Viral Marketing is a method of creating a marketing piece that will grab the attention of people in this modern, online world. This method utilizes the use of social media, messaging, videos, and other methods to spread information about an article, product or service instead of just creating a commercial and putting it on radio or television.
We have all heard of the phrase ‘going viral’, it essentially means something that has been posted online has been passed around so quickly that thousands or even millions of people have seen it, we all want that, don’t we? So here are some tips to ensure your marketing piece goes viral!
Video Killed the Radio Star
Out of everything in our current online world, videos are what are watched and shared the most. Whether it is Tiktok, Youtube or another platform, millions of people will share footage that grabs their attention.
Describing something or even posting pictures will never be as eye-catching and descriptive as a video, so, whenever possible, post a video! Don’t make it too long and make sure it is relevant to your item or article, look online to find out what people like best in a video and what is the most viewed platform to post it on. And make sure to share!
Check out these viral videos for some inspiration.
Play on Emotions
There is nothing that gets something shared quicker than when people’s emotions are involved. Whether good or bad, emotional appeal is the thing that will make the most impact.
Create something that could divide opinion, something that is filled with love; you could even try the ‘being an idiot or genius’ routine. Anything that will stir up emotions and get people talking.
Make sure not to use something that will damage your reputation though and be careful about what you do/say, use the play on emotions wisely.
With digital marketing campaigns struggling to become noticed amongst all the noise, there is no doubt that the key to viral marketing is similar to that of oral storytelling; it must trigger an interest or show true emotion to become widespread and memorable.
Unpredictable
This one is pretty obvious but not always thought of. The best things that go viral are the unpredictable ones, so if you want your marketing piece to be noticed… do something unpredictable. People are always searching for new things they haven’t seen before. Don’t stick to the traditional marketing techniques, be different, be unique!
Here is 2015’s most shared viral video, it shows an unpredictable and unlikely friendship between animals, which makes it so successful.
Sharing is Caring
Making sure your marketing piece is easy to share, download and read is the most important tip. Ensure all of your settings are adjusted to allow for such.
Sharing also has to start somewhere, so make it start with you. Share it on any platform you can with a simple and easy to read message requesting it to be shared further.
The aim is to get as many people to see it as possible, if it isn’t easy to share or download it will immediately cause a disadvantage, so check those settings!
Going viral is not an outcome, it's a happening.
It’s always good to be on other people’s screens. Viral marketing is a great strategy for doing just that, while building your brand. “Going viral” can make a powerful impact on your business and lead to future opportunities. You need to get noticed and stay noticed. All it takes is a relevant idea that is valuable and well-executed for sharing.
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