Using viral marketing to promote your product is an effective way to get your product out there, but there are some things you need to keep in mind to make sure you get the most out of it. Whether you’re selling a product, service or event, there are several different ways to go about viral marketing, and you should make sure you’re using the right ones for your business.
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is a viral marketing campaign designed to raise awareness of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). In addition to spreading awareness, it was also meant to raise money for ALS research. It tapped into human emotion and elicited high arousal emotions.
The challenge was relatively simple, and required little effort from participants. The concept was simple: a participant poured ice cold water over their head. They then recorded the experience and posted it on social media. It got people talking about the brand, and ultimately, triggered donations to ALS.
While the ice bucket challenge was a clever marketing ploy, it didn’t have to be. By making it as easy as possible, people were more likely to participate. In fact, the campaign was so successful, it generated over $100 million in donations to the ALS Association.
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is credited for changing the way we think about fundraising. Before, most people weren’t familiar with ALS, and the idea of raising funds for a disease that has no known cure was foreign.
The ALS Ice Bucket challenge is a masterclass in viral marketing. It’s also a perfect example of how nonprofits can create social currency.
Airbnb’s “Live There” campaign
Using a combination of print and digital marketing, Airbnb’s new global brand campaign is entitled “Live There.” The campaign aims to encourage travelers to reimagine their travel experiences and to open up local neighbourhoods for travellers. This campaign is a continuation of Airbnb’s previous work, and is the company’s biggest brand campaign to date.
The campaign is built around three sources of brand truth: the hosts, the destinations and the guest experience. The company wants to reimagine the infinite possibilities of authentic cultural experiences by putting the guests’ perspective first.
The Airbnb community has grown to over two million homes in 191 countries. It’s a vast network of homes that is more real than hotels. The company rebranded its branding from a Procure-to-Pay accommodation provider to one that offers more than just a place to stay. The new brand campaign is designed to appeal to a more diverse demographic.
The campaign also addresses the growing dissatisfaction that many tourists have with standard tourist offerings. Through the use of a series of TV commercials and print creative, the company wants to highlight the local neighbourhoods where it works, and the hosts who welcome travellers into their home.
Netflix’s Real Beauty Sketches
Besides the fact that Dove tapped the marketing triumvirate of LeBron James, Kevin Durant and James Harden to put their stamp of approval on the campaign, the brand also partnered with a handful of academies and geniuses to produce some ad content. The end result was the aforementioned ad as well as a series of videos in the form of the “Real Beauty Sketches” ad series. As you would expect, this was a well received series. For example, the Dove ad was viewed a whopping 114 million times. It’s also worth noting that this ad is not only the best looking in the series, but it is also the only ad in the series that isn’t overtly sexual in nature. This makes it all the more interesting in a sea of sexyness. Regardless, the aforementioned campaign is an important reminder that a brand needs to be mindful of its female demographic.
STEPPS model
STEPPS is an acronym for six different components that are important in a viral marketing campaign. These six elements were identified by Professor Jonah Berger in his book Contagious.
The six STEPPS are: a story, an emotion, a practical value, a social currency, a trigger and a marketing strategy. The STEPPS are a framework that helps marketers craft shareable content.
The first principle of STEPPS is social currency. This is what people pay attention to when they are sharing information. The idea is to make the audience feel good about themselves, which in turn makes them want to share. This is a key factor in generating buzz.
The second principle is a trigger. This refers to the elements in the environment that remind people of an organization. These can be anything from exclamation points to new.
The third element is an emotion. People are more likely to share positive things than negative things. This can be a big help when you are trying to create a viral marketing campaign. The more positive, the better.
The STEPPS marketing strategy is designed to give you a step by step approach to making a product or idea go viral. This is an easy way to turn any idea into a viral hit. You can save a lot of time by following these tips.
Triggers
Having a trigger to engage your audience is an excellent way to get their attention. Triggers are any action or thought that will encourage your audience to do something. These can include anything from a tweet to a sharable content item.
If you want to do viral marketing right, then you need to be smart about it. The key to successful viral marketing is to provide value to your target audience and evoke an emotional response. Using a trigger to spark an aha moment is one way to accomplish this.
A trigger is a signal that will make your audience think about your brand. You may want to use triggers to reengage prospects who have fallen off the radar, or to drive them to take a desired action. These triggers can be as simple as a sound or a sight.
In the context of viral marketing, a trigger is an opportunistic, high-intent prospect who is close to taking an action, or is likely to take an action soon. You can reengage them via email. For instance, a triggered email can prompt the prospect to take a quick look at a demo, or to download an ebook.
Techniques
Regardless of whether you’re an established company or a start-up venture, viral marketing techniques are effective in boosting your brand’s popularity. These tactics can build a loyal following, increase your revenues and help you enter new markets.
You can create a viral campaign using any form of content, from text to video. However, your message must be unique and meet certain criteria. You should also make it easy for your audience to share your content with their friends and followers.
The internet has made it easier for your business to reach out to a wider audience. Social networks are popular mediums for viral campaigns. By piggybacking on trends, you can reach a broader group of consumers, and create awareness in untapped segments.
Viral marketing campaigns can inspire strong emotional responses. They can ignite curiosity, envy, astonishment and genuine sympathy. By using these strategies, you can capture customers based on their preferences, favorites and characteristics.
Viral marketing is a cost-friendly way to advertise. It’s not uncommon for a viral marketing campaign to generate exponential growth. As long as your campaign is well-planned and you utilize viral marketing principles, your audience will be more likely to share your content.
Strategies
Using viral marketing strategies is an effective way to reach more customers and increase your brand’s awareness. It’s a highly cost-effective way to get the word out about your business. But before you start a campaign, you need to understand what makes a marketing strategy go viral.
Creating content that is share-worthy is a key part of a viral marketing campaign. You want to create something that is useful and unique, but also easy to spread. Your target audience should be able to share your content with their friends and family.
Some examples of viral content include advice, warnings, tips, suggestions to solve a problem, and tips to do something. You can even give away freebies when people share your content. These gifts usually are attached to the purchase of your product.
Another great way to use viral marketing strategies is to build your online presence. If you have a website, make it easy for your audience to share your content. Enable users to embed your links on their web pages.
Viral marketing can also be used in conjunction with social media marketing. A social network is an ideal medium for sharing your content. By utilizing social networking tools, you can easily track the results of your campaign.