The term "viral marketing" refers to the idea that people will pass on and share with others content that is interesting and entertaining. This sharing of content is expressed as word of mouth advertising and can grow at an exponential rate like a virus. Like a matrix chart a person passes the information on to several other people who in turn pass it on to several other people and so on. The reach of this type of networking can be truly expansive.
Viral marketing has become the bread and butter of webmasters. One link in the right place at the right time can increase the exposure of a website beyond any other form of networking or linking strategy. It works like the old Pyramid scheme (i.e. chain letters) but used ethically it can be a boon to webmasters who are try to find ways of increasing website traffic.
The following are just a few examples of Viral Marketing...
- Shared - a funny video clip or cartoon passed from one web surfer to another is a good example of this type of campaign. People like to share the things that interest them with their friends. Provide your visitor with something interesting and they will pass it along.
Rewards - offer an incentive to your visitors. Downloads, articles and contests are all good ways to get your visitors to refer your website to others. Ask them to tell their friends about your site in exchange for their reward. Done properly this kind of viral marketing is most effective.
Referral - here the idea is to gain referrals without asking for them. Referral marketing entails the presentation of material that leads visitors to believe that they have discovered your product on their own. Referring to a product or website in an oblique way and not making the pitch obvious is an excellent example of refereed marketing.
Database - online forums and chat rooms can be developed into a self sustaining network of referrals. The people using these services will encourage their friends to join them. As the popularity of your website grows so will your traffic. Though difficult to set-up such a site it will produce dividends.
