TubeRank helps reduce the risks in creating viral government content

Viral content – content which gets shared across the internet and media very quickly (like a virus) – is often a controversial area of communication for organisations. While the approach can result in massive attention and awareness it can also lead to massive risks.

What if the content doesn’t go viral, wasting your investment? (Like these nine viral failures)
What if it goes viral, but not in the way you’d prefer, damaging your reputation? (such as Witchery’s girl with a jacket or Nestle’s pedobear)?

Unintentionally viral content can also raise concerns, such as when Minister Shorten supported the Prime Minister, though it can have benefits, as demonstrated by the Prime Minister’s ‘misogyny speech’.

The concerns and risks around viral content have sometimes nobbled efforts to bring this approach into government campaigns. In fact the entire hit and miss of viral content makes it appear a high risk strategy for most organisations.

That said, agencies are still successfully employing viral techniques – such as the Dumb Ways to Die video from Victoria Metro (which reportedly has reduced ‘dumb behaviour’ by 20%) and the memes used in their Facebook pages by FaHCSIA and Queensland Police’s What tha Friday Photos.

So are many companies and brands – as AdNew’s Viral video chart (which is also powered by VAN) demonstrates at www.adnews.com.au/campaigns/viral-video-chart

So what if the risk of viral content going wrong was reduced? Would more agencies consider creating viral content?

I reckon so and that’s what a new service from the Viral Ad Network (VAN), a sister company to Delib (for whom I am the Aussie Managing Director) now offers organisation.

The free TubeRank service is an online tool designed to assist organisations identify characteristics and approaches that help them create their own viral successes – reducing the risk of a viral dud.

TubeRank works by allowing creatives to select triggers (goals) and interests (audiences) for a campaign. TubeRank then provides relevant viral video examples, tips and a downloadable PDF tactics report on how to go about approaching the creation of successful viral content.

While TubeRank doesn’t guarantee every viral will succeed, it improves the odds and helps reduce the risk of failure.

I’ve included the TubeRank tutorial video below and you can try out the service at http://tuberank.joinvan.com