Find Viral Videos Before They’re Viral

Remember that video curation was supposed to be all the rage last year and 2011? I’m still not seeing it get enough attention, but that will change as online-video consumption moves from desktop to simpler devices: mobile and remote controls. Why? Sans keyboard, it’s just not as easy to self-select videos, so we’ll need simpler controls (more Roku/AppleTV, less Sony’s 400-button, 2-dial TV remote control) … and better aggregators.

The answer lies in a careful mix of three (3) important variables:

• crowdsourced (liked people like me),
• editorial (someone whose taste I share) and
• personalized recommendations based on my history/preferences.

In the meantime, I’ll offer a few favorite places that are directionally close, and invite you to add yours in comments (it’s participation time). Together we can perhaps create an aggregation of aggregators. A curation of curators. Then we’ll create a big ass website that collects them all, and we’ll sell $1 CPM banners on them and become hundredairs.

• Reddit Videos: The kids at Reddit have good taste. Period. I want to be a Reddit influencer when I grow up.

• 

  Viral Video Chart is a good way to ensure you aren’t missing anything as vital as the “si, si, si, aquí” kid.

• ReelSEO’s Jeremy Scott found some good pre-viral sources months ago, so check his list too. It includes:
  • Buzzfeed (see the “going viral” page),  the hiccupporcupine is going viral),
  • Devour (I wasn’t captivated on that one) and
  • Popscreen (which is kinda cool because you can search “now,” 7 days” and “30 days”).
• eGuiders is a curated site, and I think I am/was an editor. But I forgot.
• Martin Michalik pulls together the most viral videos on Viral Blog’s “Viral Friday.” At least you’ll know what to talk about on the weekend.
• Zocial charts videos that are trending in social tweets/posts (Twitter, Facebook). Unfortunately I’d already seen most of what surfaced here.
• YouTube Charts is a hidden gem on the website. It’s getting harder not easier to find recently popular videos, and instead becoming more “channel and theme” focused. But here’s YouTube “live” and here’s the page that should be more obvious on the website: the “chart” page which allows you to custom rank videos by category (humor, music), by period (day, week, month, all time) and finally by feature (most-viewed, highest rated, most liked).

• Ray William Johnson culls together some “common denominator” clips in his daily videos, but I’m not sure if he’s catching viral videos before they’re viral or simply turning them viral based on his own popularity. Do you like him or Tosh 2.0 better? Hey Tosh, I was on Rabbit Bites 2 years before you, so suck it.
• FunnyorDie is easy to forget (remember Landlord), but it’s still pulling out a few instant classics. Common’ it’s a pig with a wig and Donald Trump’s voice. The Trump sound bite has been deconstructed on media and found to be loaded with inaccuracies, and the satire is more funny than die. FunnyorDie, in case you missed the memo, is now on YouTube too, and growing.

And don’t forget that if you’re a bit behind on your memes (viral ideas, behaviors, images, styles), there’s always “Know Your Meme” to catch up. It might not help you understand Jessica Black’s “Friday,” but at least provides some analysis.

P.S. If all else fails, you can check out my crap, watch “webcam girl fail,” or just piss off a few hours watching the stuff too “blue” for America’s Funniest Videos at Failblog.