How Does Viral Marketing Work?

Viral marketing is used to take advantage of both the Internet and social networks and follows the principles of how a virus spreads.

This marketing strategy need not be confined to the Internet but it is here where it is most potent because of the speed at which messages are sent and interchanged through email, blogs, websites, and chat. Also, when it is used offline, it is known by other names, such as network marketing or word-of-mouth marketing.

Viral Marketing Is Much Easier Online than Offline

One of the basic principles of this marketing strategy is the giving away of something for free to help spread the word about a certain service or product. As you can see, it is much easier to give away an electronic file, such as an e-book or some other form of information, through the Internet.

This explains the popularity of viral marketing as an online marketing technique.

Another core concept of viral marketing is that the message can easily be transmitted to others. This is the concept that borrows from the behavior of a virus, which can easily multiply by spreading to and infecting other people.

With this capability, a particular company, product or service becomes known to thousands, or even millions of people, in a matter of days or months. Again, this principle is much easier to apply online because of the presence of online chat, email, websites, or downloads. 

Viral marketing is made easier by the Internet via its capability to employ the resources of other people. A free e-book or article can be made available on the blogs or websites of other people, and then the copies obtained from them are once again made available in other sites.

In effect, the resources of the originator of the message have been multiplied by those who are picking it up and transferring it to others. Once again, the Internet makes this possible in a very fast and efficient manner.

The Importance of Relationships and Trust

In the same manner as network marketing, viral marketing depends on relationships and trust for the message to be relayed. This is an important factor but almost every person has a network of people who are close to him and trust him.

To take advantage of this principle, viral marketers often look for influential people or those have very large networks as the launch pad of their efforts. 

Marketing Is Based on the Usual Behaviors and Motivations of People

Another important rule in viral marketing is that it should be geared towards making use of the usual desires of people. One motivation is fear, such as when the marketing message declares that an offer is only available for 10 days. The target audience is motivated by the fear of missing on an opportunity and is therefore more likely to respond to the message. 

Another desire is greed, which is common in most people although varying in degrees. This is related to the first principle of using a give-away product of service.

Who would not want to get something for free?

Of course, people have now become more sophisticated or cynical with these free offers, often wondering what the catch is. Anti-spam software now screen email messages for the word “free” and tagging it as spam if it finds it there, especially in the subject. Nevertheless, this method is still effective and it is still being successfully utilized by Internet marketers.

How Do You Know If Your Viral Marketing Efforts Are Working?

Effective marketers always monitor the results of their campaigns and viral marketing is no exception. Just like the biological virus, where the speed of infection and spreading is unpredictable, some marketing efforts might get stopped or fail to spread enough to make a difference. Or maybe, the marketing message was not attractive enough to spread around.  

For whatever reason, sometimes a viral marketing activity might not produce the wanted results. Like any marketing effort, it should be monitored and adjusted as needed.

Keep Spreading the Virus!

Once you got a formula that proves to be a success in viral marketing, do you stop there? Many people do and for this reason, the marketing message or idea gradually fades into obscurity. 

A better way to take advantage of the original successful idea is to introduce another idea or “virus” that benefits from the popularity of the previous one. Anything new becomes old as time passes by, and if it is not replaced by a new one, it just dies a natural death, and along with it the marketers’ product or service.