How BuzzFeed Built An Online Video Empire

BuzzFeed is one of the biggest names in digital media. The New York City-based company reaches millions of readers and viewers all across the globe every single day. Most recently, BuzzFeed has been dominating online video, spanning several channels and countless viral videos.

Here’s how BuzzFeed built an online video empire.

They started by focusing on one kind of content.

Before BuzzFeed’s video empire expanded to include everything from gaming videos to cooking lessons, they started with a single flagship channel. BuzzFeed Video produced content to support the site’s popular entertainment section.

By focusing on one kind of content in the beginning, the BuzzFeed team was able to perfect their formula for the perfect viral video. They engineered video formats that transformed their listicles into even more shareable content.

Below is one of BuzzFeed Video’s earliest uploads.

Popular series were given their own channels.

BuzzFeed Video created several popular series. While some remained on the main channel, others moved to channels of their own, attracting even more subscribers for the company.

These separate channels allowed each series to expand to its own “network” of sorts. Now, the separate teams can focus on creating more content that supports their series, and subscribers who prefer one niche over the other can find their favorite content more easily.

One series that got its own channel is Ladylike. Having a separate channel allows the team to upload more frequently and reach more subscribers.

They monopolized other platforms as well.

While the main BuzzFeed content is more YouTube-based, its food series, Tasty, is designed for Facebook. Tasty videos have the same viral qualities as other BuzzFeed videos, but they’re shorter and more focused on visuals than audio.

Focusing a specific series on a different platform enables BuzzFeed to reach an entirely new audience. While some of their Facebook fans may not watch videos, they’re still sharing Tasty videos thousands and thousands of times.

BuzzFeed built an online video empire by taking the time to figure out what works best before expanding. Follow their example by perfecting your own formula for a successful video first.

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Kristen Harris enjoys listening to a wide range of music, from Taylor Swift to, on occasion, Celtic instrumental. She also spends her time writing, reading, and baking.

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