Viral marketing is one of the biggest buzzwords in online marketing – the creation of content that spreads rapidly and spontaneously around the internet, giving a company visibility far beyond that produced by a national advertising campaign at a fraction of the price. In the first of a series, LeadGenerators will look at one of the most popular forms of viral content – viral videos – studying some of the biggest success stories and seeing what can be learnt from them.

Since the launch of YouTube three years ago, amateur videos have become an online phenomenon, and are a massive potential opportunity for marketers. When it goes well, videos costing next to nothing to make can attract millions of views online, lead to a huge drive in sales and permanently raise the profile of a company. We’ve profiled three of these videos below, and looked at just what made them so popular, and how a similar effect could be achieved for other companies in the future.

What is it: A BlendTec employee was so impressed by the blender tests at his company that he filmed his own series of viral videos, Will it Blend?, where he attempts to blend anything and everything. Tinned food, cigarette lighters, golf clubs, bottled drinks and an entire Christmas dinner have all gone into the blender and come out in a liquid or powdered state – a great comic concept, and also an excellent advert for this brand of blenders.

The genius of Will It Blend is that it is a viral series rather than being a one off. From 3G iPhones to Wii Remotes, every gadget of the moment is tossed into the blender, allowing the series to stay relevant and interesting – what will they blend next? It also has a crucial element of interactivity, as readers can mail in their own requests for items to blend. Sales have gone up 500% in the wake of this campaign.

What it is: ‘A Touch of Gold’ is an example of a big company deliberately trying to achieve a viral effect with a cheap looking advert. Recorded at a training session on a handheld camera, this viral video shows Brazilian football star Ronaldinho (clad in a new pair of Nike football boots) in a “spontaneous” display of skills. It reaches a jaw dropping climax when he volleys the ball off a crossbar four times in a row without letting the ball touch the floor. It has been viewed an estimated fifty million times around the world.

What can be learnt: A change of pace can be a good thing for a marketing campaign. Nike and Pepsi have both been doing increasingly elaborate, celebrity studded football adverts for some time, each one more technically impressive, high budget and over the top than the last. With this viral video, it is back to basics; a showcase of astonishing football skills, nothing more, nothing less. Even corporate viral videos like this one tend to have a “homemade” style of filming that seems to be part of the viral style.

Debate has raged on internet forums as to whether the video was spontaneous or staged, whether Ronaldinho genuinely performed the tricks in the video or if there is computer generated trickery involved. The “is it fake?” debate doesn’t dampen the popularity of a viral video – on the contrary, people want to see it all the more just so they can judge for themselves.

What it is: This recent viral video from Transport for London has received over 4 million views in just a few months. It starts as what seems like a simple awareness test – out of two small groups of basketball players, you have to count the number of passes made by the players in white. It seems straightforward enough, but there’s a twist; watch the video to see what it is!

What can be learnt: The interactive element is immediately engaging – by presenting itself as a test, it immediately invites participation from its viewers. The twist in the middle of the test is comic, but also illustrates the message of the advert in a memorable way. Additionally, it encourages you to actively share the video with your friends and family – will they pass the test?