5 Secrets to a Good Viral Campaign
Posted on February 16th, 2010 by Paula Skaper
I’m frequently asked what makes a good viral campaign. Much of the time, the request is for a cheap viral campaign produced overnight that costs next to nothing and catches on like the iPhone on steroids. The first is achievable. The second? Well miracles do happen, but not usually all at the same time.
So what does make for a strong viral campaign? Let’s assume you’ve got the basic marketing stuff down pat – you know your target audience, have established a measurable target outcome that ties directly to your business goals, and are clear on the message that you want participants to take away with them. In other words, you’ve got a solid strategic and creative brief ready to go. How do you assess the tactical ideas you generate?
1. Good virals are simple.
Simple, simple, simple. Do you have a concept that’s focused around a single, unifying idea that’s in line with the current trends in your market? Can you describe your concept in one sentence and make it sound like fun? Can you come up with a brief three-word (max) title that hooks the customer? If not, keep going. You’re not there yet.
Keep in mind that the simplest ideas frequently float to the top after the most complicated ideas have all failed. Simple takes time.
2. Good virals are usually funny, rude or useful. Sometimes both.
Most of the successful viral campaigns either make your target audience laugh out loud or gasp in shock. Every once in a while (and it’s rare) they’re just useful. Every single time there’s something unexpected to hook your audience so that they feel like an insider when they share your viral with their own networks.
Like a good joke, the punchline is surprising. And like a good joke, the story is more interesting to the listener than the story teller. Makes you laugh = maybe. Makes your customer laugh = home run.
3. Good virals support your brand.
Let’s face it, a viral campaign isn’t likely to generate direct sales revenues. What it absolutely must do is build awareness of your product or service and communicate your market position in a positive and entertaining way. Your customers must be able to identify with your viral in a way that leaves them feeling good about themselves. And good about how well your corporate values fit with theirs. You can accomplish this with unusual or innovative content that ties into your more traditional marketing themes, a ‘star’ player that your customers can relate to, and a storyline that’s aligned with what your customers are talking about right now.
4. A good viral has high production values.
Your customers can smell a half-hearted commitment a mile away. And they’ll translate that weak effort as a parallel for the effort you’ll put into providing them with service – probably not the brand message you’re hoping to communicate. If you’re convinced that viral marketing is the way to go, then commit the time, money and resources necessary to make a good viral you can be proud to attach your name to. The hardest viral to do is the one that looks casually thrown together. That seemingly “thrown together” campaign very likely took more time, money and people to create than several more polished options.
5. Support the spread of the virus.
Sometimes a good viral just happens. More often than not, they need a bit of loving attention to spread. To make sure your viral reaches the critical mass of prospective audience members that you need to get the ball rolling takes a solid communications strategy that seeds your message in the right places, gets influential web community leaders behind you and rewards the right people for saying the right things without stepping on anyone’s toes. Do everything else right and ignore your seeding strategy and chances are the entire campaign will fall flat on it’s face. Get your seeding strategy wrong and you may end up publicly embarrassed by the negative and vociferous backlash from those very influencers you hoped would be your allies.
