How To Win VideoJug's User Film Competition
OK, you've made a fantastic film. Now what? How do you get people to watch?
Making a hit viral film can be a little like catching lightning in a bottle, but there are some things you can do to call attention to your masterpiece - and improve your chances of winning the $2,000 grand prize.
Steps
- Pick A Great Title. Make sure that you have a title that a) catches the eye of viewers, b) gives them enough information about your film and c) contains words or phrases that you think would be frequently searched.
For instance, “How To Train Your Dog” is probably a better idea than “Imparting Enviable Manners Upon A Canine” or “Sparky Rocks” - Choose A Great Thumbnail. You’ll be given the option to include a thumbnail with your film – take that option! Choose a picture or still from your film that clearly broadcasts what your film is about. Remember, thumbnails are small – so keep it simple!
- Write A Great Description. A little well-chosen text can go a long way in getting your film on a lot of screens. Pay close attention to the “Description” field and write text that entices people to click on your film. Again, try to think about phrases and words that people are searching for on Google, Yahoo and other search engines. But don’t mislead your viewers! You’ll wind up with a poor star rating if viewers watch your film on molecular physics because you’ve promised photos of Britney Spears in your text and keywords.
- Tell Everyone You Know. Your friends are always bombarding your inbox with forwarded jokes, weird films and invitations to their Open Mic performances. Now it’s time to strike back! Send your link to friends, family, classmates, and coworkers. Post your link on your MySpace and Facebook pages. Be sure to post the link to your page on VideoJug rather than embedding the film on another site, as those embedded views won't count toward your competition total. Ask everyone to help you win $2,000 by passing along your link. Don't try to artificially inflate your numbers, though; any film with an abnormal amount of clicks from the same IP address will be disqualified from the competition.
- Tell Everyone You Don’t Know. There are lots of ways to find an audience beyond your own address book. Try submitting your link on StumbleUpon, or writing a Digg article. If your film is funny, you may want to submit it to sites like FARK or CollegeHumor. If your film is serious, try finding message boards where people are discussing the topic you’re covering.
By following these tips, you’ll improve your chances of turning your film into a bona fide blockbuster – and winding up with a $2,000 grand prize.
