| Internet viral marketing has put the power of mass | | | | form holds the key to additional value. After folks have |
| media into the hands of individuals. The advent of | | | | had the free sample. You'll want to make it easy and |
| HOTMAIL a decade ago introduced the concept of | | | | obvious for people to share this free video. |
| tool usage = tool advertisement. That, combined with | | | | - Internet Viral Marketing in STORIES: Before the |
| the extreme shareability, led to the birth of Internet viral | | | | advent of mass publishing, the entire histories of people |
| marketing. | | | | was transmitted through stories. Stories still have that |
| Internet Viral Marketing can take many forms, including: | | | | carrying power today. Present a daunting antagonist, |
| - Internet Viral Marketing in RANTS: Raging against the | | | | and make yourself, or your target audience, the |
| machine can capture the angst of an entire segment | | | | protagonist. Build up the tension in the story. Have |
| of the population. It can give voice to people who feel | | | | cliffhangers, and surprise endings. Your audience will |
| taken advantage of... and position you as their hero. | | | | not only come along for the ride, but bring people along |
| RANTS are long, passionate monologues that have | | | | with them, too! Hence the virality. This is especially |
| the author taking a very definite stand on one side of | | | | powerful when you leverage current affairs, as they |
| an important issue. In an over the top fashion. They are | | | | develop. (See "Be Notorious", below.) |
| intentionally amplified in favor of one position - thus | | | | Here are the top 4 techniques to achieve viral infection |
| naturally galvanizing a lot of people behind you, and | | | | via Internet Viral Marketing: |
| galvanizing a lot of people AGAINST you! If you're | | | | |
| going to leverage a rant, be prepared for some feisty | | | | 1. RIDE THE WAVE: Rather than trying to create your |
| dialog, some new and very loyal followers, and a fe | | | | own momentum from scratch, why not look to ride |
| individuals who will be kind of ticked off at you. Not for | | | | existing waves? By far the largest waves on the |
| the faint-of-heart. :) | | | | Internet today are Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. |
| - Internet Viral Marketing in HUMOR: This is always a | | | | Many people have created businesses virtually |
| winner. If something is genuinely funny (to your | | | | overnight, by creating YouTube videos showing folks |
| audience), it will be shared ad nauseum. In fact, it's | | | | how to leverage Facebook or Twitter for business. |
| always amusing when you have friend that's just | | | | YouTube videos are naturally easy to share - via |
| gotten onto the Internet. You know this has happened | | | | email, embeds in blogs, embeds on Facebook pages, |
| because they start forwarding all the jokes that were | | | | sharing via ReTweets, and so on. To that end, there is |
| circulated years ago. Humor gets shared. In a business | | | | a very strong case for re-packaging your existing |
| setting, it would be most useful if this humor was also | | | | content and expertise, as YouTube videos. Tweets on |
| enhanced with a business value message. For | | | | Twitter are short and to-the-point. That brevity carries |
| relevance. Otherwise, you just become one of those | | | | power. And the ability to include a link to your landing |
| funny ads that no one remembers the source of. | | | | page, or more information on the subject at hand, is |
| - Internet Viral Marketing in INTERACTIVITY: Several | | | | deceptively potent. Get re-tweeted, and you have |
| companies have been using the interactivity of FLASH | | | | arrived. Your virus has infected someone. |
| to create programs that people can insert themselves | | | | 2. MAKE ME POPULAR: Give me something that I |
| into. are masters at combining interactivity with humor, | | | | can brag to colleagues about. Make me look |
| to create Internet Viral Marketing masterpieces. Burger | | | | competent. Current. Fashionable. Funny. Wise. Informed. |
| King's is another hilarious example of using interactivity | | | | Whatever it is, raise my profile in the eyes of my |
| to drive home your brand value. The best customized | | | | peers. And I will shout your message from the |
| interactivity viral marketing techniques would output a | | | | rooftops. |
| photo or video that people could then share via social | | | | 3. BE NOTORIOUS: Be maniacally good at exactly |
| networking sites. Increasing the viral reach of the | | | | one thing. To a fault. Take something in current news, |
| campaign. is an example of this. As is Because this | | | | and take an extreme position, on one side or the other. |
| typically requires some programming know-how, and a | | | | Be full of fervor - having a balanced opinion is not |
| bit more of a budget than is typical for a small | | | | remarkable. This does not mean you should be |
| business - the best way to get this customized | | | | someone that you're not. Rather, it means that you |
| interactivity via Flash is to leverage existing tools. | | | | should take an issue you DO believe in, and amplify the |
| Rather than building your own. | | | | volume and frequency of your response. Those who |
| - Internet Viral Marketing in TOOLS: Create useful tools | | | | agree will flock to you. Those who disagree will |
| for your target audience, and you will spread like | | | | criticize you. Causing even more supporters to flock to |
| wildfire. They don't have to be fancy tools, either! You | | | | you. See how this could get viral really quickly? |
| can simply provide instructions on how people can | | | | 4. STRETCH MY THINKING: Ask intriguing questions |
| USE particular resources that they already are aware | | | | about your audience. That makes them interact with |
| of. Like Twitter, YouTube, eZineArticles, or Squidoo. | | | | you. This is more than just asking obvious questions. |
| The trick is that because you want this to spread | | | | This is asking questions about those innermost wants, |
| virally, you apply what is called a REVERSE lead | | | | needs, fears and concerns of your target audience. |
| capture page. The difference between this and a | | | | This is asking "WHAT IF?" questions. This is making |
| traditional lead capture page? You give away value | | | | them think, in a manner that stretches them. Stretch |
| BEFORE collecting leads. So rather than the lead form | | | | their thinking, and they will want to help other peers do |
| being a gate to any of the valuable content, the lead | | | | the same. |