The spread of an idea is a wonderful thing. These days, the Internet refers to it as 'going viral', but the concept of a virus has obviously been around much longer than the digital era. Here's a great offline example of how the viral spread phenomenon works. When you think about it, the same basic principles apply to going viral online. You share something, three people share what you shared, 10 people share that and before you know it...she has gone:
Everybody wants to create something that goes viral. But they don't realize that it's not easy and, to be honest, you need to get a little bit lucky. There's also more to most viral pieces of content than meets the eye (Jimmy Kimmel, anyone?). So you have to be careful about your desire and expectations to create something that takes over the Internet. Is it reasonably possible? Is it actually what your audience wants from you or are they better off with more targeted content?
These are burning questions that deserve answers, so we decided to focus our latest whitepaper on 2 Surprising Truths About Viral Content (and 2 Things It Means For Your Business!).
Our whitepaper's purpose is to help you understand all facets of viral marketing so you can decide whether it's a tactic that makes sense for your business. Get full access to the 2 Surprising Truths About Viral Content (and 2 Things It Means For Your Business!) whitepaper and we're sure you'll learn new things about what really drives viral content. Sprinkle in our post about how to identify your most engaging content and you'll be able to build on optimal social media and content marketing mix that really puts your business on the social map.
What's Inside
Truths About Viral Content: not all viral content is exactly what it seems. Sure, you see the same big brands creating viral videos all the time, but did you ever consider how much money probably goes into viral campaigns. Companies throw mega-dollars at their stuff to make it go viral, so you can't blame yourself for not replicating their success. In some cases, content does go virally organically, but even then there's some dishonestly at play (even if it's unintentional). Viral content is a great asset, but make sure you know the facts before going all-in with viral marketing.
What These Truths Mean For Your Business: as we outline in the whitepaper, if you have the right audience, then maybe you should pull out all the stops and floor them with a great prank. if you read is correct, they'll love you forever. On the other hand, maybe chasing viral content is doing your business more harm than good. Like everything else in digital marketing, it depends on your company and its overall marketing goals and resources. We're just laying all the information out - you gotta do what's right for you.
