Capitalizing On a Viral Marketing Campaign

Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Work In My Pajamas

Viral marketing is a method used to encourage consumers to share content and information about a company’s goods or service via the Internet to other sites and users. The purpose is to create a potentially exponential growth in a message’s visibility and effect.

Viral Marketing in General

This type of marketing has amazing power if done correctly. This is because word-of-mouth advertising is one of the most effective forms of advertising out there. It capitalizes on an already existing trust. It can exist in many forms including articles, white papers, videos, software, e-books, reports, and tweets. The potential is incredible.

Social media has made this type of advertising and marketing more potent. It uses the incredible persuasiveness of reviews and recommendations from people and accounts that users and followers know and trust. People also tend to enthusiastically use products from and recommend companies they follow. Furthermore, opinions posted by consumers is one of the most trusted forms of advertisement.

Implementing a Viral Marketing Plan

In order for something to go viral, it needs to be easy to share. Optimally, it should require little effort to pass along. You want something that stands out, has a message, and captures the attention of viewers. People are more likely to share something that has some kind of perceived value. Here are some types of content that have the potential to go viral.

•       Videos
•       Blog posts and articles
•       Social media content
•       Tweet buttons
•       E-books
•       Newsletters

How to Increase Your Efforts

It is hard to tell what will actually go viral and what won’t, but there are some techniques you can use to help grab the attention of the Internet.

•       Visual: Visually appealing campaigns are more likely to get noticed. And getting noticed is always the first step. Adding images and videos to your content and ads increases the likelihood they will be seen and shared. Even if your message is mostly text-based it should include a visual element. This visual element should match your brand and be viral-worthy. Don’t be afraid to surprise and delight your followers.
•       Planning: Every campaign should have a plan. Few messages go viral without a strategy and purpose. Your message should be clear. This may require a script for your video or a blueprint or design for your infographic. Not only do you want your campaign to go viral, but you want it to have the desired effect on consumers.
•       Audience: It is important to know your audience. If you know your followers, customers, and clients well it will be easier to create content that elicits an emotion and triggers action. Remember, you are not necessarily trying to appeal to everyone. If your message is designed with your particular audience in mind, it is more likely to hit home. People are more likely to share information that is relevant to them. They want valuable content that they can relate to.
•       Simple: Keep things simple. Don’t forget you want something easy to share. Concise articles, short videos, and simple infographics are valuable as part of a viral marketing strategy. A potentially viral message should contain only two or three main marketing messages. Once you have the attention of a larger audience obtain through your viral content, you can provide them with additional information.

Viral marketing is an effective way to grow your audience and customer base. It is a type of word-of-mouth advertising that is effective because it relies, many times, on the trust of the people spreading the message. Individuals are more likely to trust the opinions of friends, family, people they follow, and consumer opinions. It is hard to predict what will actually go viral. But, by implementing some techniques and strategies, you can increase your odds of being seen and shared.

Image Source: Viral Marketing by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images