Viral marketing is a powerful marketing strategy that takes advantage of the exponential power of mass communication. It involves using the internet, such as social media platforms, to spread the news of a product or service and share it among potential consumers. This is done by encouraging people to share a message organically or by word of mouth, resulting in an ever-increasing number of impressions, or “hits” - and that can rapidly grow a company’s customer base.

Rather than spending money on paid advertising, a successful viral marketing campaign can save on marketing costs by taking advantage of the organic and word-of-mouth transmission of a message. Once something has gone “viral”, its message will reach farther and faster than if it had not gone viral - exposing a company to a larger pool of potential customers.

The elements of a viral marketing campaign are varied and range from the creative, the informational, the entertaining, and beyond. By crafting a campaign that appeals to a wide audience, companies can increase their chances of success. A viral campaign should be sleek and captivating and often incorporates images, text, audio, and video into one cumulative message that entices people to spread the word.

When it comes to viral marketing, it’s impossible to predict what knowledge base should lead to which content becoming viral. This means that there is no fool proof answer to what makes content go viral. The element that a campaign relies on to be successful is the message itself and how it resonates with its potential audience.

For a successful viral marketing campaign to reach its potential, the message must be compelling and, more important, shareable. This means that the story and ideas behind the message must be strong, appealing to the viewers, informative, funny and/or relatable so that they will want to spread the word. The success of viral marketing relies on understanding the audience that the message will reach and sharing a message that will have a significant resonance.

Viral marketing can have a powerful snowball effect that can quickly increase a company’s reach and, ultimately, its customer base. Understanding the power of social media and the internet, and then carefully crafting a compelling message for a wide audience, are two of the key factors for a successful viral marketing campaign. By exploring the world of viral marketing, companies can gain the edge over their competitors and reap the rewards of the success it can bring.