In the last few months I have been working hard on my thesis, which will be made available on this blog soon, for my master International Business and Marketing Management at the Tias Nimbas in the Netherlands. My thesis title is: Memes are the driving forces behind Viral Marketing and Word of Mouth.
From my literature review i have created these seven steps to outline how an intended viral launched has the most chance to be successful. Extensive perhaps, but complete.
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1)
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The creator of
the intended viral knows to whom the message should be send, by doing online
research to identify networks and opinion leaders, track their behaviour and
receive permission to contact them. |
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2) |
The intended viral is created, as any communication, with the right aim towards the right target group, focused on the right gender, while being cultural aware of a global audience. The message send to this target group includes Mavens / E-Fluentials / Opinion leaders who contribute in making the message go viral. |
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3) |
The intended viral should contain a message that connects with the reader and triggers him/her to forward the email, for various reasons; the message is important or will be perceived to be of interest to the potential receiver, thus making the sender have a positive emotion while forwarding the message. |
Checkpoint: The message connects best to the reader if it is aligned to the right emotion that makes the context of the message have the most impact. This emotion being preferably surprise with either the emotion joy, sadness, anger, fear or disgust.Surprise implies that the message has new context, is remarkable/unique, is refreshing and therefore creates new food for thought and so has WoM potential.
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4) |
It should be made as easy as possible to forward the message, any threshold is one too many. Once the message has gone viral it could last for a long time and build further on established WoM. |
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5) |
The creator of the viral should follow the viral (and have the right tools to do so), guide the spreading by giving new bursts by seeding the viral in new communities along the way and encourage publicity. |
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6) |
The creator should openly interact with receivers and forwarders (i.e. blogs, forums, reviewing sites) regarding the context of the message or the underlying product/service/brand, extending the virals life. |
Checkpoint: A viral is successful if it reaches a significant audience that connects with the viral, acts on the message of the viral and as a result reacts to the product/service/brand by creating more awareness and/or sales, therefore delivering tangible, measurable and ongoing brand benefits.
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7) |
When connected to the consumer, it is critical to maintain an intriguing, trustful and transparent communication. Meanwhile creating a basis for permission based marketing for future endeavours. |
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