The Beginner's Guide to Viral Marketing (Episode 5 of 5)

By Saskia Wilson-Brown, originally for Current TV

Congratulations! You have succeeded in making a video, and have successfully uploaded it to one of many fine online video hosting sites. That, for some of us, may feel like an achievement in itself. 
 
But let’s get real for a second: So what? It only counts if people see it.
 
Be it a short documentary, an indie animation, a video blog or even a slide show of your niece’s 3rd birthday party (and we sincerely hope it’s not the latter), there are tons of ways that you can maximize your audience and help turn your video into a viral hit. 
 
This is a 5-part weekly blog series that will provide an introduction on how to best get eyeballs to your content. Simple.

Episode 5 follows. Catch other episodes here:

• Episode 1
• Episode 2
  
• Episode 3
• Episode 4 
• Episode 5 

  

FINAL BLOG: MY FAVORITE RESOURCES FOR FILMMAKERS

Cogs of the viral machine: Designed to help the most popular websites bubble up to people’s attention, these sites all allow you to add some weight to your selected webpage, and purport to reflect what the world is looking at, online. There are literally hundreds of them, but here are the best.

• Digg: http://www.digg.com
  
• Delicious: http://del.icio.us
  
• Stumble Upon: http://www.stubleupon.com
  
• Newsvine: https://www.newsvine.com/
  
• Reddit: http://www.reddit.com
  
• Magnolia: http://ma.gnolia.com
  
• Technorati: http://www.technorati.com

Social Networking sites: Go make some friends, and promote yourself, too! Don’t be obnoxious, remember people are not keen on being marketed to. They are keen, however, on making friends with cool people who happen to have amazing projects. 

• http://www.myspace.com
  
• http://www.current.com 
• http://www.indiegogo.com
• http://www.facebook.com
  
• http://www.bebo.com 
  
• http://www.twitter.com
  
• http://www.linkedin.com
  
• http://www.youtube.com
  
• http://www.tumblr.com
  
• http://www.smallworld.com
• http://www.theauteurs.com
  

 Video hosting sites: There are, like social networking sites, a ton of these. Here are the ones most commonly used, and which also contain a heavy community influence.

• http://www.youtube.com
  
• http://www.current.com
  
• http://www.vimeo.com
  
• http://www.revver.com
  
• http://www.blip.tv
  
• http://www.ourstage.com
  
• http://www.kyte.com
  
• http://www.google.com/videos 

Learn some basics of HTML: These basics and tutorials will only come in handy.

• http://www.pageresource.com/html/index2.htm
• http://www.w3schools.com/html/DEFAULT.asp
  

Press releases: Handy resources for writing press releases.

• http://www.lunareclipse.net/pressrelease.htm  
• http://www.xpresspress.com/PRnotes.html

Self-Distribution/community: Learn tips from filmmakers and distribution experts for how to best get your content out into the world.

• IndieGoGo: Meet with hordes of film fans, audiences and makers alike. http://www.indiegogo.com
• Swarm of Angels: A groundbreaking project to create a £1 million film and give it away to over 1 million people using the Internet and a global community of members.  http://aswarmofangels.com/
• Workbook Project: A handy how-to on self-distribution from Lance Weiler and friends, with a theatrical mapping project and amazing DIY distribution and marketing tips. http://www.workbookproject.com/
• Shooting People: Jobs, resources, calendar and discussion for crew and actors. http://www.shootingpeople.com
• B-Side: B-side is the home for independent festival films, and the millions of fans who love them. http://www.bside.com/
• Withoutabox.com: Everything for the independent filmmaker, from social networking to message boards. Be sure to post about your video in their very active message boards section. http://www.withoutbox.com/
• Film Festival Secrets: From B-Sider and festival expert Chris Holland. If you subscribe, you get a PDF of copy of his book, which is basically the best run-down of the contemporary festival scene. http://filmfestivalsecrets.blogspot.com/
• Filmmaker Magazine:  Keep an eye out for guest columnist Jon Reiss about his self-distribution initiatives. http://www.filmmakermagazine.com/
• Youtube Screening Room:  The section on Youtube that highlights some of the best independent films being made and distributed online.  http://www.youtube.com/user/ytscreeningroom
• IndieFlix: Dedicated to providing a forum for filmmakers and their audience to interact, and to building a community that translates artistic vision into commercial success. They sell films online through DVD orders or streaming. http://www.indieflix.com/
• Spout: Movie reviews, ratings, details, synopsis, summary and new movie trailers. Discuss films in the movie groups & use the tools to get your work out there. http://www.spout.com/

Fundraising: Goes without saying that to make a film, you often need some cash. Micro-funding from friends and family often is a wonderful first step, and some of these sites provide widgets and other tools to blanket the web.

• IndieGoGo: Finance your project with micro-payments from your friends and contacts. Sheer brilliance. http://www.indiegogo.com
• Pledgie.com: Sign in with your twitter account, set specific goals, spread the word. Remarkably simple, but you’re on your own with getting the word out.
• Don't forget about on the ground events: Bake sale, car wash… A little goes a long way, so if you have the energy, there’s nothing for fostering support for your film like having the lead actress washing someone’s car.

Need to be inspired? Google these people and learn from the pros.

• Lance Weiler
• Arin Crumley & Susan Buice
• M Dot Strange
• Tiffany Shlain
• Matt Hanson
• Timo Vuorensola
• Jon Reiss
  

GO GET’EM TIGER.

Comments

[Sydney Levine]

Thank you! I'm posting this on my blog! You can find it at www.IMDbPro/FilmFinders.com and at http://SydneysBuzz.blogspot.com

[Woodrow J. Jones]

Thanks for the links about video marketing. I have visited and read some of them and they are informative. Will finish them all as it really give me great ideas!Keep it up.