What do Chris Crocker, David After Dentist, Antoine Dodson and the 4th of July have in common? Well, on the surface they may not compare, but there is one distinct connection. A video.

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk4acvdyyqo”]

This 4th of July weekend, you will experience many “video-worthy” moments. A fireworks show, water balloon fight or the annual family football game, the possibilities are endless.

But there is one pressing question, what makes your video as “share-worthy” and viral as greats such as Psy’s Gangnam Style?

There are several aspects about our favorite viral videos that initially catch our eye. We laugh at funny words and pain, but we are also touched and moved by homecomings and reunions. Regardless the topic of your video, there are essentially 4 steps you can follow to create a viral video this 4th of July weekend.

1. Be Timely: Be sure to share your video in a timely manner. At the fireworks and decide to take a video of the finally?
   Great! Now post it by the time you get home and share it across all of your social media. The more time that lapses between the moment the video is taken and it is posted, the more irrelevant the content becomes to viewers.
2. Use Keywords: Keywords are not only for the digital media pro or the analytics wizard. By using keywords in the title of your video and its description, you will essentially drive viewers from the search bar to you. Example keywords tied to the 4th of July are America, fireworks, family, red, white, blue, pride, etc.
3. Evoke Emotion: An interesting title attracts your viewer, but the content of your video is what leads to a full view and possible share. Whether it’s humorous, sad, controversial or just awesome, the true emotion is what will cause viewers of your video to share with their friends.
4. Be Short and Sweet: Today’s social media users are in a 140 character Twitter generation. Our attention spans are getting shorter by the minute, which means video content must also adjust. A survey published in The New York Times found more than 19 percent of people had left a video after only 10 seconds. This is why recent applications such as Vine, Snapchat and Instagram have flourished, offering video that ranges from 5 to 15 seconds. It may take a minute of filming to reach that “Aha!” moment, however your viewers will never make it to that point unless they are engaged from the start.

Although these steps may not lead you to winning an Academy Award, by following them you will get your content shared throughout the online world. So this 4th of July, look out for the funny, heartwarming and exciting moments, and make sure you keep a camera in hand.

Happy 4th of July from the entire staff of

Multimedia Marketing Group!