Viral Marketing - Everything You Need To Know

As a business owner, you must know the idea of “going viral”. It’s the most looked strategy applied for any kind of marketing. To put it simply, it’s like a virus, not this nasty one doing the rounds in the world right now. But it’s contagious, just like a virus. It takes less time in reaching out to your target audience. The best thing about this technique is that it’s cost-effective. The users help to execute your campaign by sharing your content.

What Is Viral Marketing?

Viral marketing has become the latest trend among marketers. It is based on engaging relevant content that can be an instant hit. It works on creating content that caters to the target audience. Any strategy that includes word-of-mouth can be considered as viral marketing. In today’s world, it’s technically easier to market everything on social media. But it becomes challenging, as there is far more competition than there was in the past.

How To Run A Viral Marketing Campaign?

To run a viral marketing campaign, it needs to resonate with the target audience. It should be shared to a point that it spreads like a virus.

Find A Trending Topic

The first thing you should do is find a topic that’s already trending. A topic that people will want to share. It’s important to know what will work and what will not.

Not Everything Is About Sales

Your content should relate to your product or service, but it should not look desperate. Focus on creating something that people will want to share among their peers.

Use Your Database

Data is an underrated way to get shares and targeted traffic. Focus on data-driven content that your target audience is interested in.

Use Videos

Video marketing content can influence your audience easily. It will engage them and create an impact.

Free Offerings

Who doesn’t like to get things for free? Learn to use the word “free” in your marketing vocabulary.

Trigger Emotions

Make an emotional appeal to your audience. People will only share it if there’s something that relates to their lifestyle or thinking process.

Some of the biggest viral sensations often occur randomly. But viral marketing is being strategized and precisely engineered. When your marketing campaign goes viral, the sales and brand engagement skyrockets.

Target the right audience and manage leads efficiently with a powerful CRM alternative (link). Your viral marketing campaign would run effectively with automated marketing techniques.

The Benefits Of Viral Marketing For Your Business

Going viral is not going to replace marketing approaches like online advertising and SEO. But, it’s a great way to enhance what you’re already doing. Keeping all the fame aside, viral marketing can actually benefit your brand in various ways.

Lower Marketing Expenses

Initially, your marketing campaign might need a little push to get started. As it begins to get picked up by your target audience, they’ll do the marketing for you, without even realizing it. In fact, your future campaigns are more likely to naturally reach a larger audience, thanks to the viral campaign.

Exposure To Media

When done correctly, viral marketing holds the power to attract media attention and cover your brand without you paying for it. Once you’re out and about in the mainstream media, the smaller media houses follow the story. More clients, more partnerships, and more sales will follow without any doubt.

Faster Lead Generation

Imagine you not having to do anything for generating leads, that’s what happens in a viral marketing campaign. People always lean towards trending topics. Though everyone might not be ready to purchase from you. But when you have enough attention, they would certainly keep you in their mind for future purchases.

Faster Business Growth

Viral marketing has the potential to create extraordinary growth in very little time. It’s really appealing to the business owners, but at the same time very difficult to accomplish. But you don’t need to get overnight success for your business to grow. If you’re steady and consistent with your strategies, you’re already ahead in the game.

How To Make Relatable Content That’ll Go Viral?

It’s hard to predict which content will go viral and which will not. Sometimes unexpected contents can go viral. The ultimate goal should be to create unique and interesting content that caters to your target audience. Sometimes, it can be totally unintentional too.

Few Things To Keep In Mind:

• Your brand should not be desperate to show that you’re trying to make this a viral marketing campaign.
• Do not spam your audience. It just kills the purpose. It may irritate them and that’ll have a negative impact.
• Publish and market it at the right place and wait for the audience to do their magic.

Most Famous Viral Marketing Examples You Can Learn From

Hotmail

It remains a classic example of viral marketing. Hotmail utilized the “free” technique and provided free email to their subscribers. They just attached a signature at the bottom of the email, which promoted their brand for free. The recipients would see the message and sign up for Hotmail. Very simple, but highly effective.

Dove Real Beauty Sketches

It makes you feel frustrated, insecure, strong, and confident, all in just a few minutes. The single video has reached 68 million views. It hit on trends that defined “beauty” in new ways. It says “You’re more beautiful than you think”. The video triggered emotions, and according to a study by Sorbonne University, emotional content has a higher chance of getting viral.

#LikeAGirl Campaign By Always

This is the perfect example of how you can use a phrase to directly address a majority of your audience and their connections. It made the masses realize how quickly we judge a phrase to be female-oriented. It inspired others that running #LikeAGirl should be seen as inspiring and brave.

Final Takeaway

Offering content that adds value is the most important factor that can make a viral marketing campaign successful. There’s no definitive roadmap for it, but ultimately it’s about creating great content that connects with the audience and makes them want to share it. This will increase the exposure of your brand. And, will help you in boosting your sales, lead generation, and add value to your brand identity.