Viral marketing

[altyfc]

Does anyone here have experience with viral web marketing? We've only ever tried it on a small scale and with, to be honest, little success. My impression is that it can be enormously effective, but of all the viral campaigns that are ever tried, only a miniscule number ever actually 'make it'. Has anyone here tried it and, more importantly, anyone ever succeed with it? Would be interested to hear...

Aaron

[Brian Turner]

I'm under the impression that viral marketing is generally something you can, by it's very nature, have little control over. More specifically, I would have thought it applies to specific issues such as customer referrals (spontaneous ones, not forced ones). Or have I misunderstood the concept??

[altyfc]

That's true to some extent although you do have some control. For me, viral marketing is almost wholly dependent on originality.

Come up with something truly original that people will want to pass on and it can be very effective. Problem is, most ideas are old, unoriginal or uninteresting...

Aaron

[Suzanne]

I like the term Fractal Marketing. Also known as 'in the right place at the right time with the right people'. Not common. Butterflies don't always flap their wings with purpose.

[charmingescort]

One of those silly flash games such as the Yeti smacking Penguins for distance, the frog on the lilly pad, the retro jet set willy game etc. is Viral Marketing at it's best. I've often wanted to see the site of the creators to see what else they might have in store... or what couple possibly be used for something I was working on.

Cameron

[Brian Turner]

Hi charmingescort, and welcome to business-talk.

JEt Set Willy? Can someone show me where? And does it still have the music? And is there a version of Manic Miner online?

[altyfc]

The funny thing about the Yeti and the penguin (and various others) is that they had no apparent business association. I really felt the perpetrators missed a few bucks there, but then maybe it wouldn't have spread like wildfire if it was more commercial.

Aaron

[Brian Turner]

Yes, I was wondering about text link advertising there.

I figure I'd missed the opportunity by the time I realised it, though.

[altyfc]

The other thing is - even if you did get to advertise on something like that - would it be worthwhile?

Thousands upon thousands of visitors, yes. But people that are parting with money? I doubt it - they're more interested in bashing the living daylights out of that poor penguin.

Aaron

[Panky]

I think as far as advertising on those games, it would depend on what you are advertising. If you wanted name recognition. If you were associated on some level with online games, the people viewing those ads may not purchase anything right then, but they may recognize the site name or visit the site later on to see if you offer more games like the one they are currently playing.

Part of it is research too to see who is playing those games. Are they teens, young adults, over 21, or kids in Elementary School? If you had a product or service that catered to a specific age group or geographical location, then advertising within those games could be an option.

As far as viral marketing is concerned, whatever you are trying to market must be perceived as the "greatest invention since sliced bread". You can take an idea or product that is already out there and improve upon it or find another creative avenue to market it. For example, say you wrote a very informative eBook. You have to figure out how to make this book stand out amongst all the other thousands of eBooks out there. What is it that makes your product better? Why does someone want to read your eBook and then want to become a reseller of your eBook? What benefit do they receive from choosing to market your eBook versus another eBook?