Become Contagious
By Kimberley Kerken, Single Throw Consultant
Viruses! As much as we all hate them, at one time or another, we all get them. So what do we do when a virus strikes? We take our meds, get some rest, and stay away from others so we don’t spread it around. After all, we’ve become contagious! It’s been instilled in our minds since our childhood days of Mumps and Measles that being contagious is not a good thing. But what if you had something that was actually worth spreading? What if being contagious was a good thing rather than a bad one? How can that be? The answer comes in the form of two simple words: viral marketing.
When it comes to viral marketing, becoming contagious is the whole objective. Viral marketing—electronic or otherwise—is not about spreading viruses; rather, it is about creating a marketing message that is worth circulating. In other words, creating a marketing message that is “buzz worthy.” Whether your marketing message comes in the form of an email, a video, a concept, or a simple image, buzz worthiness occurs when people make a connection and are compelled to share your message with friends or colleagues. A message that is “buzz worthy” has to be something that people can share in an easy way and at a fast pace. That is exactly why online viral marketing has become increasingly popular.
Before the relative ease of email and the Internet, viral marketing solely relied on good ole’ word of mouth. People shared stories and ideas they found intriguing by simply speaking or writing to others about it. With today’s technologies, however, people can instantly send, share, and forward messages in virtually any medium, giving companies the power to have their message out there in a very creative and compelling fashion.
Deciding what your message will be, how to create it, what online avenues to utilize to deliver it, and how to capture that “buzz worthiness” (i.e. how to stand out from today’s influx of electronic marketing messages) takes a good deal of thought and preparation. Typically, people forward or share things that strike a chord emotionally. Whether the message uses humor, motivation, or reward as its hook, it contains something that peaked a person’s interest enough to want to pass it along. When a message is loaded with incentives, people are even more encouraged to share with a friend because they want them to reap the rewards as well. However, a message with incentives or special offers brings with it the demand for a higher level of control. Because of the amount of SPAM on the Internet, you have to be careful your campaign does not spiral out of control and become classified as such. Developing that credibility can be difficult, but it offers you a perfect opportunity to determine who your audience is.
Obviously, the people who already know and trust your company—your clients—are more likely to share your viral message with others because they know you are credible. But what about prospective customers? Determining what audience you’re targeting will help you determine which online tactics you want to incorporate and what type of campaign you want to launch. A lot of websites, such as MySpace and Facebook, allow you to gather an abundance of information about their users with very detailed profiles available for your viewing pleasure. This way, you can get a good demographic of your target audience and also see the viral effect from one user to another by viewing a list of their friends.
YouTube has a similar use in that you can see others who posted comments and similar videos. Utilizing tools like these allow you to stay in control and because you are mainly relying on a customer-to-customer connection, staying in control and manipulating that interaction becomes highly important. Being able to view comments about your marketing piece will let you analyze whether your message is having the effect you planned.
Gathering such honest and unbiased intelligence will also help you come up with new ideas and address any questions or concerns.
The reach and effectiveness of viral marketing speaks for itself and at one time or another it has affected us all. We are all guilty of forwarding that cliché email or the funny video that keeps us chuckling all day long. We pass these messages along because they strike an emotional chord or use humor to peak our interest. Now, just imagine that the email or video you’re forwarding has your company’s name and marketing message behind it. Suddenly, it is your company’s message that is in front of millions of people, peaking their interest, and compelling them to forward it to friends and colleagues.
Congratulations. You have officially become contagious … in a good way!
Copyright 2007 Single Throw Inc.