benefited from a great blend of social media outreach – showing the importance of content, humor, engagement, frequency and share-ability. HBO’s vampire series is surely not the only brand that has benefited from fully embracing social media and leveraging its die-hard fans, but without this blitz, who knows when I would have gotten around to watching the show.

In Yelp’s case, the augmented reality feature allows users to point their iPhones at restaurants, bars or businesses in order to receive information (including contact info and consumer ratings) about the establishment. This data is presented as an overlay on top of the iPhone’s video screen. Watch this thing in action:

Watch the video below and leave your thoughts. We would love to hear how you feel about it.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8[/youtube]

DSi owners will be able to snap pictures with either of the system’s two cameras, then upload them directly to a Facebook profile, among other functions. This includes photos that have been altered with the facial manipulation software by using the DSi’s built-in interactive lenses that Nintendo has featured prominently in the DSi commercials. A wireless broadband Internet connection will be vital to transmit the photos.
Per the research firm, NPD Group, Nintendo reports its DSi has sold over 1.7 million units in the United States alone, since its launch in April.

The social media trends continue to advance as more console manufacturers try to take advantage of the services. Microsoft is planning to integrate Facebook in a new dashboard update and Microsoft also promised upcoming Facebook integration with the Xbox Live network. Time will only tell to see how video games continue to interact and become integrated with developing social media.

Google Street View has finally come to Baltimore!

For all you out-of-towners, feel free to check out some of our favorite neighborhoods around the Greatest City in America:

Hampden

Fells Point

Federal Hill

Inner Harbor

Mt. Vernon

Nope. Not even close.

An almost identical user-generated video, “Big Mac DriveThru Rap“, collected millions of online views over two years ago. The overnight viral sensation also spawned tons of copycat videos, including one called the “Taco Bell Drive-Thru Rap“. Sound familiar?

Taco Bell’s blatant “borrowing” of this internet meme has created a new level of national buzz for the brand, and unintentionally (or maybe intentionally) prompted users to begin creating their own drive-thru rap videos. It’s enhanced their search optimization on video sharing sites, and has made ordering unhealthy food through a window – dare we say it – kind of fun.

This is a nice example of a brand tapping into a viral video sensation, while doing it in a way that shows respect to the original creation, rather than completely exploiting it.

My only question is….how funny will this movement be when you’re stuck behind the next Dr. Dre of Chick-Fil-A or Wendys’ ?

The original Taco Bell rap:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew6PmluvNac&feature=related[/youtube]

The commercial:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoH67W3_4og[/youtube]

But I just came across a solid contest launched by Google, and couldn’t resist blogging it out. It’s a perfect model of how a well-designed contest can really enhance an established brand and get a foot in the door with a new, younger audience.

Doodle 4 Google challenges students (grades K-12) to design Google’s new homepage logo. It’s based around the theme of “What if…”, encouraging students to present their vision of their future.

40 contest finalists from around the nation will receive a trip to the company’s coveted headquarters in Mountain View, CA, and the winner will have their logo posted on the Google homepage for a full day. The winner will also receive a $10,000 scholarship, and their school will be rewarded with a $25,000 grant towards the establishment or improvement of a computer lab.

The contest builds off of the company’s custom of regularly changing their homepage logo – a long-standing tradition that internet users seem to eat up like candy hearts. Here’s a glimpse at today’s Valentine’s Google logo:

Google is the undisputed king of the web, and knows that few (if any) companies can even begin to compete with the foundation that they’ve built over the years.

And that’s exactly why this contest makes so much sense. Google is establishing a rapport with an audience who will increasingly turn to the internet for all of their needs, and building loyalty from the ground up.

I’d venture to say that most people stay faithful to the brands that they grew up with (I still drink Hawaiian Punch, and I don’t even like it), so getting an “in” with potential customers at an early age is a very smart move. It’s truly a short-term contest with long-term results.

From a word of mouth perspective, this contest has more legs than a centipede. Just think of the WOM opportunities that arise from breaking into this high-energy group with mouths that rarely stop running – students taking their Google pictures home to show their parents, decorated logos pasted all around school hallways and in lockers, teens uploading their artwork to Flickr.

There’s even a “Spread the Word” section in the Doodle 4 Google microsite, allowing students and parents to share the contest details with their teachers and school administrators.

Now some may argue that marketing to young school kids may be somewhat unethical. They’ll say that companies should have little to no place in a school environment. But you cannot rationally criticize a contest that’s designed around promoting creative thinking and the arts. What’s better than having a classroom full of enthusiastic kids using their imaginations to come up with something original and artistic?

Additionally, Google’s education-related products (search engine, free email, Google docs) are an invaluable asset to any level of student. I’d be singing a different tune if this was a contest sponsored by a sugarcoated, marshmallow cereal company, but we’re talking about Google here. I don’t even know what I would do without them in my life. Use Yahoo!? I don’t think so.

Right now, I’ve got my 11-year-old brother working on a wicked version of the logo with my head as the first “o”, and I think he’s got a good shot at taking the gold. In any case, tell your kids and their teachers about Doodle 4 Google – they might be able to get 2^nd or 3^rd place.

I love you, Google. Happy Valentine’s.

Marketers love them and clients eat them up. They’re relatively easy to produce and have the potential to attract some serious media attention. But take a moment to step back and ask yourself why you’re having a contest in the first place. What do you expect to get from it, and how long after the contest is over will you see results? All too often, these questions are overlooked and a contest is used as an easy way to get some quick attention.

So, my friends, it’s time for a little WOM wake up call – It’s not hard to come up with a catchy idea for a contest (or to recycle the same old ideas). And it certainly isn’t difficult to get the media attention and a solid number of entries when you’ve invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into the program.

But coming up with a contest that involves strategy, a long-term vision and an eye on the word of mouth potential requires some real thought and creativity.

So here are some of MGH’s core thoughts to consider before building out any sort of contest or sweeps:

1) Motivation – Why in the world would someone enter your contest? Because they care about you and your company or is it that they want to win some stuff? It’s cool if it’s both, but if they’re entering because they want a new Nintendo Wii, then you might as well hand your prizes to people on the street. Make sure that your contest rewards those who show the most interest and passion for your brand.

2) Longevity – No matter what some may tell you, length is important (at least in contests). The problem with most of these promotions is that once they’re over, they’re over, and the day prizes are awarded is the same day that everyone moves onto something else. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Ideally, people should buzz about both your contest and your company for months after it’s over. Put the time and effort into building your initiative so that it’s strong enough to withstand the test of time.

3) Buzz – Think about it: how many times in a day or week do you see an ad to enter some sort of contest or sweeps? And how many times do you completely ignore it? Well, guess what? That’s what everyone else is doing too. Your promotion should stand tall above the rest and give people something to WOM about. And it should be built so that details and info can easily be passed on from one person to another.

We love contests here at MGH, but recognize that having a contest just to have a contest does nothing for our clients or the majority of consumers. So our best piece of advice is to take a good look at your overall strategy, and then (and only then) determine if a contest is something that’s right for you.

This catchy little Carly Simon remake seems to be the new theme song for the increasingly popular customizable online video experience. It seems many savvy marketers are discovering the truth about a common consumer mantra, “ask not what you can do for the brand, but what the brand can do for you.”

The online marketplace has become a breeding ground for egocentric personalized videos that target one immutable consumer flaw-vanity. The amazing truth is, they work. Not only do we laugh at sub-par comedy, get baffled by magical incorporations of our personal information and feign surprise when our name shows up in lights…but we pass them along to our co-workers, friends and family without hesitation. After all, we know our unsuspecting boss will be thrilled to see his name pop up on some digi-model’s breast.

But what is it about personalized video commercials that can coax busy Americans to hit “send to a friend” after viewing a digital homage to consumerism? I suppose the best answer is to click on these links and test your own “pass-reaction” to the content. Would you pass this to everyone you know? Why?

When you’re done, come back and hear the MGH analysis of why customizable video goes viral.

Heineken Draught Party- Fan Club Movie

Criss Angel MindFreak- Awesome pass-along

Pepsi Max UK- Strange but funny way to joke your friends
Finished?

MGH thinks these videos are so clever because:

1. Most of them have nothing to do with the actual product. This makes them pure entertainment and less in-your-face advertising, which is cool in the land of consumer opinion.

2. This customizable technology (while not brand spanking new) is certainly still “cool-new” enough to make people say “wow,” which is pretty hard, but also fickle in the land of consumer opinion.

3. Many of these videos have a built-in friend component that requires an additional person to truly make the joke or mystery work. By their very nature, these personalized videos will get passed around, but will people remember the brand when all is said and done? Finding the compromise is always the difficult part, which is the double-edged sword in the land of consumer opinion.

4. Finally, most personalized videos are well-made so they appear legitimate. We’ve all seen a few “viral video schemes” with a bargain basement look that relegated them to a life of recycle bin-hood, which means “nice try” in the land of consumer opinion.

So, there you have it. Three great personalized videos that went viral and our own personalized reasons why. P.S., please don’t send me the Pepsi one, I’ve already gotten three today!