What is Viral Marketing And Do We Need Antibiotics?

What exactly is viral marketing anyway? It is a term that is heard often and rarely defined. Actually, viral marketing describes any plan of action that involves passing an Internet marketing message onto others, spreading like wildfire from word of mouth (or in this case, computer to computer). Like any good virus worth its salt, this Internet viral marketing strategy depends heavily on rapid ramifications to thousands and even millions in order to produce results.

If we were not talking about a phenomenon limited to the Internet, words like “leveraging the media” or creating a buzz” might apply. But we are talking about the Internet, and as such, viral marketing is a term that has stuck and will probably remain so.

Hotmail.com, a company which boasts of being one of the first to offer free web-based e-mail services, is a perfect example of how a viral marketing campaign effectively works. While giving away free addresses and services, a tag at the bottom of every e-mail sent exemplifies the fact that nothing in this world is actually free. A message reads: “Get your private free email at…” As people write to friends relatives, etc, the message spreads and spreads, extending its reach much like a small pebble dropped in a pond causes ripples that spread quietly but surely until the original motion covers a much wider surface.

Truthfully, some viral marketing campaigns work and others do not. To insure that your strategy will, make sure that at least some of the following viral marketing elements are present:
• Free products or services
• Easy transfer of product or services to others
• Scales easily from small to very large
• Utilizes existing communication networks
• Takes advantage of all resources available, even those belonging to others
• Exploits common motivations and behaviors

Is internet viral marketing a tool that will aggrandize your company? Only your viral marketing advisor can say for sure. If that is you and you think it might, then go for it. You just might find yourself in the middle of a company’s finest dream; that is, having more customers than you can ever handle!