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The digital landscape is constantly evolving, and so must our digital marketing efforts. With the rise of social media platforms, viral marketing has become a powerful tool for ecommerce businesses to reach a large audience and create brand awareness. But what exactly creates viral content remains a mystery to marketers. The most carefully crafted marketing campaign may fail to go viral, while a throwaway Tweet might catapult a business into the spotlight and revolutionise how corporations run their social media accounts. Viral marketing allows for exponential growth at a low cost, which is why so many businesses invest in it. In this blog, we’ll delve into the meaning of viral marketing, discuss advantages and disadvantages, highlight key elements of successful viral campaigns and show you how to replicate them in your campaigns.
What is viral marketing?
While we may consider folklore an early form of viral content, the term 'viral' is tied to the invention of the internet. The term was coined in 1996 and refers to images, videos or written content that spreads to many networks online within a short period. Viral marketing involves creating content that compels social sharing, resulting in a message or campaign spreading rapidly through online communities. It relies on organic word-of-mouth advertising, where customers are happy to refer your business to people they know. The idea of viral marketing is to create a compounding effect of sharing, where a message or campaign is shared by a large number of people, who then share it with their networks, leading to a viral effect. Viral marketing campaigns often tap into current events and trends by creating a memorable video, social media challenge or highly shareable blog.
Social media platforms play a crucial role in viral marketing, as they provide a platform for content to be shared, liked, and commented on, thereby amplifying the viral effect of a marketing campaign. These platforms drive interaction using algorithms. Similarly to search engine algorithms like Googlebot, social media platforms employ complex algorithms to help filter content and provide a tailored social media feed for users. This personalisation makes it easy for users to find content they are interested in, improving the user experience. Social media algorithms examine factors such as user engagement, consistency with posting, profile authority, keyword relevance, location, watch time and content type. Each platform operates with a different algorithm, and they can make or break a post’s virality. It is estimated that there are over 4.89 billion total social media users worldwide, and the average person jumps between 7 different social networks per month. That’s why it's crucial to take an omnichannel approach when it comes to viral marketing.
How can viral marketing work in ecommerce?
Viral marketing is one of the most powerful marketing strategies that can help your business go viral and boost your ecommerce sales. Although any business can go viral, ecommerce businesses have unique advantages. While brick-and-mortar stores still outperform online stores, more consumers are choosing to conduct product research online, with 98 per cent of consumers reading reviews online before purchasing a product at a local store. Ecommerce experienced 27 per cent year-on-year growth in 2022, and this number is expected to increase as more businesses are forced to engage in ecommerce and social selling, and consumer trust increases.
Ecommerce businesses have two distinct advantages over traditional retail when it comes to viral marketing. Ecommerce businesses, especially those in dropshipping, often enjoy lower overhead costs than traditional brick-and-mortar stores. This means more time and budget can be dedicated to market research, production, and collaboration. Another advantage that ecommerce businesses enjoy is their ability to easily integrate with various platforms and tools. With the rise of social media shopping, platforms are developing new ways to provide a seamless shopping experience. For example, TikTok Shop currently offers three ways for customers to buy products in the app: through live videos, directly from an in-feed video or via the Product Showcase on the merchant’s account page. As these integrations become more commonplace, it will be easier for consumers to jump on a viral trend and buy on impulse.
Going viral on social media platforms can exponentially increase brand awareness, recognition, and audience engagement. Understanding how social media platforms work and what your audience is looking for is essential for the success of your viral marketing campaign.
Advantages of viral marketing in ecommerce
Create brand awareness
A viral marketing campaign can rapidly put any business, regardless of size, in front of a large audience. Exceptional viral marketing will extend even further, introducing potential new customer segments and even becoming a pop culture staple.
Boost subscribers and followers
If consumers like your marketing campaign, they are more likely to follow you on social media and/or join your mailing list. Followers can then interact with your content and share it with friends, boosting engagement and allowing you to maintain growth even after your viral campaign is over. Linking your store and social media accounts can attract followers across more channels. Furthermore, you can use your growing mailing list to connect with leads through email marketing.
Stand out from the competition
Viral marketing campaigns are doing something differently. It is a chance for you to show off your unique values, whether that means showing off new products, highlighting your excellent customer service, sharing expert knowledge, or simply having fun with your audience.
Cost-effective marketing
Because consumers are the driving force behind a post’s virality, there are little to no distribution costs for viral marketing campaigns. Although paid ads can get you in front of large, specific audiences, they don’t guarantee your audience will view or share your content. They may even avoid your ad completely: nearly 3 out of 4 social media users think there are too many ads on their pages. A relatable viral post will be seen by many people without having to pay a cent. Viral posts can also be low-budget productions. In an age where consumers crave authenticity from brands, a high-value, heavily produced ad is no more or less likely to succeed than an ad shot on a phone that captures a relatable, candid moment.
Disadvantages of viral marketing in ecommerce
Losing the brand message
The further your viral marketing campaign spreads, the more likely you are to lose control of the brand message. Even worse, your ad might be misinterpreted and spread for the wrong reasons, which may be humiliating for the business or cause a negative reputation. For example, Pepsi published the “Live for Now” short film commercial starring Kendall Jenner in 2017, which attracted viral fame. The video was intended to “project a global message of unity, peace and understanding” according to the brand, but critics accused the company of minimising the experience of protestors experiencing police brutality. The ad was so famous, it was parodied as recently as 2022 in the hit TV show The Boys.
Hard to measure
It is very difficult to measure the success of a viral campaign due to the speed and method of delivery. Although you’ll gather plenty of quantitative data, such as how many people are sharing your post or visiting your website, understanding their motivations will be more difficult. Without knowing why your campaign was successful in the first place, you won’t know how to adjust or replicate your marketing strategy.
Requires continuous monitoring
To maintain the flow of a viral media campaign, you’ll be constantly responding to social media comments, sign-up requests, emails and more. Don’t forget your regular social media posting and customer service obligations. To ensure your campaign remains on top, you’ll need to monitor trends and current affairs. Additionally, you’ll need to monitor your campaign performance and ROI. It can be a lot for a business to undertake, especially without a dedicated social media or customer service team.
Relies on luck
As much as marketers have tried, there is no way to predict what content will go viral or for how long. Even if a campaign has all the hallmarks of a viral phenomenon, it can flop for seemingly no reason, while a budget off-the-cuff joke from another company flourishes. Viral content is also not evergreen - it has a short shelf life and offers no guarantees.
Types of viral marketing strategies
Organic viral marketing
Organic viral campaigns have minimal to no input from marketers and may go viral unintentionally. They spread mainly through word of mouth on social media and through user-generated content.
An infamous example of organic viral marketing is Oreo’s “Dunk in the Dark” campaign. In 2013 during the Super Bowl, there was a 30-minute power outage at the Mercedes Superdome. For advertisers that had paid millions of dollars for an ad slot, this was devastating. For Oreo, it was an opportunity for an 11-word social media post: “Power out? No problem. You can still dunk in the dark”. Just a day after posting, the original Twitter post had around 15,000 retweets, the original Facebook post had approximately 20,000 likes, and Oreo’s Instagram following had jumped from 2,000 to 36,000. The ad made headlines the world over, and it didn’t cost the brand a single dollar.
Amplified viral marketing
In amplified viral campaigns, marketers have an active role in the creation and distribution of the campaign. They are strategically planned with defined goals, allowing brands to control the message and spread it in a way that can be easily monitored and quantified.
In 2020, Zoom hosted a Virtual Background Challenge. They couldn’t have had better timing - the campaign took place during the Covid-19 lockdowns when virtual meetings (and by extension, Zoom) were essential for connection. Participants were asked to sign up for Zoom and share pictures or videos of themselves using the platform’s virtual background feature. This premise not only solved a big problem for their customer base, as it gave home offices a more professional look, but it also fostered imagination and creativity. This campaign resulted in over 50k new users and encouraged both new and existing customers to explore the platform’s features in more depth.
Key elements of successful viral campaigns
Not just any content can go viral. While it can appear random, there are several key elements that make viral marketing campaigns interesting, shareable, and memorable. Many of these factors are rooted in human psychology and a craving for connection, while others are a case of timing. Read on to find out what successful viral marketing campaigns have in common.
They are current
Successful campaigns are topical. They may be following a trend, speaking to current affairs, or they may have sparked a new conversation. No matter the method, viral content has its finger on the pulse of pop culture.
They are relatable
You need to know your target audience and what resonates with them. One of the biggest mistakes brands make is posting what they think looks good, not what the audience wants. If the audience can see themselves in a brand’s marketing material, they’re more likely to positively engage with the content and share it as a form of solidarity.
They appeal to emotions
Emotions have a significant impact on our memory, with emotional events appearing clearer, more accurate and for longer periods than neutral events. This is one of the reasons successful viral marketing campaigns have an emotional appeal, whether funny, heartwarming or controversial. The success rate of emotional marketing campaigns is around 31 per cent, and consumers are twice as likely to spread strong emotional videos than weak ones. Even anger-inducing content has a 38 per cent chance of going viral.
They are unique
Viral content stands out because it is new and creative. Humans have a short attention span (and it may be getting shorter), but novelty can grab attention and be more easily remembered. It also differentiates your brand from the competition, increasing brand recognition.
They inspire us
Customers are more motivated to share viral content with high social currency. Social currency refers to the social value of information. People are more likely to share content that will enhance their social status. Customers will share brand content that matches their values (or the values they want to emulate), are trusted, and are popular. In this way, brands use social currency to foster brand loyalty.
They are authentic
Audiences are sensitive to inauthentic marketing. Brands may appear inauthentic if they post content that doesn’t align with their perceived values, they use generic or overused language, or they are following a trend just because it is popular. For your brand to feel authentic, you need to be open about your brand values, have a clear brand promise, and keep your communications consistent.
They have a clear CTA
Having a clear CTA not only helps brands measure the efficacy of their campaign, but it makes your content easy to share. It may come in the form of a link to your store or social media profiles, a provocative question that motivates users to comment, opportunities to join your mailing list or direct contact buttons.
Viral marketing examples in ecommerce
While we can’t predict what content will go viral, certain types of content are more likely to be successful. These viral marketing campaigns evoke strong emotions, encourage curiosity, foster imagination, or utilise existing relationships to build a brand’s reputation. Read on for a selection of reliable viral marketing methods and how they were used by some of the world’s most successful brands.
Brand Pierre
Humans are natural storytellers, which is why storytelling is a crucial part of marketing. Storytelling combines fact and narrative to spark the listener’s imagination. They can be used to understand new concepts, simplify complex topics, promote new ideas, and foster community.
With a single spoon, Pierce Woodward managed to launch the viral brand Brand Pierre on TikTok. The idea began in 2020 when, frustrated by a lack of unique and exclusive ring designs, Pierce made his first ring out of a recycled vintage spoon. Scrolling back on his TikTok page, you can see how Pierce grew from a small-time manufacturer at home to a full-fledged business with a fulfilment centre. He not only talks about the brand’s success, but his videos follow the inspirations and design process behind each ring, influencers he has shared his rings with, and audience challenges where he turns objects into rings such as signs, drum kits and soda cans.
Dollar Shave Club
Humour is an incredibly effective tool for marketers, with 49 per cent of consumers stating they find funny content more memorable than other content types. Humorous content can humanise a brand and make it feel relatable, leading to stronger emotional connections and a more positive brand reputation. Humour can also be used to poke fun at competitors - but it should be used carefully, as this strategy can backfire.
Dollar Shave Club’s “Our Blades are F***ing Great” viral video introduced a new way of marketing a product online. The video, featuring the company's CEO Michael Dubin, gives customers a bizarre “behind the scenes” style look at the company’s warehouse while touting the benefits of Dollar Shave Club razors. The video took a day to shoot and cost $4,500. The brand’s website crashed immediately on the day of release due to high traffic, and the brand gained 12,000 subscribers once the site was back up. The video gained 3 million views within a few days and currently sits at 28 million views.
e.l.f. Cosmetics
Running a giveaway is a great way to get existing customers excited about your products and attract new customers through referrals. These giveaways are often in the form of a contest where participants must submit content, interact with a post, subscribe to a mailing list, follow a social media platform or refer friends to the business.
In 2021, e.l.f. Cosmetics collaborated with TikTok and Enthusiast Gaming to create the competition Gamers Got Talent. All participants had to do was submit a video of themselves performing a special talent, use the hashtag #TikTokGGT and tag @lumosity for a chance to win $25,000. The campaign had a hashtag challenge engagement rate of 16.8 per cent and brought in 2.5 million video creations. It shone a light on e.l.f. Cosmetics, the first brand on TikTok to do a gaming x cosmetics activation, and created months' worth of high-value user-generated content.
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Viral social media challenges are an effective way of boosting engagement and fostering community. Successful viral challenges usually involve participants completing a difficult or usual task, such as performing a specific dance move, guessing their partner’s favourite foods, or answering trivia questions. Avoid trending challenges that are unsafe, such as the cinnamon challenge or the milk crate challenge.
The Ice Bucket Challenge is one of the most famous social media campaigns ever created. It began in 2014 when Florida Pro golfer Chris Kennedy poured a bucket of ice over his head and challenged others to do the same within 24 hours or donate $100 to the ALS Association. The “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge” experienced instant virality, attracting celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian, Britney Spears and Jimmy Fallon. Since the challenge’s debut, funding for ALS research has increased by over 187 per cent.
Daniel Wellington
It’s no secret that influencers have a substantial impact on consumer’s purchasing habits. Successful influencers are trusted by their audience because they feel authentic, and they’re trusted by brands because they deliver results. 61 per cent of consumers trust influencer recommendations compared to branded social media content at 38 per cent. 31 per cent of social media users discovered new products through influencers, with Gen Z the most likely generation to follow influencers, buy from influencers, and become influencers. Influencers have their finger on the pulse of your target audience. Working with influencers who align with your brand values can help build trust and improve audience engagement.
Daniel Wellington is a watch brand that was at the forefront of influencer marketing. The brand was founded in 2011 by Swedish entrepreneur Filip Tysander and quickly became the fastest-growing private company in Europe. The key to his success? Micro-influencers, a.k.a. social media influencers with 1,000 to 10,000 followers. While it seems counter-intuitive, micro-influencers generate up to 60 per cent more engagement than macro-influencers (500,000+ followers). This is likely because micro-influencers can have a more intimate relationship with their audience, leading to more relatable content. Daniel Wellington offered micro-influencers free products and personalised promotion codes, then heavily invested in user-generated content to fill Instagram and Pinterest with the #DWpickoftheday. They were identified as the brand with the most influencer mentions out of any brand on Instagram in 2018 with over 20,000 mentions by 7,200 influencers.
Essential metrics for viral marketing
Though it can be hard to measure the success of a viral marketing campaign, there are several metrics you can monitor with the help of specialised tools.
- Return on Investment (ROI): How much revenue your campaign has generated compared to how much it cost.
- Click-through rate: How often people who see your campaign end up clicking on it.
- Web traffic: The amount of traffic your website receives during a campaign. You may want to break this down further by analysing which pages they are visiting, for how long, and where they are looking.
- New followers/subscribers: The number of new social media followers or mailing list subscribers you gain during a campaign.
- Brand mentions: The amount of times your brand has been tagged in a comment or hashtag.
- Total shares: The number of times a post has been shared.
- Total views: The number of times your content has been viewed.
- Impressions: The number of times your content has been displayed (but not necessarily viewed)
- Conversion rate: How many times people have completed a specific action as a result of your campaign, e.g. making a purchase.
How can you create a viral marketing campaign for your brand?
If you're looking to create a viral marketing campaign for your brand, here are some steps to get you started:
- Identify your target audience and understand their preferences, interests, and social media usage.
- Determine what type of content would appeal to your target audience, whether it's a video, social media challenge, blog post, or email campaign.
- Create a shareable, attention-grabbing piece of content that aligns with your brand message, brand identity, and target audience.
- Utilise social media platforms and influencer networks to help spread your content, leveraging their social media networks, followers, subscribers, and email subscribers.
- Encourage user-generated content and customer testimonials.
- Create an affiliate program where affiliates can share your products with their audiences in exchange for a commission.
- Monitor your chosen analytics and adjust your strategy as needed.
Is viral marketing the right strategy for your ecommerce business?
Before diving into a viral marketing campaign, it's important to assess whether viral marketing is the right strategy for your ecommerce business. Before you attempt to go viral, consider the following factors:
- Is your target audience active on social media? If so, what platforms do they use? This will affect the type of content you create.
- Do you have enough resources? Viral marketing campaigns require creative content, social media management, influencer collaborations, and continuous monitoring, which require a significant investment of time, effort, and resources. This makes it a riskier venture for start-ups.
- What will be the long-term impact of a viral campaign? While viral marketing campaigns can generate immediate buzz, it's important to assess the long-term impact and sustainability of viral marketing efforts. You’ll also need to consider the ability of your business to scale.
- Do current trends align with your brand message? Companies that hop on unrelated trends are often perceived as out-of-touch and inauthentic. Make sure you follow trends that align with your values.
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