Boarded door with "Gone Viral" written on the wood

Viral Marketing

Have you been tasked to make your next campaign go viral? How much research time did you just put into understanding Baby Yoda memes? Don’t want to answer that…we understand.

Going viral is an incredibly difficult task, like catching lightning in a bottle. Except your bottle opens up a few weeks later, and there is another baby craze grabbing everyone’s attention. Looking at you, #babynut.

All of this may make it seem like going viral would be a futile business objective. However, chasing dialogue and spreading your message to a large number of people at rapid speed can be achievable as well as helpful to your overall business goals.

First, let’s define viral –

Viralness is defined as relating to or involving an image, video, piece of content, that is circulated rapidly and widely from one user to another. Viral marketing is defined as a method of marketing whereby consumers are encouraged to engage in sharing content about a brand’s products or services through digital channels. Getting as many shares may seem to be the most crucial thing in becoming a viral sensation; however, there are more nuanced things to consider, such as the correct uses for each platform. Static memes work great for Twitter and Instagram but knowing the latest top songs or dancing trends will be necessary for TikTok.

Next, what number even equates to viral? Right now, there is no down and dirty answer to the level of achieving viral status. There isn’t a magic number and, in some instances, if you are reaching people who cannot partake in your business but are engaging with you, does that help your bottom line?

This leads to the worth of your content. Only reaching those who are in your market at this moment can lead to stagnating reach efficiency. You were tasked to grow your business. You may be thinking you have to buy the next ticket on the hype train and break the internet. Let’s be honest, breaking the internet is counter-intuitive for your overall objectives, and chasing something you know will never work does not move the ball forward. Create worthy content that drives engagement and conversation. This can lead to action steps such as donations or raise awareness for brand offerings. This was executed well by IHOP with their IHOB burger campaign. Their campaign quadrupled burger sales and increased their overall lunch and dinner sales as well!

Now let’s get actionable –

First, be authentic as a brand and build your messages towards that. Next, using your authentic tone evoke real emotion as this will be vital in causing them to react. This will lead to those coveted shares that get you on your way to fame.

Figure out an ROI you want to build upon and find personal data points that exceed those expectations. What is viral to you can be subjective to your brand’s offering or community.

If you do want to achieve that status of global fame, there are additional tips to follow.

Baby Yoda Cheeseburger Bobby's Facebook postTrendjacking may seem to be unoriginal to some, though if used wisely, you can bring to life a whole new meaning to an already burgeoning internet phenomenon. Take, for instance, our recent post for Cheeseburger Bobby’s using the previously mentioned Baby Yoda. Mixing the cuteness of this known character with humor around his desire for food, we thought Cheeseburger Bobby’s was a perfect place to advertise everyone’s childhood go-to, Chicky Tendies, and it worked!

Additionally, this can further lead to an influencer picking up your post, creating more reach, and potential partnerships.

There isn’t a how-to on becoming a viral sensation, because part of the acclaim is to be authentic. Forcing something almost immediately is noticeable. So instead, be true to yourself, take a risk, and always make sure to evoke emotion. Emotion leads to the most shares and relates to a broad audience.

If you’re interested in taking your social to the next level, we would love to chat. We’re always keeping up with the trends and have handy tools to make your social presence ever stronger! Contact shelly@marburycreativegroup.com.

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