The Value of Going Viral (Digital Friday/Promotion)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™.  Today is Digital Friday and we're going to look at the value of your message going viral and having customers talk about your brand.

 

The Wall Street Journal recently profiled the best and the worst ads and stunts created in-house or by major advertising agencies for big brands.  This prompted me to think about advertising going viral and creating buzz through social media.  Some of the viral campaigns did a great job while others caused the companies to backtrack from their efforts.  Next, I am going to discuss how important creating buzz really is.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have 800 million people follow one of your social media posts?  Is that realistic and do you need that many people tuning in worldwide?  I think the answer is a resounding No.  Your goal should be a smaller following that is interested in what your company is all about.

To develop an advertisement that may go viral, be creative.  Don't take the typical approach to whatever content you are creating.  Use your imagination and think about what might appeal to your potential audience.

Your post should be meaningful over cute.  Cute may attract a few eyeballs but will it really resonate with potential customers?

The message should be honest and a true reflection of your brand.  You want to create a good understanding of what you are all about for the audience who does see your social media effort.

Plan to distribute your content where it aligns with potential customers.  That will create the greatest chances of them sharing it with other people who might be like-minded and interested in your post.

And finally, don't force it.  Viral means people get interested and they share it on your behalf.

Viral is what is relevant to you.  You may not need 800 million, 1 million or even 50,000 views.  10, 20, 50 or 100 people sharing your message may obtain results that will benefit your business.  Have fun with the process and perhaps you will create content that does go viral and you will see what kind of results it generates for you in the new year.

That concludes Digital Friday.  Do your best to join us next week.  If you need any branding or marketing support, please contact us to discuss an online or onsite service engagement. You can always find that information at the end of this video.  I'm Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™ and we will see you next time.

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