Viral Marketing

It is a term or buzzword that refers to the use of existing social networking websites for the purpose of increasing brand or issue awareness. By participating on these sites the goal is to take advantage of the self-replicating or the online equivalent of ‘word of mouth’ advertising. The word “viral” was first used to describe the spreading of a computer virus, similar to a viral outbreak of a disease effecting humans or animals.

However the term viral is now used in a more positive light for some Internet users. The messages or posts are designed to be intriguing, compelling and entertaining. These need to appeal to a large audience who would choose to share it with others in their network. The most successful viral marketing campaigns in the past have been video clips, interactive flash games, brandable software, images, along with environmental, social or human rights centered messages.

Marketing, in the purest sense, is the process of spreading an idea, service or product in order to achieve consensus or sales. Viral marketing can also be applied to participation and world-wide recognition of the 2011 Arab Spring and the Occupy Wall Street movements. Viral marketing also has a darker side (stealth marketing) which has been combined with the unscrupulous use of astro-turfing, which combined with under-market advertising in malls and shopping centers mimics spontaneous word of mouth to generate sales.

Marketing professionals have come to learn there is basic criteria that must be met to ensure the transformation of an ordinary message into a viral one. These are: 1. The Messenger, of which there are three- the market mavens, social hubs, and salespeople. These messengers are somewhat unique but possess the qualities of being part of exceptionally large numbers of social connections and links to connectors or subcultures of networks; 2. The Message- only those that are highly interesting, and sufficiently interesting will be passed on and have the potential to ignite a viral marketing result; and 3. The Environment- this element is directly connected to the first two criteria of messenger and message. Is the message relevant and do the messengers possess credibility and / or trust among their networks?

Another element of a successful viral marketing campaign is taking a disciplined approach that monitors, measures, and optimizes the approach and method based on solid report metrics. When all elements are fine tuned and working as planned, the customer or reader becomes a new sales or information channel. The customer-as-a-sales-channel method has now evolved into a foundation and impetus for an explosion of new technology designed to enhance viral marketing services offered online, offline and in blended hybrid approaches.