Two of the most important questions you need to ask about any video before launching

Sometimes, you do everything right: You figure out who your most promising prospects are, craft a message just for them, and wrap it up in an interesting story with great visuals and powerful sound bites.

You post the video. But for some reason, the results just don’t come pouring in.

Maybe you get some views, but a video like this deserves to go viral, doesn’t it? Why aren’t people sharing it everywhere? Not to mention, why aren’t they donating, signing up, or even just hitting the like button? What gives?

Your first thought is probably that something is wrong with the video. If it were as great as you thought, this wouldn’t be happening.

Or would it?

Don’t start doubting your perfect video just yet, and definitely don’t start second-guessing every decision and overturning your carefully planned strategy.

A lot of the time, it’s not the video that’s the problem, but how you use it.

The who and the where

The first question I have to ask is: Where are people seeing your video? If you posted it on your social media account, or just put it up on YouTube and called it a day, that might be all the answer you need.

No matter how good it is, nobody is going to watch a video if they don’t know it exists—and it may take a little effort to get the word out. Posting it once might not be enough; it’s pretty common for people to scroll past something a few times, barely paying attention, before it registers enough for them to click on it.

On the other hand, if the only ones sharing it are those who already follow you, there’s a good chance no one else will ever see it. If you’re hoping to get attention beyond your circle, you might want to consider outside help, partnerships, or investing in paid ads to give it that first push. 

Choose your platform wisely, too. Remember, most people, even if they like the video, will just shrug and move along with their day. It’s not just about posting where people can see—it’s about making sure your people come across it, the specific audience that will get excited enough to take some action.

And speaking of action…

The what

Aside from posting the video in the right place, it’s equally important to make sure you have a clear idea of what you want it to achieve, and that this goal is both realistic and achievable.

Do you want the viewer to like or share? Or are you asking for a bigger commitment, like a donation? For new donors, it can take some time to gain their trust before they’re ready to take that kind of step. If you’re skipping ahead to the end of that process, you may be disappointed in the response you get.

Is the action you’re hoping for easily accessible to viewers? The higher the level of difficulty involved, the higher the chance that your viewer will give up before they get there. Even just one extra step, something as small as clicking on a link, can have a strongly deterring effect.

The how

If you’ve checked in on these elements, and your video still isn’t taking off, maybe at that point it’s worth considering whether the video itself has a problem. On the other hand, maybe not. Have you tried changing the thumbnail, or adjusting the copy? Small adjustments to presentation can also make a difference.

Long story short…

There are a lot of factors that go into making a video successful. No need to jump to conclusions right away. The problem may be more fixable than you think.

Have you ever had a great video that struggled to find an audience? How did you respond? Let me know in the comments below.