He was born in January 2009 and seven months later he was an international sensation with a fan following to die for: 700,00 followers on Facebook, 22,000 followers on Twitter, a separate gallery dedicated to his family on Flickr, and some months later a hugely successful autobiography. The only problem is, he’s a CGI anthropomorphic Russian Meerkat. Meet the famous Aleksandr Orlov from comparethemarket.com (or comparethemeerkat.com).
As his popularity grows, so does the twist in his family’s tragedies which viewers never tire to watch over and over again and share the through YouTube, FaceBook, Twitter and a host of social media sites. Aleksandr is every PR agency’s dream! Every company’s dream mascot. (and I do hope, using a twist on the spelling would help my blog too!)
Why does a campaign turn viral, when others don’t? What was special in this campaign? It was an advertisement for (yet another) comparison site with a plain Jane name! Yet, the meerkat caught the imagination of its viewers catapulting the website to the top!
One of the coolest things about the Web is that when an idea takes off, it can propel a brand or a company to seemingly instant fame and fortune. For Free. Whatever you call it – viral, buzz, word-of-mouth... – having other people tell you the story drives action. One person sends to another, then that person sends it to yet another and so on. The challenge for marketers is to harness the amazing power of word-of-mouse.
Let’s look at some of the products/campaigns that have been successful. Is there something we can learn from them?
Classic Case 1: Hotmail.com
The classic example of viral marketing is Hotmail.com, one of the first free Web-based e-mail services. The strategy is simple:
1. Give away free e-mail addresses and services,
2. Attach a simple tag at the bottom of every free message sent out: "Get your private, free email at http://www.hotmail.com" and,
3. Then stand back while people e-mail to their own network of friends and associates,
4. Who see the message,
5. Sign up for their own free e-mail service, and then
6. Propel the message still wider to their own ever-increasing circles of friends and associates.
Like tiny waves spreading ever farther from a single pebble dropped into a pond, a carefully designed viral marketing strategy ripples outward extremely rapidly.
Classic Case 2: Gmail
Unlike Hotmail, Gmail came up with a different strategy. It invited a select group to Gmail. The initial invitees had a limited number of invites. As PC users were getting used to Google, they were intrigued by the ‘exclusivity’ surrounding Gmail. Very soon, people were ‘begging’ the Gmail users for introductions. Some enterprising chaps even tried to ‘sell’ gmail accounts introductions on the web!
So what was different in this case? Exclusivity, obviously!
Case 3: Multi-level marketing
Use existing communication networks – Multi-level marketers have perfected this art. Social scientists tell us that each person has a network of 8 – 12 people in their close network of friends, family, and associates. Start with one and expect the communication/service/product to ride on this network. If you have a LinkedIn account you are aware of this geometric progression.
So what are the key elements of a successful viral marketing? Ralph Wilson, very aptly sums them up as follows:
1. Gives away products or services
2. Provides for effortless transfer to others
3. Scales easily from small to very large
4. Exploits common motivations and behaviors
5. Utilises existing communication networks
6. Takes advantage of others' resources
It is not necessary that all elements must be present for a campaign to turn viral. However, it is logical to assume that the more elements are present, the more powerful the results are likely to be.
The Internet provides a perfect nurturing ground for viral marketing. You devise a plot, weave a story (3 minutes maximum – keep YouTube in mind), put it on the web and start talking about it. It can begin from as simple as putting a link below your email signature, to posting a link on facebook and twitter. As you can see, the formula for success includes a combination of some great—and free— Web content (a video, blog entry, interactive tool, or e-book) that provides valuable information (or is groundbreaking or amazing or hilarious or involves a celebrity), plus a network of people to light the fire and links that make your content very easy to share.
While this looks fairly simple, I wish I could tell you whether your campaign will turn viral. Honestly, if I knew this secret, I’d not be here writing this blog! Having said that, the fact remains that viral marketing is one of the most exciting and powerful ways to reach your audiences. It is not easy to harness the power of word-of-mouse, but any company with thoughtful ideas to share – and clever ways to create interest in them – can, after some careful preparation, hit the jackpot. And, even if you do not this time, what do you have to lose?
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