Where to host viral campaign content?

[Tman3]

I'm about to launch a series of viral videos for a growing UK brand, in which the viewer will have control of the storyline (e.g. tippex bear http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ba1BqJ4S2M).

It will start with one theme (1 main 'landing page' video with a series of 'ending' videos).

If successful, there will be more themes added in the same format (on-going campaigns).

Each campaign will feature high volume niche keywords and will hopefully appear in the SERPs. The keywords will not compete directly with the main branded website but there will be some relevance.

My question is, where is the best place to host the content?

YouTube = max exposure, easier to get vid preview into SERPs but links to site are nofollow? must pay for customised page functionality - see this link http://www.quora.com/How-did-they-make-the-Tipp-ex-Interactive-YouTube-video

**Microsite **= keyword rich domain for each theme with links to main site? more difficult to rank with new domains?

Main website = (DA=44) easier to rank using existing domain, helps increase DA with new linkbait? Use video sitemap to appear in SERPs

Blog = as above (blog hosted on main domain), but keeps main site focussed on core keywords

I assume YouTube will achieve best reach/buzz, but would I miss out on any SEO benefits?

Thanks.

[acs111]

I recently helped my niece with her school project which involved a series of videos that give different outcomes depending on the decisions you make.

This is the video: http://youtu.be/2GpRPFhbZA0

I think it was easier to spread the message as it does involve a serious issue about underage drinking.
We managed to get 950 views just on the first video and almost 3500 channel views.

I signed up for a Google alert for anything involving the term ' underage drinking ' . Once I had a list of sites I'd see if they suited the demographic of the video then left forum comments that were helpful about the article and left a link to the video. It may have been easier as the video isn't selling a product so people tend to be more likely to approve these kinds of comments.

I also made sure i added it to as many free bookmarking sites as possible

[mediawyse]

When we do the social media "buzz" campaigns you outlined above, we don't limit ourselves with just one site. Specifically with regard to video content it's a NO-BRAINER that you want to get that content on your site whenever possible. Again, the whole point of social media is to drive "buzz" in the form of social mentions, traffic, comments, and incoming links to your main site - all of which work to "push up" your entire site content by making your pages "stickier" and increasing your site visits. The best vehicle to do this is through a blog.

Take your YouTube video example, sure, you can submit that through a channel you control (YouTube), but you would then want to immediately embed that within a blog post on the client site that in turn is SEO optimized with bookmarking buttons (we like Digg Digg if you are on Wordpress). This will allow your blog audience and outside traffic to virally distribute the content for you directly from your blog.

Next, you take that blog post (containing the video) and you push-it-out through all your social media profiles (Twitter and Facebook specifically). The more established the account (power users are key) the better, but even new accounts will lead to dofollow links into the blog post which will help push the video virally. And don't be afraid to ask for comments, and RTs and likes. We do, and it works just fine.

And again, in a post-Panda world it's all about content. If you are doing a viral video campaign that is going to generate comments and trackbacks, then that is content you need to be including on your site. Why? Because this is the very definition of the type of User Generated Content (UGC) that Google is just EATING UP!

Finally, remember that YouTube is nofollow. Why waste any links the video may  generate on YouTube when you could push the same content out on your own site and blogs and capture all that link equity for yourself? That's what we do and very effectively.

That's my two-cents. Good luck with your promotions.

[SEO-Doctor]

If you self host the videos on your own site, its unlikely Google will actually display them in the SERPs for your keywords.

[Netboost]

use youtube and other video sites (dailymotion, vimeo, metacafe etc) to host your teasers and then have your main content on your website.

It also wouldn't hurt to run an outreach campaign to relevant blogs encouraging them to embed the youtube clip.

Lastly post the video etc on your facebook page and try and promote that too

[KeriMorgret]

Hi Tim,

I'm sorry you didn't get much response to this question, as Q&A was just getting up to speed. For the archives, can you share with us what choice you made? If you have an interesting case study, you might consider submitting it to YOUmoz.

Thanks!

[Nemek]

From an SEO perspective it would seem to be a shame to go with Youtube alone and miss out on the SEO opportunity. But then - you probably have a point there about the exposure. Maybe combine Youtube + main website? Have the full video content on your main website, while having a portion on Youtube?

BTW, the Tippex ads were brilliant Best online ad campaign I've seen in a long time.