Every hour, 100 hours of video are uploaded to Youtube. Each second is filmed with the hope of making some kind of impact, whether it’s that cat video that makes a Monday a little bit more bearable, or that prank video you replay 10 times just for laughs.
Out of the billions of hours online, only a handful go viral; videos either make it to the top and spread like wildfire, or they get lost as small clips within a huge pool of literally hundreds of years worth of footage.
There has to be some kind of recipe for how the public distinguishes between videos that deserve the world’s attention and those that are just like all the rest. So, what is the formula for a viral video?
1. Involve some kind of post-procedure anesthesia.
One of the most famous videos of the past years is “David After Dentist.” If you haven’t seen it, you probably don’t own a computer. Uploaded in 2009, David’s father filmed the young boy after a dental procedure, showing the confused and loopy David. With 121,201,057 views to date, “David After Dentist” leaves the world entertained for a full 120 seconds.
More recently, a video of Jason Mortensen, “Seeing her for the first time again,” shows him seeing his wife for the first time after surgery. Upon seeing the woman in front of him, he can’t believe how lucky he is to have her as a wife. I will admit wiping away a tear as I watched this.
2. Put a cat in it.
Cats have some kind of magical and evil hold over us all. Cat people and dog people alike cannot help but watch funny videos of cats, like this one of “Charie Shmidt’s Keyboard Cat.” Seeming to tread the line between abusive and cute, cat videos will always win.
This cuddly composer has gone on to star in NOKIA commercials and inspire other YouTube copycats.
3. Involve people’s pain.
For some reason, people just can’t get enough of the suffering of others, from falling down stairs to falling off skateboards. It seems like this is just a natural, honest reaction to watching the pain someone is going through on the other side of a computer screen.
Have you ever involuntarily laughed when your friend fell? And then maybe you had that uncomfortable moment when you’re unsure if they’re actually hurt or not, and you try cover it up with some kind of unrealistic cough? If you said yes, you’ll probably enjoy the video below. If you said no…that’s a lie, so you’ll enjoy it anyway.
13-year-old Tori intended on uploading a standard, straightforward hair tutorial. Instead, she taught us the important lesson that if you destroy your hair, film it, and upload it to Youtube, you will end up on Ellen.
4. BABIES!
Now, if you have no way of procuring an infant, then you might be out of luck. But, if you have a cute baby who does funny things, this step doesn’t take much. Simply mix equal parts baby and camera, and you have yourself an instant hit.
5. Include some interesting music.
Regular, every-day music will not cut it here. If you’re going for a viral music video on YouTube, you have to be so confusingly offbeat that the masses fall in love. Gangnam Style hit the web with power. We never even saw it coming, but it changed daily life; it was played over and over for months. Everyone knew the unique choreography by heart, and even if you don’t speak Korean, Psy‘s words were stuck in your head. With a somewhat disturbing 1,782,442,772 views to date, this viral video has racked up more views than there are humans on this planet!
Another option is really, really good music and cool video ideas. The band OK GO‘s music videos forego the usual dancing girls and expensive, unrealistic special effects; they simply stick with a camera and an idea. This well-choreographed number made their song, “Here We Go Again” a top chart contender.
6. Combine any or all of the above.
Probably one of the greatest viral videos of all time is the infamous “Charlie Bit My Finger.” This combination of babies, pain, and the bonus secret ingredient of a British accent keeps it at the top of the pack as a classic viral video. Charlie’s unsuspecting brother sticks his finger in Charlie’s mouth, and the rest is history.
Many people actually complain about the success of these videos. “What’s so special about that video? I can do that,” you might say.
But, you didn’t.
Sure, we could all film a baby laughing or force or cat to dance, but we didn’t. We weren’t the first ones. And even if we were, it’s just a certain nameless quality that attracts people to a video and keeps them entertained.
But without us, the viewing public, there would be no viral videos. We are all the judges of their success, and it’s our collective reactions, positive or negative, that gives these videos millions and even billions of hits. The Internet is taking our attention away from television as we spend our hours avoiding our homework by watching the cinnamon challenge. Youtube has become a huge part of our world. iTunes even bases its top 100 songs on Youtube hits.
So the next time you feel like changing the world or sticking a bunch of marshmallows in your mouth (same difference, right?), make sure you film it for the rest of the planet to see.