What is exactly Viral marketing?

Viral marketing is any marketing technique that induces web sites or users to pass on a marketing message to other sites or users.

So in other word, viral marketing is a way to promote a service or product exponentially. When effectively done one person will give it to several people who in turn will promote it to several other people. This is what makes viral marketing so effective.

Here are some of the powerful reasons that make viral marketing a successful form of advertising.

1. Reduced work

With viral marketing, you advertise to some people, who can end up advertising your business for you. The people they advertise to could also advertise your business to some other people. The process continues and you may end up with a lot of people advertising your business.

2. Reduced effort.

One of the commonly used methods is to give away free stuff.  This will be further elaborated later. With viral marketing, you do not necessarily have to focus as much effort on advertising compared to other marketing methods.

3. Increased conversion rate

Conversion rates could be improved using this technique and there could be high amount of traffic that comes to your websites as well.

4. Targeted promotion

People will tend to only talk about your business to other people who are interested in it. Less advertising effort is wasted on people not interested in your business.

I have mentioned those powerful reasons why viral marketing is important. Now, let me continue to share with you some of these high impact techniques that you could consider for a successful viral marketing.

1. Reprint articles

Allow people to reprint your articles on their website, in their newsletter, ebooks or any other of their publication. However, you should include your resource box and the option for article reprints at the bottom of each article.

2. Freebies

Everyone will like freebies. You could allow people to use any of your freebies as free bonuses for products or services they sell. Your ad should be included on all your freebies.

3. Free online service

If you offer any services, you might want to consider allowing people to provide your free online service to their web site, visitors, or e-zine subscribers.
These services could be in the form of e-mail, e-mail consulting, search engine submissions, etc.

4. Free website

If you have the server, you should allow people to sign up for a free web site on
your server. Since you are giving away free space to them, what you need to do is to require them to include your banner ad at the top of the site.

5. Free software

If you are a developer and had created various software or programme codes, you may like to give away them to the people. Just remember to include your business advertisement inside the software program.

6. Use of discussion board

If you have an online discussion board, you should always try to allow people to use yours for their own web site. However, your banner ad should be appeared at the top of the board.

7. Use of design

If you are a web or graphics designer, you could allow people to give away your free web design graphics, fonts, or templates. However, you should include your ad on them or require people to link directly to your web site.

8. Advertisement exchange

You could allow people to place an advertisement in your free ebook if, in exchange, they give away the ebook to their web visitors or e-zine subscribers.

A word of caution: Viral marketing can bring success to a business if it is used right. It could lead to disaster if it is not properly used.

Drop me a comment if you have more thoughts!