German publisher stern saw the opportunity for great social video in one couple’s out-of-the-ordinary pet. The unusual subject captivated viewers, scoring the publisher over 100,000 views and 400 reactions, 70 shares, and nearly 200 comments on this Wochit-made video. That kind of engagement – especially shares and comments – is the best way to reach new audience members on social.

Check out the red tegu in stern’s video and let’s talk about what made it such a success:

Maybe not everyone would let that little fellow sleep with them, but he sure seems happy!

The two most important elements to consider in this video are the subject and the assets. It’s a totally unique story. The unusual subject matter is enough to draw viewers in. Who sleeps with a lizard? And what kind of lizard is that? If you can find an original subject and present it in a way that stokes curiosity, potential viewers won’t be able to resist hitting play.

And once they’ve committed to watching, the great visual assets keep them captivated. The footage here is high-quality and fascinating. For viewers simply interested in animals, there are some really intimate views of MacGyver the lizard going about his day. But there’s also all the great footage of the lizard curled up with his owners, wearing sweaters, etc. The kind of next-to-unbelievable stuff that had viewers so interested in the first place.

On top the big hooks, this video play all of its cards right for social. The text overlay is robust enough to provide details and context. But it also keeps itself out of the way of the great visuals, while still being big enough to read on different displays. And, of course, the use of overlay makes this video work even without sound.

We’d be remiss not to note that animals are always a popular topic on social, to which stern can testify. We’ll be back next week with another great video made with Wochit!