I remember when home video camcorders first came out. They were big, heavy, and expensive. You would load those VHS tapes into them and take videos that no sane person would ever want to watch again. The technology improved. Now, years later, anyone can take good video quickly and easily with a cell phone or small digital camera. You can take HD quality video. Editing is relatively easy with free software. The videos can then be uploaded to the internet. And now anyone can make money, especially if the clip goes viral.
Making a good internet video does require some thought. This isn’t painting. You have to use your brain. You need to investigate what kinds of videos people are watching. Check out your feed on Facebook and other social media sites. See what is popular. Sometimes it involves your kid or cat or dog doing something that is amusing. Other popular videos, my favorites, involve ghosts, Big Foot, and other strange happenings.
Do you have a monkey suit and a tall friend? Boom. You have a Bigfoot video. Email the link to groups that do Bigfoot investigations. What’s the worst thing that could happen? They click on it and think that it is real? And send the link to their friends? These people want to believe and since there is so little other evidence they will cling to a good fake video. They will see what they want to see and believe what they want to believe.
Have a cat? Do you have a laser pointer? Take some videos of your cat chasing the pointer or doing something else that could be viewed as funny. Share it with your friends and encourage them to share it with others.
Do you have a kid? Have you thought about filming your kid after he or she leaves the dentist while still out of it after a minor procedure? Your dentist made good money fixing your kid’s tooth. But you can make it back, and then some, with a viral video. Who cares if someone else did it before. The people want more than one stupid video.
A few tips. Upload the video to Youtube and make sure that you monetize your account. Anyone can do this. This means that they will put ads in your video and you will share in the proceeds. When you post the link to the video on Facebook and Twitter, make sure that your posts are public so that people who aren’t your friends can find them. Consider expanding your social media presence, even if you can only do this by paying to promote your posts. Finally, make sure that you don’t do anything that is illegal or immoral. And no, I don’t think it is immoral to put up a fake ghost or Bigfoot video. If people enjoy watching it you aren’t hurting anyone.
