Five Questions About Viral Marketing

It used to be “word of mouth.” Now it’s more likely “word of Web.” But whatever you call it, viral marketing is on the front burner for many marketers and advertisers. Despite people’s suspicions about viral marketing, advertisers see the power of self-replicating messages and want to harness that power for their own branding efforts.

I recently spoke to Lain McDonald, vice president and creative director in our Sydney office, for some thoughts about viral marketing.

FREEDMAN: “Viral” is used to describe so many aspects of the Web and of user behavior these days. What is the real definition of the term?

MCDONALD: “Viral” has been referred to as the most misunderstood term in marketing today. A general definition probably reads something like this:

“On the Internet, viral marketing is any marketing technique that induces Web sites or users to pass on a marketing message to other sites or users, creating potentially exponential growth in the message’s visibility and effect.”

A deeper look into this phenomenon makes us realize quickly that in terms of scale and reach, it is unprecedented. It also is the most volatile of phenomena. We’ve all seen viral behavior at work, but few could claim to have truly harnessed or controlled it.

FRIEDMAN: How can a marketer create a successful viral campaign?

MCDONALD: Sounds easy, doesn’t it? “Create something cool, everyone will pass it on, and we just get heaps of advertising for free.” If only it were that simple. The reality is that in order to tap into viral we need to understand the actual mechanic and driving force of viral behavior, know how to initiate it, monitor it, and importantly be able to translate it into a tangible form of ROI.

To begin, we need to commit ourselves to this single golden truth about viral campaigns: Agencies do not create viral campaigns; the consumer creates viral campaigns.

Understanding this truth allows us to take a quantum step forward in terms of how we begin to create content that allows our consumer to engage willingly.

FRIEDMAN: So how do I get people to respond to my message and pass it on?

MCDONALD: [By understanding the motivation behind a viral campaign], we can begin to put some logic and reason into building content that can hopefully become viral. For example, if you have ever received a .jpeg or a joke, or been e-mailed a YouTube video, then you have seen an example of what we define as an “ego campaign” – the most common form of viral.

This viral content has been passed on, because the sender has an egotistical motive for delivering the content to another person. That is, by sending the content, it makes the sender appear to be “funny” or “knowledgeable.” It’s just like telling a joke at the bar. It’s not your joke, but by telling the joke, it makes you appear funny. Understanding the motive means we are able to tap into the reason for passing content to others.

FRIEDMAN: We’ve heard a lot about the consequences of failed viral campaigns. What are the common pitfalls a marketer should avoid?

MCDONALD: First and foremost, we need to acknowledge that being “transparent and honest” plays a big role in a successful outcome. Viral marketing is different from guerrilla marketing. For instance, flogs (fake or staged blogs) are not an acceptable form of viral marketing. Of course, this starts to look like an oxymoron; that is, generally people won’t pass on an advertisement. But this is where we start to understand the fine art of creating content that is user-centric by design, one that supports a marketing message that doesn’t detract from the consumer’s desire to redistribute the content.

FRIEDMAN: What else should we consider before launching a viral marketing campaign?

MCDONALD: First, we should think of it in terms of “seeding” rather than “launching.” Seeding a viral campaign is an art form in its own right. The measurability of a campaign is another art form. A viral campaign cannot be judged a success on the basis of “unique visitors” or other typical metrics.

The digital landscape is ever changing and with it the methods of sending and receiving viral content, which will continue to make successful viral marketing a moving target. But by understanding consumers’ desires and motivations and respecting the rules of engagement, we are a step closer to being able to use viral as a tangible form of media that delivers results.

Dave Friedman, president of the central region for Avenue A | Razorfish, is a monthly contributor to Chief Marketer. Contact him at [email protected].