Big Viral Wins.
Too many small business owners believe that video marketing is something that’s only accessible or feasible for large businesses. And sure, that may have been true, once upon a time. But we live in a new age now.
Businesses small and large can make an impact with video marketing – all it takes is a bit of creativity. The following 17 examples prove that it’s possible for your small business to win with video marketing, without breaking the bank:
Lawyer Jamie Casino
This successful video aired during in the 2014 Super Bowl. Your small business may not have the budget to purchase a local ad during an event like this, but that shouldn’t stop you from creating something that’s Super Bowl worthy. This ad works because it blows viewers away.
Do your videos do that?
Robert Dollwet – Animal Behavior Business
It’s pretty clear that online success and cute cats are tightly intertwined, an adorable stereotype that Robert Dollwet continues to perpetuate with this video. At first, you don’t even realize that it’s an ad, as there’s no strong call-to-action or logo at the end of the video. Instead, the video tells a story and then only briefly mentions who trained all the animals involved.
The lesson here? Focus on the story – not on your agenda.
Wren Studio – First Kiss
First Kiss took the internet by storm, racked up millions of YouTube views in a just a few months. Ultimately, the ad was picked up by the media and major news outlets, and you can now find tons of parody videos using the same concept as Wren. Best of all? The exposure came from a simple $1,300 production cost.
Small businesses really can win, even without a huge budget.
Ojai Valley Taxidermy Services
Remember Chuck Testa? The viral taxidermy star was able to reach a huge online audience with his hilarious video. So far, it’s generated millions of views and even became its own Internet meme. The video works as a great example of how any industry can succeed with video marketing. All you need is a bit of creativity, a good story and a splash of humor.
Dollar Shave Club
The Dollar Shave Club video above is a very popular example of viral video success, as the company spent just $4,500 on the video. From that small investment, the business received 12,000 new orders in the first 48 hours alone. That’s the kind of positive ROI that you can get from a great video.
GoPro – Fireman Saves a Kitten
Here’s another great example of the virality of kittens. Really, who can resist this video of a fireman saving the smallest little life?
Aside from the internet’s love of kittens, this video works because of its authenticity. It’s not a staged piece, and it gives viewers a very happy ending. GoPro does a great job of showing the audience how a simple camera can capture such a heroic event in everyday life.
Codeschool – What Most Schools Don’t Teach
This video goes back to the beginning of several iconic websites and brands -including Twitter, Microsoft, Apple and Facebook – and interviews the owners, telling the story of how these successful founders wrote their first line of code or designed something masterful.
People love to hear how others got their start, as it makes them relatable and their success achievable. Every industry has big names that your small business can capitalize on for a similarly powerful video.
Gotstyle Gets Naked
Who doesn’t love a bit of nudity and mild profanity? It may not hold the same cuteness factor as cats, but this risqué video got menswear store, Gotstyle, on the map. Again, the video tells a story that captivates and entertains the audience (and the attractive, nude model certainly doesn’t hurt).
Since launching the video, the Toronto store has been so successful that it’s opened a second location that caters to both genders.
Alphabet Photography – Flash Mob
Alphabet Photography surprised holiday shoppers with an on-the-spot performance of the Hallelujah Chorus – a difficult piece to perform even in nice, structured auditoriums. But the chorus involved did a great job, even while dispersing through the crowded holiday audience.
You may not have the interest or resources to put together a flash mob, but you can still take a lesson from Alphabet and find other ways to surprise and impress.
Ultra Ever Dry
In the perfect world, you have a product that sells itself, and it seems as if UltraTech International occupies this ideal space. There’s nothing hilarious, risqué or awkward about a coating for your concrete blocks. Yet, the company has mesmerized millions in this video. If your product speaks for itself, don’t underestimate its power to captivate.
Skater Ollies Car
[vc_column_text]We’re a little biased with this one since we made it, but it went viral in the truest sense of the word. Being one of the first modern viral videos, Skater Ollies Car quickly found itself on the homepage of the Internet’s most popular sites at the time, and last time we checked had amassed over 4 million views total. Pretty incredible for a budget of $385.
Corning – A Day Made of Glass
This video will blow your mind by opening up a world of possibilities. At the same time, it takes B2B video marketing to a new level by creating a broad appeal to the consumer market. Chances are, most of the tens of millions of people who viewed the video aren’t involved in the B2B glass-buying business. But its viral nature captivated audiences far and wide, potentially creating demand for the products featured and contributing to Corning’s success.
VeriSign – Cart Whisperer
VeriSign used this quirky video campaign – another great example of how you can be clever and use humor, regardless of your industry – to help promote their security products. Remember, the greatest ideas often come when you let go of convention and start thinking outside the box.
Grasshopper
In 2009, millions of people faced the nightmare of losing their jobs, causing many who were employed before the Great Recession to become entrepreneurs out of necessity. Although Grasshopper’s video is very simple, its underlying message hit home with the target audience, proving that you don’t always have to go over-the-top. Sometimes, simple works best.
Pazazz – Printing’s Alive
In the digital era, the printing industry doesn’t get much attention, and Pazazz knew just how to capitalize on that in this humorous, if mildly offensive, video. The company did a great job of convincing viewers that they’ll have a great experience with the business – even if they’ve never worked with professional printers before.
Blendtec – Will It Blend?
Before Blendtec released the first of their “Will it Blend?” videos, name recognition for the blender builder was low. Now, the company has become a bit of a household name, thanks to its provocative videos. Blendtec really succeeds with shock and awe factor, as they’ve blended thousands upon thousands of dollars worth of products to date.
Rush T-Shirts – T-Shirt War
This last video is a bit of a different example, as Rush T-Shirts actually sponsored the video, which was then created by YouTubers Rhett and Link. That said, the success of this viral video just goes to show the many different paths that small businesses can take in order to reach a much larger audience through the power of video marketing.
Do you have any other great examples of viral videos that prove small businesses can win with video marketing? Go ahead and share them in the comments below!
This was inspiring!
Thanks!
I love that 2 of these videos on the list are from Rhett and Link
Thanks! 🙌