Editor's Notebook: Why Did This Video Get 600,000 Hits?

Explaining the ingredients necessary to create an Internet phenomenon isn't rocket science, but actually delivering such a "hit" can be harder than teaching a chimp to write a haiku.

Often, Internet sensations involve spontaneity, humor and chaos. The likes of Justin Beiber and Lady Gaga knocked off Internet-video juggernauts like "Charlie bit my finger" and "David after dentist," but the unpredictability of media still stands as something that truly puzzles me.

On Sunday, I attended a charity soccer game presented by the Mia Hamm Foundation featuring celebrities like Nomar Garciaparra, Kobe Bryant and Women's World Cup sensation Alex Morgan. As I sat there with my wife and some friends, it was remarkable to be so close to these famous personalities we had all seen on television.

During the first quarter, I got out my camera and shot a video of Kobe Bryant playing soccer. Watching a man that large play soccer is a sight to see, believe me. 

As his team lost possession of the ball, the Los Angeles Laker sprinted back on defense but in doing so, kicked the ball into his own net, resulting in what soccer folks call an "own goal." I was delighted to have caught the small mishap on video so I posted it on YouTube the next day.

Less than three days later, the video had eclipsed 600,000 views. 

Wikipedia defines the term "viral video" as one that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, typically through video sharing websites, social media and email."

In retrospect, I realize the 14-second clip had all the ingredients to go "viral." I had a video of a celebrity, a polarizing one at that, "goofing up" in public. I followed the video and more than 900 comments later, I had been escorted through a roller coaster of topics including Kobe vs. Lebron James debates, the integrity of soccer vs. American football and other pointless conversations. 

Just 48 hours after I posted it, the video was the No. 2 sports submission on YouTube's front page and I was constantly receiving emails from viewers about the clip, asking for promotional help and other miscellaneous requests. 

The clip's popularity only perpetuated my view that new media sensations are extremely unpredictable and have no respect for the amount of work you put into it.

It took me 14 seconds to shoot the video and maybe three minutes to post on YouTube and I had more than half a million views. However, yesterday, I spent several hours shooting and editing a video about a  Sept. 11 memorial ceremony that received nowhere near the same viewership. 

Part of this is due to the visibility of different platforms, but I still find myself fascinated by what the public will enjoy and what they're excited to share with others. 

"Kobe Bryant scores own goal at Mia Hamm charity game," lacks the "continuous entertainment" factor that could see it launch into the millions, but I've learned that labeling videos and distributing them through large mediums are the key to making an every day video and turning it into a viral hit. 

The clip has nothing to do with my work, but I couldn't help but dream of what might've happened if the charity game occurred right here in town and I'd been able to post the video to Severn Patch.