An interesting or compelling
message being spread virally.
An interesting or compelling
message being spread virally.







    The concept behind viral marketing is really nothing new, just another more
    high-tech form of Word-of-Mouth -- the basic foundation on which most
    successful businesses were built.  Its the essence of online networking and
    link-building.  YouTube relies heavily on viral marketing to spread the word.  
    The principle behind word-of-mouth marketing is simple; use influencers to
    generate peer-to-peer product recommendations or buzz.

    LIMITATIONS
    Prior to the advent of the Internet, however, this form of marketing was too
    disjointed to effectively benefit most advertisers. The effect of word-of-mouth
    was largely contained to specific geographic areas simply due to the lack of
    widespread social networks. Word-of-mouth was generally limited by the ability
    of the influencer to physically speak to another prospective customer, hence the
    term “word-of-mouth”.

    ENTER THE INTERNET
    The Internet has radically changed the concept of word-of-mouth,
    so much so that the term “viral marketing” was coined by venture capitalist
    Steve Jurvetson in 1997. The term was used to describe Hotmail’s email
    practice of appending advertising for themselves to outgoing mail from their
    users. The assumption is that if such an advertisement reaches a “susceptible”
    user, that user will become “infected” (i.e., sign up for an account) and can then
    go on to infect other susceptible users.

    SOCIAL NETWORKS
    While email may have been the original catalyst; the advent of
    social networks, online communities and chat provide the ability to distribute
    information exponentially faster than ever before. Where word-of-mouth
    marketing could take weeks or months to reach a thousand people, viral
    marketing can reach hundreds of thousands or millions in a matter of days or
    hours. The spread of an effective viral marketing campaign is akin to an
    epidemic outbreak of a virus, limited only by the potency and relevance of the
    marketing message.

    VIRAL MARKETING DEFINED
    Wikipedia defines viral marketing as “marketing techniques that seek to exploit
    pre-existing social networks to produce exponential increases in brand
    awareness, through viral processes similar to the spread of an epidemic. It is
    word-of-mouth delivered and enhanced online; it harnesses the network effect
    of the Internet and can be very useful in reaching a large number of people
    rapidly.”

    WHY VIRAL MARKETING
    The proliferation of marketing and advertising, coupled with the onslaught of
    millions of media channels in today’s world, has given cause for consumers to
    tune out and effectively avoid a great deal of traditional supplier driven
    messaging. The creation of technologies such as PVRs, satellite radio and
    Internet ad blocking software are driving a fundamental shift in the way the
    public consumes media and the advertising often tied to it. Television ads, radio
    spots, online ads and even emails are facing increasing competition for
    effectively capturing the viewer’s attention and provide positive ROI for the
    marketer.

    AN ALTERNATIVE MEDIA CHANNEL
    This competition, coupled with the rising cost of media buys, has caused
    marketers to search for an alternative means to reach the customer. Viral
    marketing is an attractive solution because it utilizes the free endorsement of
    the individual rather than purchase of mass media to spread the word.  
    Because the distribution model is free, viral can potentially be lower cost and
    more effective than traditional media.

    THE VIRAL EFFECT
    More than 90% of consumers said they told at least one other person about a
    Web site when the original recommendation came from a friend, according to
    Jupiter Research.

    VIRAL MARKETING ADVANTAGES

    1. Cuts through the clutter of traditional advertising, allowing marketers to
    effectively reach the audience.

    2. Doesn’t require a product with a wow factor in order to raise awareness,
    generate buzz, and kick-start peer-to-peer spread. Instead, the viral campaign’s
    communication agent is the element that needs a wow factor or element of
    interest.

    3. Unlike traditional advertising viral is not an interruptive technique.  Instead,
    viral campaigns work the Internet to deliver exposure via
    peer-to-peer endorsement. Viral campaigns, whether ultimately
    liked or disliked, are often welcomed by the receiver. The focus
    is on campaigns with material that consumers want to spend time interacting
    with and spreading proactively.
In the traditional funnel model, numbers decline.  
In the viral funnel, messages spread exponentially.
A message must offer something amazing,
unique, funny or controversial to spread virally.
In the traditional funnel model, numbers decline.  
In the viral funnel, messages spread exponentially.
A message must offer something amazing,
unique, funny or controversial to spread virally.
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    VIRAL MARKETING DISADVANTAGES
    Viral marketing, like all marketing is hit or miss. However, viral marketing by nature is often more risky or controversial than traditional marketing. If done
    improperly viral marketing can backfire and create negative buzz.

    THE MARKETING MIX
    Viral marketing is by no means a substitute for a comprehensive and diversified marketing strategy. In employing viral marketing to generate peer-to-peer
    endorsement, brands have also learned that the technique should not be considered as a standalone miracle worker.

    James Kydd, Brand Director for Virgin Mobile who just launched the 11th release in their successful series of viral marketing campaigns, states,“viral
    marketing is best used not as a one-off tactical end in itself, but as an integrated strategic part of the overall marketing mix.
    It is a means to an end whereby it not only generates buzz, but also provides ongoing, quantifiable brand benefits, such as increased awareness, peer-to-peer
    endorsement and ultimately more sales.”

    COMMON VIRAL MARKETING APPROACHES
    While the messaging and strategy ranges radically from campaign to campaign, most successful campaigns contain some commonly used approaches. These
    approaches are often used in combination to maximize the viral effect of a campaign.

    FREE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES
    Many viral marketing programs utilize free products or services to spark interest. Giving away low-cost items such as t-shirts can often lead to the sale of
    much higher cost items. Marketers often use low cost items as a method of collecting consumer data and building a database of potential customers
    that are already familiar with the brand.

    COMPELLING CONTENT
    From hilarious to raunchy to controversial good content and concepts can often make or break a viral campaign. Creating quality content can often be more
    expensive than simply offering a free product, however the results are often better. The general rule of thumb is that the content must be compelling, it must
    evoke a response on an emotional level from the person viewing it. This fact alone has allowed many smaller brands to capitalize on content based viral
    campaigns. Traditionally larger brands are more reserved and risk adverse to the possibility of negative reaction.

    EXCLUSIVITY
    This form of messaging is designed to appeal to our natural tendency to desire things we can’t normally have. This messaging includes invitations to join V.I.P
    clubs, access to products or services before they are released to the public and the ability to choose the fate of others within a peer group. While this tactic
    can be extremely successful, there is a built in cap to its success. If the offer spreads too wide it will loose its exclusive appeal.

    GET PAID
    Rewards and financial incentives often play a role in viral referral campaigns.  Marketers can incent users to pass along a message in exchange for
    compensation ranging from points, special offers and in some cases cash.

    MAKING IT VIRAL
    Successful viral campaigns are easily spread. When creating a campaign marketers should evaluate how people will communicate the message or campaign
    to others. Marketers should ask themselves the following questions when developing a viral strategy:

    • Does the content require special plug-ins?
    • Will an attached file in email be too big?
    • Does the Web site require broadband?
    • Is the URL easy to remember?
    • Is the referral mechanism easy to use?
    • Is the barrier to entry too high?

    The easier a campaign can spread the more successful it can ultimately be. A large majority of campaigns miss the mark because they fail to take this into
    consideration.

    CAMPAIGN SEEDING
    “Seeding” the original message is a key component of a viral campaign. Seeding is the act of planting the campaign with the initial group who will then go on
    to spread the campaign to others. The Internet provides a wide array of options for seeding, including:

    • Email
    • Online Forums (Google groups)
    • Social Networks (MySpace.com, Facebook.com)
    • IM (AIM, ICQ, MSN, Google)
    • Blogs
    • Podcasts

    When determining where to seed it is important that marketers consider the audience you are seeding for. If a campaign is skewed towards a certain audience
    marketers should make sure they seed towards that audience. Failure to do so may kill a campaign before it ever gets off the ground.

    LEVERAGE EXISTING MEDIA BUYS
    Marketers should leverage existing media buys by incorporating the promotion of the viral campaign. This can range from a simple reference at the end of a
    commercial or in print to a fully integrated approach using mass media to directly promote the viral activity.

    ABILITY TO SCALE
    The goal of a viral campaign is explosive reach and participation. Marketers should be adequately prepared to meet the needs of participants in the event that
    the campaign is successful. Server space, bandwidth, support staff, fulfillment and stocking should be taken into consideration well in advance of campaign
    launch.
    The marketer should have the ability to capitalize on the full success
    of the campaign.

    GETTING IT RIGHT
    One of the most successful viral marketing campaign of all time was the original, Hotmails, simple text advertisement appended to each users email.  The free
    e-mail service spent a mere $50,000 on traditional marketing and still became the world’s leading e-mail provider almost overnight, with 75 million users.
    Since that time there have been thousands of failures and successes, a few of those are highlighted below.

    GETTING IT WRONG
    Some high profile campaigns illustrate the risks brands take when venturing to use online viral marketing without fully understanding
    the factors of success. For example, the infamous Dr. Pepper “Raging Cow” online viral campaign generated a backlash from the blogging community for what
    was perceived at best as a clumsy infiltration of
    a tight-knit community.

    DELIVERING TANGIBLE BENEFITS
    Specialist seeding expertise can be found, and appropriate viral content is not impossible to create. But, not every brand remembers during planning that the
    point of a viral campaign is not only to “go viral,” but also to benefit the brand strategically.

    CONCLUSION
    Viral marketing is a credible marketing tactic that can deliver positive ROI when properly executed as a component of an overarching strategic plan.  
    Marketers should utilize viral marketing when the messaging can coincide and support a measurable business goals.

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(if you share this,
it becomes viral)