Viral marketing is a set of techniques that, through channels such as social networks, manage to spread messages easily and quickly to Internet users. With this set of techniques, exponential increases in product sales are produced. The messages become viral due to word of mouth, but online word of mouth, i.e. created by the Internet. In this way, a greater number of users are reached in record time.
do you want to know how?
This is how virality is achieved
There are marketing experts who have tried to discover the formula for virality and, although they have not yet succeeded, they have found a powerful ingredient: the meme. Apart from this new concept that has emerged in recent years, there are a number of keys to making content go viral:
- The headline: this is one of the most important elements of viral marketing. The headline has to be engaging, attention-grabbing. It invites users to click.
- The story: you have to create a certain "storytelling " , show what the story behind it is, include a case that exemplifies it in a more interesting way and give details so that the user can understand it better.
- Dissemination: the content must be disseminated through all the best possible channels. Social networks, nowadays, can be a great ally to achieve the dissemination that is needed. Identify the channels with which your target audience or buyer persona interacts most regularly and share your publications on them.
- The presentation: the way in which the content is presented is important. Its visual aspect is key, as it enters through the eyes and what enters through the eyes is more likely to remain in the user's memory.
- Infographics: for this presentation and to achieve a good visual aspect, it is recommended that infographics are included. They are enriching, they can be used as diagrams to explain the content and concentrate the most important information.
In addition, there are certain resources that generate virality, such as:
- Humour: if a content manages to make the public laugh, it will surely be shared and spread more frequently than one that does not. Did you know that humour is one of the resources that brands like the most?
- Controversy: together with confrontation, this is another resource that makes it possible for content to be shared more often. Controversy and empathy with what is said in the content will make the user see it to the end. It will even provoke comments, whether written or verbal, which in turn will produce more dissemination. Of course, always in line with ethics and morals.
- Animals: content that includes animals is more popular than content that does not. We all know that animals produce all kinds of feelings. Do you know which animals attract the most engagement? Dogs and cats.
- Music: this is another instrument that brings emotions to the surface and makes the content go viral. Try to use music that flows and is in line with the feelings and sensations you want to convey.
Social networks: a way of viral marketing
Currently, the most used social network is Instagram, which makes it possible for content, whether videos or photos, to reach users directly and more easily. For this purpose, the so-called "Instagram Stories" are essential. These are audiovisual contents that, unlike the so-called "posts", are ephemeral, only last 24 hours and then disappear.
Their visual aspect is very important and, as we have already mentioned, one of the keys for the content to have greater virality is their visual aspect. Remember that they are vertical, moving away from the usual horizontal model of past years. So, from a business point of view, take into account their visual aspect, their harmony and the points where you want the user to focus to attract their attention and provoke the action you are looking for. In addition, we also want the same user to share it with their network of contacts in order to reach a larger audience with the same profile.
Also, stories are easy to create and use and that makes them a great source of options for users, as well as for brands. Brands, apart from having an Instagram profile to promote their products, use influencers to achieve greater virality. If an influencer shares content, virality will increase by 30%.
Advantages of viral marketing
There are a number of advantages to viral campaigns, including
- Its non-invasive nature: that is, the user's decision to participate and share freely and voluntarily. No one is forced to share a content. With this, the perception of the brand and the interaction with it come out well compared to advertising campaigns that carry out a classic strategy.
- Its low cost: as soon as the content spreads through social networks and goes viral through them, much of the work of the marketing campaign is done, i.e. users do the marketing work when they share and make a content viral, therefore, costs are greatly reduced.
- Its enormous potential: when a piece of content goes viral, its dimension is multiplied by a thousand. The content is likely to reach an international audience and, all this, with almost no financial investment. It is a very competitive advantage because it makes it possible for a small company or even an individual person to grow and go far.
Some examples of viral marketing
- Another way of living, by Estrella Damm: this beer brand and its adverts welcome the summer every year and these are part of the list of the most awaited spost of the year. With this summer's advert, they have left aside the laughter and good vibes and created a more vindictive one. Specifically, the company launches a call for help to save the Mediterranean Sea and not to continue polluting the seas. The song Another way of living, by Joan Dausà, Maria Rodés and Santi Balmes, accompanies the images.
- Moving house, by Casa Tarradellas: when you move house, it's hard to let go of things, which is why, with this advert, the message the brand wants to convey is that there's nothing better than sharing a Casa Tarradellas pizza with the family, between boxes, without Wi-Fi..
Now that you know the possibilities that viral marketing offers, do you want to take your content to the next level? Listen to your users and give them the chance to be your brand ambassadors.
