Viral marketing is a digital strategy where content rapidly spreads across the internet through sharing. It’s the digital version of word-of-mouth, turning ordinary content into an overnight sensation as it travels from person to person.

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An easy-to-understand viral marketing definition is that:

• It is generally a type of social media marketing.
• Social viral posts inform and engage people about your brand or product.
• The term “viral marketing” is based on the speed and scale at which a marketing campaign spreads.
• It is an effective strategy because the audience handles the bulk of the marketing efforts.
• These posts make their way to the seekers of products through widespread sharing. Hence, they create brand awareness in the best possible way.
• Viral posts not only get the job done but also entertain people on their way.

In essence, viral marketing growth is basically the turbo boost these campaigns get when their content is just so darn entertaining or informative. One example of this is the marketing campaign for Popeyes’ new chicken sandwich back in 2019. After posting a tweet on their Twitter account, the product quickly went viral and received responses from countless users as well as rival fast-food chains. As a result, the sandwich sold out within 2 weeks across the U.S.

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Let us now answer the burning question:

How does viral marketing function? The answer is as follows:

• You create and publish a fun, engaging picture or video.
• The post appears on the social media feeds of your target audience.
• People begin to engage with it by liking, following, forwarding, and sharing.
• Word gets around from person to person as more and more people share the content.
• It starts a chain of referrals where your company gains max exposure. That is because of word-of-mouth.

By incentivizing engagement and promotion, the system scales exponentially. It becomes a more cost-effective alternative to traditional marketing methods. Beating the algorithm on social networks is no cakewalk,  but viral marketing campaigns are worth the effort.

Before creating, let us first look into the characteristics of viral marketing campaigns. In most viral marketing campaigns, you may notice:

• The content is free and accessible. Generally, the most viral content doesn’t require sign-ups or complicated steps to reshare.
• The content must be genuine, as viral marketing is least effective when it sounds too commercial. Hence, you must ensure that all your posts are relevant to the customer.
• These campaigns make use of all sorts of mediums including: images (especially memes), videos, email, text messaging, free products or promotions
• They appeal to the viewers’ and users’ emotions. Humorous content or serious causes can drive the highest engagement (e.g. share this tweet, sign the petition).
• Campaigns sometimes perform best when boosted by influencers and content creators. These are people who have an existing follower base in the thousands.
• Anyone can create a viral piece of content, be it a small to medium business or even an individual.
• Content that is short, sweet, and to the point tends to perform best in terms of engagement. Avoid making long videos and wordy posts.
• Visuals have a significant impact, particularly imagery but even more so for video.
• The viral campaign should be creative. It should not contain the time-worn ideas of competitors.

The characteristics of viral marketing campaigns are the secret sauce behind their remarkable success. By understanding and harnessing the power of shareability, authenticity, and emotional resonance, you can propel your content into the digital spotlight.

In order to create the perfect viral ads, you need to set an objective first. Ask yourself, “what do I hope to achieve with this specific campaign on social media platforms?” Your goals may include:

• Brand awareness
• Customer engagement
• Conversions (newsletter sign-ups, registering an account, etc)

Once you have identified the primary goal, you can start working on your viral marketing strategy. Follow the steps and tips below to build a fast-growing campaign:

Step #1: Narrow down your campaign to your product’s target audience

Instead of curating content for everyone, get specific about who the product or service is for. This will allow you to create a more powerful impact as it will be tailored to the consumers’ needs.

Step #2: Simplify your language and showcase a clear message

Avoid industry jargon and complex terms as much as possible. It takes out the fun and makes posts seem like study material.

Step #3: Identify the optimal social media channels for your viral marketing strategy

This step requires a thorough understanding of your audience and of each platform. That is because the analytics will tell you where your product sells the most. Some rules of thumb are as follows:

• Photos and images perform best on Instagram and Snapchat.
• YouTube is the de facto place for hosting video, but there are other places to consider as well. Tik Tok is great for short-form videos for example.
• News updates and bite-sized information is perfect for Twitter’s one-sixty-character posts.
• LinkedIn is the best place for reaching professionals and executives.

Step #4: Offer incentives for sharing and promoting the content, such as giveaways or partnership opportunities

Encourage sharing and promotion with tempting giveaways or partnership opportunities. This not only boosts engagement but also turns your audience into brand or product ambassadors, eager to spread the word and reap their rewards. This is definitely a win-win strategy that will keep the momentum of your viral marketing growth. 

Step #5: Optimize your visual content by

• Using professional and the highest quality images
• Keeping the video lengths short (not more than three to five minutes)
• Make sure the colors are attractive and consistent with the brand
• Use easy to understand language and words that have positive connotations
• On audio content such as podcasts, use a professional microphone to record clear audio

Rather than hoping to get lucky and going viral, set yourself up for success by following these best practices.

While viral marketing holds immense potential for propelling your content to unrivaled levels of visibility, it’s not immune to pitfalls. Understanding and avoiding common mistakes is crucial for a successful viral marketing campaign.

• Neglecting Audience Understanding: One prevalent mistake is not thoroughly understanding your target audience. Without a deep grasp of their preferences, behaviors, and online habits, crafting content that resonates becomes challenging. Take time to study your audience demographics and tailor your content accordingly.
• Lack of Authenticity: Authenticity is the heartbeat of successful viral marketing campaigns. Audiences today crave genuine experiences and connections. If your content feels forced or insincere, it might not resonate. Stay true to your brand or product identity, and let authenticity be the guiding force behind your content.
• Overlooking Emotional Appeal: Human emotions are the driving force behind content sharing. Failing to evoke emotions in your audience can hinder virality. Whether it’s laughter, inspiration, or awe, tap into emotions that align with your brand and create a connection that encourages sharing.
• Relying Solely on Trends: While riding on current trends can boost visibility, relying solely on trends without considering long-term brand identity can be a mistake. Trends come and go, but your brand should stand the test of time. Find a balance between leveraging trends and maintaining brand consistency.
• Ignoring Engagement: Viral success isn’t just about views; it’s about engagement. Failing to respond to comments, encourage discussions, or build a community around your content can limit its impact. Actively engage with your audience to foster a sense of community and loyalty.

By steering clear of these common mistakes, you set the stage for a more effective and impactful viral marketing strategy. Remember, viral success isn’t just about reaching a broad audience; it’s about creating meaningful connections that endure beyond the initial wave of shares.

Creating the most effective viral marketing campaigns requires research. For starters, you need to understand that the best way to learn is to look into existing viral ads and identify the features of viral marketing campaigns.

The following are the best examples of recent viral marketing campaigns that propelled a brand:

Example #1: ALS Ice Bucket Challenge:

In the year 2014, the ALS ice bucket challenge took the world of social media by storm. Over seventeen million people participated in the challenge. As a result, the campaign raised a whopping $115 million for the ALS Association. Here’s how it worked:

• First, people were invited to the challenge by previous participants.
• The invited participant had 24 hours to accept the challenge.
• If accepted, the participant had to empty a large bucket of ice water onto their heads
• If they refused to have ice water poured on their heads, they had to donate money (although some variations asked participants to donate money as well)
• After completing the challenge, the participant nominated a minimum of three of their friends or family members to participate.

The campaign achieved two fundamental things:

• The challenge itself was fun and accessible
• The use of video helped drive its virality
• It imparted awareness on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis disease.

Despite taking place only over the course of a few weeks, the campaign was a major success.

Key takeaway: The challenge must be engaging and yet simple. If you challenge the people to climb Mt. Everest, no one will want to participate.

Example #2: Dollar Shave Club

Dollar Shave Club is a subscription one-dollar razor service that delivers razors directly to customers. DSC went from a start-up to a billion-dollar company. But how did DSC achieve this remarkable feat? The answer is viral marketing campaigns.

The company’s launch viral video is marketing gold as it has all the elements that make the content boom. They took an ordinary topic such as shaving and made it hilarious. In addition, the company also provided a real solution to a real problem.

Key takeaway: Keep your YouTube videos short (the DSC video is a minute and thirty-three seconds).

Example #3: ELF Cosmetics

ELF Cosmetics is a makeup brand that stands for “Eyes, Lips, Face”. The makeup company is one of the first to make use of TikTok as a marketing platform. ELF Cosmetics understood its target audience and created a marketing music video. The campaign’s hashtag created a buzz where the zoomers began to post a video of their eyes, lips, and face.

Key takeaway: Understand your target demographic and create an ad that will organically reel them.

Example #4: Super Bowl

Super Bowl is famously competitive when it comes to viral marketing campaigns. That is because it garners almost 100 million viewers each year, giving advertisers the best opportunity to target as many consumers as possible.

This year, General Motors’ marketing team injected humor into their Super Bowl commercial. Super Bowl is no stranger to featuring celebrities on its ad campaigns. and GM’s commercial was no exception. Their ad featured popular names such as Will Ferrel, Kenan Thompson, and Awkwafina. That is because people love seeing a familiar face no matter where.

Key takeaways: Try to make people laugh, and bring popular, familiar faces to generate positive brand impressions.

Example #5: Popeyes Chicken Sandwich

Popeye’s is one of the best examples to look at as they proved that viral ads have to do with strategy rather than luck. In August of 2019, the restaurant released its chicken sandwich.

What started the viral chain was Popeyes’ funny response to Chic-fil-A restaurant. It successfully grabbed the Twitterverse’s attention. Due to this, there was even a shortage of the Popeye sandwich for some time.

Key takeaway: Invite some friendly competition with other brands to generate even more buzz.

Example #6: TOMS 

TOMS’ #withoutshoes campaign garnered mass participation from the general public and celebrities alike. The movement took off on Instagram since the shoe brand announced its humanitarian mission. For every post with the #withoutshoes hashtag, the brand would donate a pair of new shoes to the homeless and needy children.

Key takeaway: Create organic messages that appeal to people’s need to come together for a cause. That way, you gain the most organic connection with a vast audience!

Example #7: Dove Beauty

Dove Beauty’s Facebook campaign was created by the best marketing giants. They hired real FBI sketch artists and had random people describe their features to them. The experiment was repeated with relatives of those people who defined the same people for the sketch.

Now the findings of the campaign showed that people are overly critical of themselves. And in a world where beauty standards cause body dysmorphia, the marketing campaign blew up within the first ten days of posting.

Key takeaway: You must create a campaign that brings forward awe-inspiring insights to get a million views. People love finding out truths that concern them!

Example #8: Charmin

The toilet paper brand is known for having created several successful viral marketing campaigns. A little wit and a funny joke resulted in the company’s most viral Twitter hashtag, #TweetFromTheSeat. The brand’s marketing strategy encourages people to dare to be different.

Key takeaway: Try various things out of your comfort zone and take customer engagement to a whole new level like Charmin!

Each day, millions of people post different media on various social sites. Hence, getting people to notice your brand in online spaces is getting harder every day. That’s why we need viral marketing campaigns to do all the heavy lifting. Some of the advantages of a viral marketing strategy are as follows:

• Boosts company reach
• Builds a greater following
• Increases brand popularity and international exposure
• Exponential return on investment through increased sales
• Grabs the attention of investors and financiers
• Invites other businesses to work with you
• Requires less investment compared to other types of marketing
• Your product or service eclipses the competitors in terms of attention
• It gives your business credibility as everyone begins to talk about your brand or product. People are more likely to buy from a shop if others know about it.
• Having recent viral marketing campaigns open doors for your products into new avenues. They help you break into new marketplaces. That is something you cannot do with traditional marketing efforts.

Hence, you must begin curating your posts with the features of viral marketing campaigns today!

If you ever asked your friends or family why content goes viral on the internet, chances are, they have always given the same answer: luck played a part in it.

While there is an element of truth in that statement, virality has more to do with strategic planning than luck.

Our professional viral marketing campaigns have proven successful time and again. By leveraging the proper tools and expertise, your content can showcase the key features of viral marketing, ensuring it has the potential to go viral and captivate a widespread audience.

Some of the results-driven tools we deploy are as follows:

• Optimal content production
• Building and management of your unique community
• The best social strategy that fits your brand
• Influencer marketing to expand your reach
• Paid social advertising

We wield many such tools to give you the best end results possible.

Here’s how enlisting the help of specialists at SociallyIn can benefit you:

• We leverage our years of social media knowledge to create the perfect viral marketing strategy for you.
• Our experts use cutting-edge tactics to create flawless executions.
• SociallyIn’s tailor-made campaigns capture the essence of your brand. And we also ensure the ordinary people will be able to connect with it.
• In addition, we also train the companies and equip them with adequate tools. Hence, they can create perfect viral marketing campaigns on their own and be self-sufficient as they foster their ads’ viral marketing growth.
• What’s more, SociallyIn provides the most competitive rates. Hence, small businesses do not have to worry about spending a fortune on social media experts.

So, check out our Social Media Strategy service and Contact SociallyIn as soon as possible.

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What type of content is considered ‘viral’? 

When referring to marketing, “viral” means any content people begin to share that spreads rapidly and widely.

Once an image or video begins to circulate, i.e., becomes viral, there is no halting its progress. Hence, viral marketing strategy is one of the most used strategies in today’s digital world.

What is a viral marketing strategy?

Viral on social media meaning is marketing that focuses on two things:

1. The shareability of the content
2. Organic reach

In this strategy, the consumer base of the brand becomes the marketing tactic in and of itself. That happens because once you publish your ad, people begin to share the post without the need for you to boost.

What is an example of a viral marketing campaign? 

An iconic example is the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, where participants filmed themselves pouring ice water on their heads to raise awareness and funds for ALS research, sparking a global viral sensation.

What are the 6 principles of viral marketing?

According to Jonah Berger’s STEPPS framework, the six principles include Social Currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical Value, and Stories, as outlined in Jonah Berger’s STEPPS framework.

Is viral marketing paid?

Viral marketing can start organically, but paid strategies like targeted advertising or influencer partnerships are often employed to enhance reach and accelerate viral marketing growth.

What is the key feature of viral marketing?

The key is creating shareable content that resonates emotionally, adds value, and aligns with your audience’s interests, prompting them to share it with their networks.

Why is viral marketing an efficient way of promoting products?

Viral marketing leverages the power of word-of-mouth, allowing content to spread rapidly and reach a vast audience at minimal cost, making it a cost-effective and impactful promotion strategy.

How does viral marketing boost up business?

Viral marketing boosts business by generating widespread visibility, increasing brand awareness, and fostering audience engagement. The organic spread of content can lead to enhanced customer acquisition, loyalty, and overall business growth.

Let’s Wrap Viral Marketing

Viral marketing campaigns are the twenty-first century’s most widely used strategies. That is because, in a few seconds, you can get years’ worth of benefits, all for an almost non-existent price.

Small to medium companies should master the art of viral marketing. It will prove more beneficial than any other aspect of a business. For more information on the subject, be sure to check out SociallyIn.

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