Viral Marketing, the communication that makes everybody happy

Have you ever sent a link to a website to a friend? Or send an invitation to play a draw or even to discover a new product? Brands have quickly understood the power of this marketing strategy. From email circulating to the sending of a funny short movie to share, The Internet has become the new word of mouth full-size. Viral Marketing is a method of communication which is growing very strongly in the society! It’s a marketing strategy where the consumer becomes an actor and thus contributes to the product launch and promotion. This new phenomenon has been amplified and knows a great success thanks to the Internet development.

The originality of this strategy is that the consumer becomes the communication and promotion’s tool. The motivation of each consumer is different: It may be a playful, greed, with a gift to the key, or information’s transmission.

We can propose a small example for men: the Aubade brand and its computer screensaver. Many men share these screensavers and send it by email to their friends.

There are many advantages for the company and the brand that use this strategy. It is primarily the fact that it is a consumer who is talking to another consumer. The message takes more than sincerity and puts more trust, although the strings are still undertaken by the company. Another advantage, in terms of cost, budget implementation of this action is weaker than other means of communication. Thus, thanks to the Internet, spreading the message is much larger and faster. It also increases consumer awareness and they pay more attention to the message. Targeting and monitoring are very specific.

Studies on the strategy’s effectiveness have been completed and allowed us to understand its success. The technologies’ development in information and communication is a tool directly linked to the success of viral marketing. Indeed, the Internet and mobile phones allow a better dissemination of the message than the simple and classical word of mouth. However, to ensure the strategy’s effectiveness, the message must be interesting and creative. We have to tempt the consumer, the Internet user to share this message.

Direct marketing is still a new communication method that will intensify and diversify itself rapidly. Indeed, with the development of new technologies and also new consumer behavior, viral marketing still has a bright future for companies and is only at the beginning of its capabilities.

Laura G.