So let’s start with the video. I’m sure you’ve probably seen it before. It’s called Megawoosh and is simply amazing. There’s all sorts of speculation around whether or not it’s real. My feeling is: WHO CARES! Not only is it crazy enough to be real, but more importantly, the real crazy factor is something people aren’t focusing on.
Check out these stats:
- Posted: August 5, 2009 (or thereabouts)
- Total Views To Date: 2,370,763 on the original version alone
- Total YouTube Comments: 2,560
- Video Length: 44 seconds!
Only 44 seconds and the thing is still picking up steam. It appears the video originated as part of a Microsoft Germany ad. Here’s what one site had to say about how the video was created:
How this excellent production came together can be boiled down to something like this — a stuntman starts down the slide, but a rope keeps him from going too far, the thing that’s airborne isn’t a person, but is instead animation, and the principal character ended up in the pool by dropping off a small ramp. Piece it seamlessly together, and there you go. [Via Finance.Yahoo.com]
As I mentioned earlier, I don’t really care whether it’s real or not. That doesn’t really matter in this case. The real power lies in how much traffic this video is generating. Last year YouTube reached the #2 spot outranking Yahoo for search traffic. Sure it’s not a true search engine, but for our purposes, it might as well be.
Estimates for the video above are as high as 1.2 million views on YouTube alone just 3 days after posting. Think about the ramifications of having just a TENTH of this number of views (around 230,000 views) with a link to YOUR web site or affiliate offer. Even if only a tenth of the people that viewed your video clicked on your link, you’d still have 23,000 visits. All in just a couple of weeks.
Here’s the thing, I was thinking the other day about a comment someone made in response to my Cheap Blogger Office Setup post. They mentioned having everything on the list except the Flip Mino HD video camera because they really didn’t need it. I have to say, after considering YouTube as a traffic source as opposed to just a source of video entertainment, EVERY blogger needs a video camera. Sure we’re not all going to be creating crazy stunt videos like the Megawoosh video, but even a little simple creativity can represent a great source of currently untapped traffic.
I am working on a couple of little projects to take advantage of this traffic, but they’re not quite ready to share yet. More than anything, I wanted to at least prime the pump a bit to get you thinking about YouTube in a different way and consider what it could potentially do for you, your blog and your affiliate efforts.
August 20th, 2009 at 3:48 am
I used to use metacafe to distribute my video, because it's get index more well in google.
david
August 20th, 2009 at 7:34 am
There is definitely alot of potential when it comes to youtube. After 1 year's work, I am currently standing at 150+ subscribers, it's alot of work, but what I've noticed is once you start gaining momentum on youtube with the subscriber count, etc, it only gets easier!
Till then,
Jean
August 20th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Astonishing video. It was quite obvious that it is not real because such acrobatics would have to succeed with the first try. Missing the pool would case death of the challenger
I don't know if that small pool would be enough to save the man. And also the sliding ramp could never give such boost to a man. But that is simple physics. But the whole movie is great. I love that kind of stuff, the possibilities of modern visual techniques are almost indefinite.
August 20th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
I think you are right about that. Even if you don't post many video blogs you never know what you will come across, could be something interesting could be something horrifying. You never know, so yes it always a good idea to carry a video camera!
August 20th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Youtube is a great way to market your site, but it has to be a video that draws attention. Many videos go unknown on youtube but if you do make it big than it will bring a lot of traffic.
August 21st, 2009 at 4:27 am
hahaha… Its really amazing.Cooooooooool
August 21st, 2009 at 10:37 am
The video itself is really well done it would be hard to tell t was fake if it weren't son implausible. I guess when people say you can't buy publicity like that they hadn't spoke to the guys who produced this vid.
August 21st, 2009 at 4:47 pm
I realize a lot of what I’m reading lately has to do with the current financial crisis, but your post is another story
thank you for sharing this!
August 21st, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Point well made and noted. Action will be taken. Thank you.
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:11 pm
I was just reading about how some guy was making a killing promoting CPA offers on YouTube by jumping on to new trends. I've always wanted to try it but since my Internet is pretty damn slow, it would be pretty tough for me.
August 23rd, 2009 at 5:46 pm
A lot of it is to do with actually having the right video. This video for example is great, it makes me want to share it. A video with no interesting content will not be easy to promote.
Ste
August 24th, 2009 at 3:44 am
this is not real, do they compute evrything to land on that particular spot? death awaits for those who will fail to land on that water…
August 24th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
It is amazing how much traffic it has got it is hard to get that much to your own sites but does show that viral marketing can increase your hits.
August 24th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
It don't make any difference if it is real or not but that's what so many people get stuck on. Numbers are all that count and whoever did this one added a major shock value that got a lot of people looking. I think it's a great idea the hard part is coming up with something that would grab peoples attention but it should be at least somewhat related to what you really want them to look at so hopefully they will stick.
August 27th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Nice! I have 50 views of my video….can't say it's gone viral quite yet. I guess we should try setting up another account and take some more chances with what we put out there.
August 29th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
That looks good work even if it works or not.I like the idea about that because when it comes to make publicity I think it should be gain from anywhere it come. Once you start you start to get some attention then you can contact people also. I am going to share this video with friends as much as i can. Hope it will make popular me too.
September 2nd, 2009 at 1:23 am
no need special camera, we can use our phone camera
September 3rd, 2009 at 5:13 am
Yes, you are soo right. YouTube and other video depot are great source of traffic and income. Optimization for videos is the next big thing in the net in the near future.
September 3rd, 2009 at 9:25 pm
agreed.. This video for example is great!. Any video with no interesting content would not be easy to promote.
September 4th, 2009 at 4:21 am
The video definitely looks like it could be real, but I don’t think it is because he disappears while on the slide behind the hill and and he disappears when he lands in the pool. It would be very easy to cgi a guy flying through the air. Either way, it doesn’t matter. That’s a genius way to create some huge traffic for a site. My hat’s off to them.
September 9th, 2009 at 2:45 am
Good video. It’s really good way of traffic. Thanks for information about Youtube traffic.
September 9th, 2009 at 9:49 am
Video of your site is also helpful for draw traffic to your site. Video optimization is good technique for getting traffic.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
hello Sampa
what would you recommend for video optimisation?thank you
September 10th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
video is good, but what if you don't fancy getting your ugly mug all over the internet? time to recruit a saucy blonde girl to present my vids i think
September 16th, 2009 at 7:17 am
Youtube got a lot of potential to make money, ad ur adsense code, watermark video withur site link and many other hidden ideas are there to get good targetted traffic from Yt
November 26th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
I had not really thought about using Youtube to get more blog traffic, great idea.
December 7th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
But that is simple physics. But the whole movie is great. I love that kind of stuff, the possibilities of modern visual techniques are almost indefinite.
February 24th, 2010 at 9:52 am
I agree with work at home