This document discusses strategies for creating and distributing viral content. It argues that the term "viral" is problematic and prefers terms like "good", "contextual", or "relevant". It presents a 5 step program for antiviral marketing: 1) Have a plan, 2) Creative in context, 3) Optimize first, 4) Distribute and promote, 5) Measure what matters. Key points include understanding searcher intent, optimizing for search, the importance of post-play interaction and business metrics over volume metrics. The document advocates using a combination of paid, earned and owned distribution strategies.

1. #&$K
C&@!
T*#
VIRAL IS A DIRTY WORD
F&#%
ROBERT JOHN DAVIS
JEREMY SANCHEZ
#^$$Y
S#&!

2. #antiviral
@gsijeremy
@robertjohndavis
@ogilvyadvvideo

3. VIRAL
WE DON’T SAY THIS

4. VIRAL
WE LIKE TO SAY “GOOD,”
“CONTEXTUAL” OR “RELEVANT”

5. VIRAL
PEOPLE THINK IT MEANS “FREE”

6. VIRAL
NOTHING IS FREE

7. “The enemy of conventional wisdom is
not ideas, but the march of events.”
- John Kenneth Galbraith

8. …kill this?

9. …kill this?

10. Didn’t kill this

11. AND THIS
Didn’t kill that

12. At least video killed the radio star, right?

14. DESPITE WHAT WE MAY THINK, PEOPLE
WATCH MORE THAN CAT VIDEOS

15. OR DOG VIDEOS

16. OR OTHER
“STUFF”

17. OR OTHER
“STUFF”

18. OR OTHER
“STUFF”

21. How do you get your content
to cut through the noise?

22. Marketing Content vs.
User Generated Content

23. The Viral Myth

25. WHAT “GOES VIRAL?”
Ad Age Unruly

26. YOUTUBE CELEBRITIES
The Biebs
Sang on YouTube
Sold some song downloads Karen Alloy
Fred Figglehorn Currently omnipresent 240K subscribers
2.3 million subscribers 60 million views
850 million views Won an Emmy for writing
Branching out to TV (ironic, eh?)
sxephil (PhillyD)
2 million subscribers
800 million views

27. > 4% of YouTube videos
will earn 100,000+ views

28. SCIENCE

29. Your 5 Step
Antiviral Program

30. Your 5 Step Antiviral Program
1. Have A Plan
2. Creative In Context
3. Optimize First
4. Distribute & Promote
5. Measure What Matters

31. Your 5 Step Antiviral Program
1. Have A Plan
2. Creative In Context
3. Optimize First
4. Distribute & Promote
5. Measure What Matters

32. What is your
trigger event?

33. TRIGGER EVENTS

34. How do you find a
trigger event?

35. DATABASE OF INTENTIONS*
Traditional HTML Pages
Shopping Results
News and Blog Results
Social Results
*John Battelle

36. TRENDS | HYPOTHESIS
* Demand Data as of 3/5/2012

37. SEARCHER INTENT MODELING
* 12 Month Average Demand as of 3/5/2012

38. SXSW SEARCH DEMAND
Top Keywords include
General: South by Southwest (27,100), SXSW 2012 (12,100), SXSW 2011 (12,100)
Tickets, etc.: SXSW Tickets (1,000), SXSW Wristband (480), SXSW Wristbands (480)
Information: What is SXSW (1,900), SXSW Wiki (1,300), SXSW Location (91)
Dates: South by Southwest 2011 Dates (720), SXSW 2012 Dates (590), SXSW 2011 Dates (480)
Schedule: SXSW Schedule (1,300), SXSW 2011 Schedule (210), SXSW Schedule 2011 (170)
* 12 Month Average Demand as of 3/5/2012

39. SXSW MOBILE SEARCH DEMAND
Top Keywords include:
General: South by Southwest (5,400), SXSW 2012 (2,400), SXSW 2011 (1,600)
Information: etc.: What is SXSW (590), SXSW Wiki (140), SXSW Parking (28)
Dates: SXSW 2012 Dates (210), South by Southwest 2011 Dates (170), SXSW 2011 Dates (140)
Tickets, etc.: SXSW Tickets (320), SXSW Wristband (110), SXSW Wristbands (58)
Schedule: SXSW Schedule (320), Sched SXSW 2011 (46), SXSW Schedule 2011 (46)
* 12 Month Average Demand as of 3/5/2012

40. How do KPI and
distribution plans
impact production?

41. Post-Play Interaction:
The click after “play” is the most important.
42

42. TECH & AESTHETIC QUALITY
Good
Bad
Ugly

43. SIZE MATTERS
40” 1080 HDTV 30” SDTV, HDTV 15” PC iPad iPhone StndPhone
scale: 10 pixels = 1 inch

44. Your 5 Step Antiviral Program
1. Have A Plan
2. Creative In Context
3. Optimize First
4. Distribute & Promote
5. Measure What Matters

45. CREATIVE CONTEXT
1. Professionally Produced: The industry standard – does not have to
equal expensive.
2. Pro-Am: Proficient amateurs (often confused as crowd sourcing)
compete to create content against a set brief
3. Archival: Resurrected footage that is often re-edited and repurposed
to meet new objectives
4. User Generated Content (UGC): Produced independent of the brand
by inspired or incentivized consumers
5. Sponsored Content: Brand purchases opportunity to feature brand
in and/or around brand-relevant content

46. VIDEO NEEDS A JOB TO DO
• Bridging Content
• Promotion
• Leads to Engagement

47. Your 5 Step Antiviral Program
1. Have A Plan
2. Creative In Context
3. Optimize First
4. Distribute & Promote
5. Measure What Matters

48. How do I maximize my
viewership with search?

49. OPTIMIZING FOR SEARCH

50. SEARCHER INTENT
* 12 Month Average Demand as of 3/5/2012

51. • The basics of metadata
• Title
• Description
• Tags
• The value of the script
• Channel naming
• The multiple jobs of
metadata

52. How does my content
impact viewership?

53. AUDIENCE RETENTION
ABSOLUTE

54. AUDIENCE RETENTION
RELATIVE

55. Your 5 Step Antiviral Program
1. Have A Plan
2. Creative In Context
3. Optimize First
4. Distribute & Promote
5. Measure What Matters

56. LIQUID PLUMR DOUBLES DOWN

59. REVIVING A COMMON FRAMEWORK
VSEM
Paid Display Ads
Content Partnerships
YouTube Promotion
Blog Networks
Sharing
Earned
VSEO/Search Optimization
Blogs
Influencer Network
YouTube Embeds
Reviews
Brand Dotcom
Landing Pages
Owned YouTube Channel
Video Sharing Channels
Facebook Page
Twitter Feed

60. PAID, EARNED, OWNED
Paid Earned Combination

61. YOU CAN’T CONTROL EARNED
Xmissy.nl (NSFW)

62. Your 5 Step Antiviral Program
1. Have A Plan
2. Creative In Context
3. Optimize First
4. Distribute & Promote
5. Measure What Matters

63. Volume-Oriented Metrics
• Views
• Shares
• Complete views
• Favorites/Likes/Subscribes
• Basic demographics

64. Business-Oriented Metrics
• Post-Play Interaction
• Leads Generated
• Product Sold
• Value of Earned View
• Brand Lift
• Meaningful Engagement Initiated
• ROI on the long-tail

65. Your 5 Step Antiviral Program
1. Have A Plan
2. Creative In Context
3. Optimize First
4. Distribute & Promote
5. Measure What Matters

66. Thank You
#antiviral