Going
Viral, and We Don’t Mean Like the Flu
In the world of Internet marketing, phrases like “SEO,” “viral” and “web
crawlers” are tossed around like… well, like something
that’s tossed around a lot. What does it all mean for you
and your marketing department?
Everyone has forwarded emails. Usually they are funny, useful or
somehow entertaining. Imagine ten people forwarding a link to your
site to ten of their friends and them to their friends, and on
and on. Imagine a reporter or two and a handful of bloggers getting
wind of it and you can see how viral messages catch fire. A lot
of viral messages just happen and take on a life of their own.
Many of them are planned. If you want to drive traffic to your
website, there are plenty of options, but if you want to go viral… it’s
time to roll up your sleeves!
Make Sure They
Can Find You.
Assuming that you have content developed and you have launched
a website for your viral campaign, get busy with making sure
that the content is very searchable. If you are doing a campaign
around leap
day, make sure
that your site has the words “leap day” on it! Beyond
the simple content things, contacting a good search engine optimization
firm can increase rankings if you are facing a market rich with
competition.
Have a Catch.
Make sure that you focus on funny, smart or useful. A combination
of all of those is great, but having at least one is crucial. A
target audience with a vested interest in the main topic of your
campaign will be your best bet for dissemination.
Develop Multiple Angles.
Everyone knows about the YouTube videos that spread like crazy across
the globe, but if you really have a message with your campaign
you will want to try multiple angles. Think a website, YouTube,
a blog,
and a MySpace
page,
depending upon your market.
Seed the Market.
The difference between driving regular traffic and going viral means
dropping notes everywhere. People all over the Internet have to
find your site and want to forward it on. Sending out a few hundred
emails from your employees’ personal emails helps, but others
have to be able to stumble across your campaign in their own special
ways. Posting comments on blogs, Craigslist ads and other
online forums are good tactics to reach many people with minimal
cost. Get the Crowd Involved.
Our last piece of advice is to get others involved! If you post
videos, ask others to post videos with a contest or gimmick. If
you write a blog, allow others to comment on it without editing.
If your concept is sound and there is an audience that cares, you
are likely to receive quite a few entries.
Ready to take on the Internet with your own viral
campaign now? Be sure to track all of your results… and “May
the Forwards be with you!”
Take a look at our new website: www.goris.com
* * *
w•inktips is published by Bremmer & Goris
Communications. Each issue is packed with information and useful
insights into marketing design and communications issues that
affect your business life.
© 2013 Bremmer & Goris Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
Bremmer & Goris Communications
creative thinking. effective campaigns.
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Alexandria, Virginia 22301
703.739.0088 • www.goris.com • www.NoCannedAdvice.com
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