Viral marketing is a style of promotion that relies on an audience to organically generate and push the message of a product or service. On social media, marketing is considered “viral” when it’s being shared rapidly by the public at large (with a compounding effect) rather than just its target audience.
How does viral marketing work?
Modern viral marketing on social can be illustrated by the popularity of social media memes or trending TikTok sounds. Memes get shared and promoted like crazy because they resonate with people.
The same rules apply to viral marketing, when followers and customers share a brand’s content because it’s buzz-worthy. But while platforms like TikTok and formats like Instagram Reels have made viral marketing easier for brands, not all brands will achieve the universal reach they’re looking for.
Pro tip: When it comes to knowing what will resonate with your audience and beyond, you don’t need to start at square one. Just look at your data.
What are the pros and cons of viral marketing?
THE PROS:
Increased brand awareness: When you go from 10-1,000 average engagements to 10,000,000, you’ve officially supercharged your brand awareness and potentially gained thousands of new fans or customers.
Audience growth: More eyes on your brand inevitably leads to more fans and followers. For example, Shedd Aquarium’s viral “penguin field trips” campaign led to thousands of new followers gained in a matter of days.
THE CONS:
The reception may not be what you expect: Viral campaigns are meant to create buzz. But sometimes, that buzz isn’t the positive response you’re hoping for.
Losing control of your content and message: Once your content is out there, it’s out there. It can be re-posted and commented on by anyone else with a computer, and you cannot control what they do with it.
More fans doesn’t always mean more customers: New followers and more commenters doesn’t always translate to more sales.
