To gain better insight into what makes people share content online, Fractl studied the emotions associated with viral marketing campaigns, plotting the ones that are most commonly associated with viral content on Robert Plutchik’s comprehensive Wheel of Emotions:

1. Curiosity
2. Amazement
3. Interest
4. Astonishment
5. Uncertainty

Then, we looked more closely to see how certain demographics respond to different types of content.

Via The Learning Factor

Why Contagious? You could read Jonah Berger’s Contagious: Why Things Catch On as an update to Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference, but I wouldn’t (lol). 

Berger’s assertion that Gladwell is mostly wrong seems moot. The Tipping Point is philosophy. Berger’s book is ditch digging psychology based on his empirical research at Wharton.

Berger shares 3 key ideas to create viral marketing:

• Find or Create Inner Remarkability.
• Leverage Game Mechanics.
• Make People Feel Like Insiders.

This Curatti.com post shares my favorite examples for each of Berger's Contagious traits including Red Bull for "Inner Remarkability", Scoop.it for leveraging game mechanics and Rue La La for making people feel like insiders.

Via Martin (Marty) Smith

Online video picked up speed in 2013 and will continue to gain significant momentum in 2014. A simple Google search taps into a pile of data that underscores the importance of video in marketing collateral.

 

Intermediate/ Digest...

-- >  73% of B2B marketers say they will focus on video as a content marketing solution in 2014. In an industry saturated with whitepapers and e-books, the rise of online videos has come as a relief for B2B marketers, providing them with a new and exciting platform to market their products and services.

-- >  Choose HTML5 over Flash. Here’s why:

-- >  Optimizing and uploading videos on sites such as YouTube and Vimeo, and embedding them on your website, boosts your search rank standing.

-- >  Some of the popular video distribution websites include:

     * TubeMogul

     * OneLoad

     * Vimeo

     * Viddler

 

Marty
Video's Unique Stone Skipping via Widgetization
Videos skip across the surface of the web thanks to easy SHARES via links and embed codes. Be sure to HOST some of your own videos since the only people you are making rich by using Vimeo or YouTube is THEM.

When you host your videos make sure you offer the same easy ratings (thumbs up or down), views feedback metrics and easy link or embed options made popular by YouTube and Vimeo.

This "stone skipping" nature of video makes it HIGHLY VIRAL. Video engagement can be HIGH too (if the video doesn't drive visitors away which many do). Keep your videos short and "Daisy Chain" them together  like TV episodes (hanging threads at the end with the promise of resolution in the next video on into infinity :). M

Via Marteq, Luis Costa, Martin (Marty) Smith

The key of having a successful viral campaign lies in really understanding the targeted demographic. The use of music, facts, comedy and sex will only help the campaign if it;s appreciated by that desired audience.

But how does a video go from one view to millions?

Check out the infographic for more information...

Via Lauren Moss, John van den Brink