Creating viral marketing buzz can be difficult. However, a viral buzz can help the story of a business reach larger audiences, and can help it to reach its goals.
Creating a viral buzz normally aims at creating a positive buzz around a brand or a product, and generates free publicity.
It should get customers excited and curious about a brand. A viral campaign does not have to be restricted to online content because word of mouth can also result in mass spread of a campaign.
Given below are steps that will result in viral content for marketing campaigns.
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A clear message
To connect with customers, a simple and compelling message is essential. It is important that every touch point a customer has with a product sends the same message. A clear brand message gets everyone moving in the same direction and creates consistency.
The message should get at the heart of the benefits that a product will bring. It is important to include a positioning statement. A positioning statement is a declaration of what a business is and of the value it brings to its customers. An apt example can be the message that Amazon provided on the web during its initial years, ‘For World Wide Web users who enjoy books, Amazon.com is the online bookseller that provides instant access to 1.1 million books.’
The right channel
To grab consumer attention, it is important to select the right channel. Sharing content on the wrong platform will not let it reach many people. For instance, if the message has to reach a younger audience, it is better to share it on Instagram. Video marketing can also be useful in this instance, as visuals create more impact and are highly engaging. Well-known influencers can also reach a target audience.
The right type of content as the building block
Different types of content lead to different results. If the content elicits strong emotions, it is likely to go viral. If the content is interactive, it is an added bonus. Taboo, humorous, outrageous and unusual content also work well in this respect. In 2010, Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, seeking to drive patronage, promised a person the opportunity to spend a ‘ Month at the Museum’. Visitors would actually spend a month there in a room that resembled a hotel’s. The winner would then use social media platforms to describe the experience and be rewarded $10,000 for the effort. The museum received more than 1500 entries from all over the world. It doubled the museum’s Facebook fanpage.
Know your audience
It is difficult to create viral content that will resonate with everyone. The key lies in how well the content convinces the audience to share it. It is critical to find out what interests the customers, what their needs are, and what is of importance to them when they make purchasing decisions and share content online.
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