Marketing has come a long way in recent years. It now uses modern tools and methods that apply to its new domain, digital! However, despite technological advances, word-of-mouth is still very much with us, even on the web. It’s called viral marketing.
Viral marketing involves passing on a message from an initial recipient to other consumers (colleagues, relatives, friends, etc.). The offer spreads from one individual to another, like a “virus” – hence the name! The recommendation of the offer can be spontaneous, where originality and innovation are the driving forces behind viral marketing, or induced via the sponsorship process.
Definition of viral marketing
In fact, viral marketing is very simple. It involves recommending a brand or product to yourfriends and family by targeting a specific category of customers in a marketing campaign.
The receivers become disseminators, and the information spreads, like a virus! However, for viral marketing to succeed, the message must be strong and original enough to make the BUZZ.
Social networks are the first area of application for viral marketing! Thanks to media content such as videos, images, share buttons and contests.
Sometimes, users increase their chances in a contest or game by entering their friend’s e-mail address (or @). And sometimes, we use paid referral systems (the user earns money by referring a friend).
What do you need to know about viral marketing?
In a successful viral marketing campaign, product exposure isn’t about buying advertising space – it’s about the customers themselves!
In fact, viral marketing already existed before the Internet. The Internet has simply optimized its use by facilitating the transmission of information through sharing.
In fact, the “share” button is the most important medium for viral marketing. There are two types of viral marketing. The first is based on various digital tools and media (social networks, e-mail, newsletters, etc.).
Depending on the content, share bars are integrated into corporate or brand websites, or any editorial content dealing with information.
The second type corresponds to a real marketing strategy that uses creative content to encourage the transmission of information. This is the case, for example, with publications that are original enough to be shared at high speed. The content must be sufficiently attractive to create the phenomenon of exponential dissemination.
The return on investment of viral marketing campaigns is very high, but their success remains uncertain.
How to create a viral marketing campaign
While every marketer dreams of creating BUZZ with viral marketing, very few actually succeed! This is because viral marketing is an uncertain method, depending as it does on the reaction of Internet users, events, the timing of publications and so on. You always need a stroke of luck to succeed in your strategy! But this doesn’t mean that viral marketing content is the fruit of chance! Not at all, it’s the product of a grand strategy.
How to succeed in viral marketing?
There are several steps to a successful viral marketing strategy. These include:
- Determining the audience ;
- Understanding audience behavior;
- Build on positive feelings …. Or on negative emotions! ;
- Create original and creative content;
- Study events and choose the right timing;
- Using multimedia content ;
- Encouraging sharing.
In conclusion, although viral marketing remains a simple marketing idea, it is nonetheless a real strategy that needs to be carefully studied to achieve good results, especially as this technique offers a good return on investment, usually with very little outlay.
To create successful content, always turn to simplicity and creativity. You can get help from playful infographics, short videos, images, articles, editorial content and so on. Above all, don’t forget to always stimulate your target audience’s emotions.
