Ask 80's parody powerhouse Weird Al Yankovic about the power of viral marketing.  Weird Al is back with a new album, and to launch his new album, he created a viral marketing campaign featuring 8 videos in 8 days.  Word Crimes, a parody of Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines, received over 9 million views on You Tube in approximately one week.  Weird Al's new album is poised to potentially debut in the Number 1 position on Billboard's 200 Chart this Wednesday, July 23.  So you may be asking, what does this have to do with eCommerce?  Find out.  

It's a well-known fact that videos are making a huge splash in the eCommerce scene. If you haven't come on board yet, you might get left behind in the dust.

Every online store owner dreams of creating or posting a video that will go viral. This means it gets shared around, spreading like wildfire. And of course, in the process, your brand will also get marvelous exposure.

If you're a newbie on the block, chances are you've been snooping around for great video ideas you can use to make a mark in the ecommerce circle. Well, you're in luck! Below are 5 wonderful ideas you can try out to make sure your videos get passed around through email and social media.

Reality Show Videos

What's it about reality shows that easily capture the attention of viewers? Well, there's definitely a lot of intrigue that naturally lure people into wanting to be in on secrets. This is why hidden camera videos are such a hit!

Let's say you're running a store that sells breath fresheners. Perhaps you can ask a good-looking guy to pretend to be a topnotch executive and then flirt with girls at the beach or meet up with other executives for a potential business partnership. But the catch is--- you'll need to rig his breath to smell really bad. Of course you must not forget the hidden camera that captures the facial expression of the person he's talking to and what the person says or does after he leaves.

Get the idea? It's hilarious and real, and will surely make people want to share it to others.

Catchy Music Videos

How many times have you seen catchy music videos and jingles passed around? At times, you come across a dance craze that somebody started on YouTube. Every now and then, you also see one of your friends posting an original MTV on Facebook.

Well, these simply emphasize the amazing things that music can do. Hence, you have to use it to your own advantage. You can choose to come up with your own rendition of a popular song or create an original song. You can also use a famous song and just come up with funny or inspiring video clips and images. There are tons of ideas you can play around with. Get creative today!

Viral Video Remakes

Why not just go piggyback riding on the viral videos today? Come up with your own remake. Sometimes it doesn't even matter if the content or message connects with your brand. All you need to do is add a link or company name at the end of the video.

But of course it would help if you can actually tweak a viral video to match your branding and be somehow related to your niche. This way, you can still aim it at your targeted customers.

For instance, what if you are promoting a weight loss program and you find a trending video that shows little kids who are dancing a fast boogie like professionals? In such case, you can place a captivating message or question in the end such as "Can you dance like this at 250 pounds? Lose weight in 7 days and get movin' and groovin'!" Another option is to ride on this video by holding an actual dance-off with ordinary overweight participants who will be asked to copy the exact same dance.

Again, you need to use your imagination.

Pop Culture Parodies

You've probably encountered a parody here and there of Harry Potter when it was at its peak. You've probably heard of or seen several video imitations or spoofs of prominent movie scenes, TV commercials, MTVs, and TV shows.

Pop culture can change quickly, so you need to be up-to-date. Grab the opportunity to create a parody of something that's popular and controversial today. It's a surefire way to get noticed.

Celebrity Videos

There's nothing like a celebrity, whether with good or bad rep, to make a video attention-grabbing. In one way or another, getting someone famous to be included in your video, is bound to make waves. You can have a nice celeb that fits your branding to endorse your products. Or you can simply edit your video to incorporate footages of celebrity interviews and even actual clips from movies and TV shows.

Viral marketing will bring you many steps ahead of the competition in ecommerce. And the best way to do this successfully is through videos that make people want to click "share" in an instant.