Viral Marketing: Good? Bad? Both?

The way people search for information has changed. They’ve also changed the media they consume and the way they consume it. Couple the foregoing with the ways people prefer to be advertised to, and it should be no surprise that marketing strategies have had to change with them.

These changes have given rise to emerging marketing strategies, of which there are many. Today, though, we’re just going to talk through one of them: viral marketing.

So, let’s explore the complexities of viral marketing. Along the way, we’ll discuss whether it is good, bad, or a combination of both. Let’s dive in.

Understanding Viral Marketing

Viral marketing is a strategy that relies on individuals to share a marketing message or content rapidly with a vast audience.

It differs from traditional marketing methods by using the power of social sharing and word-of-mouth to attain widespread visibility. The key to viral campaigns lies in their shareability and the ability to reach a large audience organically and quickly.

Think of a time you watched the Super Bowl then went to work the next day. You may have talked to your buddies about the game itself, but you’re just as likely to talk about your favorite commercials.

The commercials that come up in those discussions just accomplished the surface level goal of viral marketing.

Social Media Effects on Viral Marketing

The magic behind viral marketing lies in its ability to resonate with the audience on a personal level. Emotional appeal, relevance to current trends, and authenticity are crucial elements that contribute to making content go viral.

If you really think about anything you’ve seen online, the pictures or videos you enjoy the most will often have a majority of those elements.

In recent times, social media platforms have played a pivotal role in increasing the reach and impact of viral campaigns. Not only does it help your message reach a huge audience, but you can now see that same audience voicing their opinions in the comments.

Gaining popularity from the campaign allows marketers to create lasting impacts that resonate with consumers on a personal level. This leads to increased engagement and consumer loyalty.

This Coca Cola commercial is about the power of a smile and only shows the Coca Cola brand at the end. Although it does not throw the brand name in your face, the video keeps you engaged and smiling all the way up to the logo being shown.

With over 7 million views on YouTube alone, this commercial is a testament to emotional and personal appeal and a great example of the positive side of viral marketing.

This ad showing Nike supporting Colin Kaepernick (former NFL Quarterback) was enough for some Nike consumers to completely boycott their products. We assume Nike did not anticipate this reaction and had no control over the backlash once it began.

Some people beg the question, “What if that ad had gotten positive feedback?”

Even with positive feedback on a viral ad, we can still see the campaign fail in the long term. Weird, right? Well, in marketing you must constantly be innovative and come up with new ideas.

Some companies finally get an ad to go viral, and they celebrate. However, they ride out that one campaign without coming up with new ideas which leads to a slow but sure death to that campaign.

So, use this as your reminder to never get complacent in any area of your field or you will crash and burn.

Also, there is a question of audience and buyer’s intent. These examples, Coca Cola and Nike, are both examples of business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing campaigns. Cross the threshold into business-to-business (B2B) and the buyer’s profile changes—becoming more niche, specific, and expensive. So, choosing the right strategy for your goals and your audience is important.

The Final Decision

We have seen successful viral campaigns and seen them lead to negative publicity. Viral marketing is a high-risk, high-reward game that has become more and more common with the increase of social media.

Like any strategy you choose, there are pros and cons. As you’d guess, viral marketing is no different. All that matters is that you maintain the three key elements: emotional appeal, relevance to current trends, and authenticity.

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