4 Reasons to Start Using Viral Marketing
It’s risky, tedious, and difficult but after considering these four simple reasons, you’ll be inspired and ready to take on the intimidating world of viral marketing.
The chance of your publication going viral is extremely small, regardless of the platform you plan to use. While you can refer to endless online resources and learn how to create content that has viral potential, it is important to understand why you should do that first. Essentially, the objective should be to either grow your following or increase your sales, and all the reasons mentioned below should convince you that it’s worth it.
- A cheaper alternative to running ads
If you’ve ever ran ads for your business, you know that costs can add up quickly without raking in any significant revenue. This is not only annoying but simply a waste of valuable resources. These funds are often better spent creating a catchy, shareable video that reaches your target audience for free, aside from production costs. Try to produce content that evokes emotion, preferably positive, which will undoubtedly help your brand go locally viral. If you’re known for a certain quality, make sure your content portrays that or even strengthens it. An even better plan is to decrease your ad spend slightly, use the recouped funds to create something worth sharing, and then promote it by running ads with the trimmed budget.
2. Building a community
This might seem pointless, but you should trust me when I say that it is more important than you might think. There’s a simple reason why building connections and expanding your network can benefit you. Viral marketing allows you to share something relatable, a specific trend, or a joke. You can be creative.
Since it is relatable, followers will share it with their friends & family. Your brand will become a household name if the content is engaging enough, and soon, they will become obsessed with your brand. Personally, I had this experience when I first saw a MousCase ad. You might have seen it: they drop an iPhone from a helicopter and it doesn’t break. This video is exciting, adventurous, and shocking. It evokes emotions and it proves or seems to prove, that the product is great. Soon, we were all convinced that it was a great product and when the time came to buy a new case, it was the first option we thought of. We bought the case. Their viral marketing strategy worked.
3. Build credibility & hype
Running a successful viral marketing campaign not only helps you attract new customers to create a community but fortifies the connection you already have with existing ones. You’ve probably heard of FO-MO, the fear of missing out. People love to be part of something and will often share posts if it makes them look good. Others will want to belong, incentivising them to share the same content. The endorsement of a large number of online followers can make your business seem more credible. You’ll not only be trusted by happy customers, but by their network. This can help your reach grow exponentially, which usually has a direct effect on your sales.
4. Learn what works for your target audience
If it takes you only one try to create a viral post, I’d like to personally congratulate you. You’re either extremely lucky or a content creation genius. Usually, it will take many tries before you find the right vibe, balance, or message. Only by constantly trying and perfecting the craft can one master the art of content creation. I’m certainly nowhere near that mark, and there are very few who have achieved that level of expertise. You need to innovate and be unique. Simply copying your competitors isn’t going to cut it.
Whenever you post, keep a close eye on the number of shares and engagements. In my opinion, the best way to learn is to try a lot of different initiatives and see what works for your niche. I’d recommend:
- giveaways
- emotional videos
- challenges
- photos with an underlying message
- user-generated content
- answering questions
- conduct a social experiment
- laying out a problem, and showing how your business solves it
- compiling helpful content
There are endless ways to go about creating something interesting to post.
Whether you’re convinced after reading this article or not, it’s worth a try. Be creative and get out there!
