Viral

It seems that the love affair with viral is far from over, so if you decide to go this route, make sure that the entertainment you provide is in some way related to your products or services (see the Will It Blend? video from Blendtec: www.willitblend.com.)

There are all kinds of formulas out there for viral success, but the reality is that even if you follow them slavishly, the chances of you having a viral breakthrough are still pretty slim. There are a number of intangibles that come into play, among them: timing, execution, the idea itself, the value of the idea, the culture it targets and whether that culture will actually facilitate the speed of the spread. It may not, depending on the market that you’re going after.

Though there are a lot of factors to consider, they can be thought through, giving you have a greater chance at success. But keep in mind that it isn’t as simple as creating a video – and boom! – you’re the next viral success on the Internet. There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people attempting to do the same for themselves and their businesses. More often than not, companies actually do more damage to themselves with a poorly executed viral attempt.

The fortunate thing is that most of the failures won’t spread very far. Of course, if it is forwarded because it’s such a great failure, you’re still not going to be getting a positive brand impression. So be careful attempting a viral strategy. Know that there are formulas out there for success, and try to play within them.

Most importantly, don’t be bland. If your ideas start to play it too safe then viral may not be appropriate for your brand. By the same token make sure that you viral marketing ideas don’t hurt your brand. This is an opportunity to have fun with your brand and extend it, but do it in a positive manner.

In the end, a lot really depends on your culture and your brand. The higher your brand loyalty is, the greater chance that you have for a viral success. We typically opt for utility more often than viral engagement – not just because it has more long-term value, but also because it makes more sense to be able to articulate or connect more closely when you’re aligned with the brand itself. Utility tends to do that more effectively. But again, this ties into your brand.