Meet Grant Crowell, a writer for ReelSEO and one of the more social guys of the medium. He’s far better at interacting with his audience than I am, and he’s got some interesting perspectives on redefining “social video.” Check out his article from a few weeks ago (which I meant to share earlier).
Here’s Grant’s definition of “social video” (which isn’t the same as viral): Social video is the blending of video with human relationships for the co-creation of value.
I like it because it’s about “Value” not viral (most viral videos offer some value, but not all value videos go viral… and that’s okay). Here’s my two cents… consider four relationships:
- The first relationship requires interacting with the audience, and nourishing it. They may well share your video for you.
- The second relationship is probably a more direct/frequent one. Sometimes they’ll share your stuff because they find it, but nurturing a relationship with them can help. For instance, I shared Grant’s presentation here because Grant keeps in touch… and gives me little crap when I’m not responsive (and still doesn’t give up on me).
- Finally, the original creator should ensure his/her video invites the NEW audience to join. That’s often missing in viral videos, where incremental views do little to provide the viral creator with a new sustainable audience.