Consider you post a clever video on social media, and it has millions of views within hours. Your phone buzzes with notifications as people share, comment, and create their spin on your content. You look at your analytics. Your engagement is up 200 percent. Your account is gaining followers at an unprecedented rate. This is the perfect moment to ask: what is viral marketing, if not this explosive, organic spread of content driven by the audience itself?
Your brand is now on the radar of influencers, journalists, and potential customers. This is the power of viral marketing. But how do you create content that spreads like wildfire? In this guide, we explore the ins and outs of viral marketing and how to craft contagious content. We provide valuable insights to help you achieve your goals, such as creating viral short videos.
Table Of Contents
- What is Viral Marketing
- Benefits of Viral Marketing
- How to Craft Contagious Content In 10 Simple Steps
- 5 Brands Creating Contagious Content
- Create Viral Shorts In Seconds With Crayo
What is Viral Marketing
Viral marketing is a style of promotion that encourages audiences to generate and share the messaging around a product or service organically. Content is considered viral when it spreads from person to person like a virus moving through a population. In social media, marketing is labeled viral when it quickly circulates among the general public, often beyond the intended target audience, creating a compounding effect. In other words, any viral marketing campaign aims to create content with a high probability of being shared by social media users with significant networking potential.
One defining characteristic of viral marketing campaigns is that they rely on social channels to distribute content instead of a paid distribution model. If content is shared by a popular social media personality or celebrity, it can go viral, resulting in thousands or even millions of views, shares, and other engagement types. The faster and more often content is shared, the more likely it is to go viral and gain national or international attention. Viral marketing can take various forms, including email campaigns, videos, web pages, and mobile apps like TikTok.
What Makes Viral Marketing Work? The Secret Sauce of Going Viral
Social media has dramatically enhanced the power and potential of word-of-mouth and buzz marketing as revenue drivers for the business. In the past, word-of-mouth advertising occurred in private conversations between family and friends. At the same time, buzz marketing relied on low-velocity communication methods like newspapers to spread the word significantly. Today, word-of-mouth marketing occurs through digital channels where users engage with marketing content and share it on their social platforms.
A single share on social media can reach hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people with just a button push. Social sharing is the 21st-century version of word-of-mouth, except it can be thousands of times more effective. As more businesses recognize the vast potential of viral marketing for reaching target customers, marketers have worked to understand the factors contributing to a successful viral marketing campaign. A theory known as the STEPPS model outlines six factors that help a message go viral.
Social Currency: Sharing to Shine
If sharing content makes users look good to their audience, they are more likely to share it. Users derive social currency from their association with your brand, the content itself, or its messaging.
Triggers: Reminders to Keep Talking
Social currency prompts discussions about your viral content, while triggers maintain that conversation. A trigger is any stimulus that links thoughts and ideas. This concept explains why Mars candy bars saw increased sales while NASA organized its mission to Mars. People saw “Mars” in the news daily, which triggered candy bar purchases. Viral marketing should connect with and relate to consumers’ daily experiences.
Emotion: The Heart of Sharing
Humans are emotional beings, so emotional messages are the best at capturing our attention. Whether it’s a cute cat video or a campaign supporting disease research, tugging at audiences’ heartstrings is an essential step toward encouraging content sharing. Emotion ties back to social currency, as content sharers may perceive a social benefit in appearing sensitive or demonstrating concern about a crucial social issue.
Public: The Power of Perception
When a message is presented in a public space, people are more inclined to share it. Public presentation of a message serves as social proof of that message. Suppose a social media user sees that many of their contacts (or a high-profile individual) are disseminating a specific message. In that case, they may also feel more inclined to share that message.
Practical Value: Helping Others Helps You
A smart way to get a message viral is to ensure it has practical value when consumed or shared. People enjoy being helpful to others or contributing to a cause, and are eager to spread a viral message if it allows them to help someone.
Stories: Compelling Narratives Drive Sharing
Humans think about narratives, and compelling stories motivate social media users to share them with friends and contacts. Telling a great story about your company, product, or customers in concise, high-impact formats (especially video) is a fantastic way to generate social engagement that boosts brand recognition.
Benefits of Viral Marketing
1. Affordability Compared to Traditional Advertising
Viral marketing campaigns typically cost less than traditional advertising methods. This is because individuals spread the message organically rather than through paid promotion. While there are still costs associated with creating a viral campaign, the potential for reaching a large audience at a low price is a significant advantage.
2. Potential for Massive Reach
One of the most appealing aspects of viral marketing is its ability to reach a large audience quickly. When content goes viral, it can be shared by millions of people within a short period, exposing your brand to individuals who may not have been familiar with it before. This expanded reach can be invaluable for building brand awareness.
3. Enhanced Brand Recall
Viral marketing often creates an emotional connection with audiences, increasing engagement and sharing. This higher level of interaction can improve brand recall, as individuals are more likely to remember a brand associated with content they enjoyed or felt strongly about. This can lead to future purchase opportunities.
4. Positive Word-of-Mouth Generation
Viral campaigns are effective at generating positive word-of-mouth for brands. When people share content that they enjoy, it reflects well on the brand and can improve trust among potential customers. However, it’s critical to ensure that viral marketing efforts don’t backfire and create negative perceptions, which can harm a brand’s reputation.
5. Building Trust and Credibility
When a message goes viral, it’s often shared by others who know and trust. This can enhance the perceived credibility of the content and the brand behind it. Viral marketing provides an opportunity to create positive messaging about your brand that can be amplified through sharing, improving trust among potential customers.
6. Driving Website Traffic
Viral marketing can significantly increase traffic to your website as people share and click on engaging content. This creates an opportunity to convert those visitors into leads or customers. To maximize these benefits, you must include calls-to-action and links in any viral content you create.
7. Boosting Social Media Presence
Viral campaigns can enhance your brand’s social media reach by introducing your content to new audiences. When individuals share your content, it exposes their network to your brand, increasing followers and engagement. This helps expand your online presence and the potential for future viral opportunities.
8. Fostering Customer Loyalty and Retention
Viral marketing can create a sense of community and connection among customers, which helps build loyalty. When a brand’s message goes viral, it often sparks fan conversation and engagement, strengthening their emotional ties to the brand. This can lead to repeat purchases and advocacy.
9. Memorable Content and Associations
The impactful nature of viral marketing can create lasting impressions that improve brand recall. When people associate a brand with a viral moment or piece of content, they are more likely to remember it and think of it when purchasing. This highlights the importance of creating meaningful viral content.
10. Higher ROI Potential
Viral marketing offers the potential for significant returns on investment, as it can reach millions at little to no cost. While there are no guarantees with viral campaigns, successful efforts can lead to massive exposure far exceeding traditional advertising reach. Brands can then leverage this visibility to drive leads, sales, and brand growth.
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How to Craft Contagious Content In 10 Simple Steps
1. Harness Crayo AI for Top-Notch Content Creation
Crayo AI streamlines the process of generating short videos. You can quickly create unlimited videos, with features like automatic captions, effects, and music options. This tool allows you to focus on creativity while enhancing your chances for viral success.
2. Promote Positivity to Encourage Sharing
Uplifting content is more likely to be shared. In a world filled with negative news, people crave optimistic messages. Research shows that positive emotions like happiness and awe drive sharing behavior. Create content that inspires joy or offers surprising insights to increase your chances of going viral.
3. Be Open About Your Processes
Transparency builds trust with your audience. Instead of treating your production methods as trade secrets, share them! For example, the pool company River Pools created a video showing their manufacturing process. This type of content humanizes your brand and fosters connections with potential customers.
4. Provide Value to Your Audience
Helpful content is inherently shareable. When people find information that helps them or teaches something new, they want to share it with their networks. Aim to create content that offers real value through practical tips, insightful research, or entertaining anecdotes. Your audience will thank you by spreading the word.
5. Leverage the Power of Reviews
In the digital age, consumers rely on reviews to inform their purchasing decisions. Create content that caters to this behavior, such as roundups of top-rated products or services in your industry. This not only positions you as an authority, but it also creates opportunities for backlinks and traffic.
6. Tap Into Emotional Triggers
Content that elicits strong emotions is more likely to be shared. While positive feelings like joy and surprise are beneficial, be cautious with negative emotions. Anger and fear can backfire if overused. Aim to create content that inspires uplifting feelings, but don’t shy away from exploring deeper emotional territory occasionally.
7. Personalize the User Experience
Today’s consumers expect personalized interactions. Use data and research to tailor your messaging and content to specific audience segments. This will foster a sense of connection and improve engagement, increasing the likelihood of shares and virality.
8. Tell Compelling Stories
Narratives are a powerful way to engage audiences and evoke emotion. Aim to incorporate storytelling elements in your content, whether through personal anecdotes, customer testimonials, or fictional scenarios. This approach will help you connect with readers more deeply and enhance shareability.
9. Be Transparent About Pricing
Many companies shy away from discussing pricing publicly for fear of scaring off potential customers. However, research shows that consumers prefer transparency around costs. Create content that educates buyers on pricing structures and options in your industry. This will position you as a trustworthy resource and improve the user experience.
10. Stay Current on Trends
Cultural relevance is key to creating viral content. Research and monitor social media to identify emerging memes, hashtags, and discussions. This will help you tap into timely topics and increase your chances of going viral.
5 Brands Creating Contagious Content
1. Coca-Cola's "Share a Coke" Campaign: Personalization at Its Best
Coca-Cola launched its “Share a Coke” campaign in 2014, swapping its iconic logo for popular first names on bottles and cans. This personalization effort encouraged people to find their name or the name of a loved one, snap a photo, and share it on social media. The campaign generated more than 1.5 million photos shared online and a 500% increase in Coca-Cola brand mentions on Twitter. Most importantly, it helped boost Coca-Cola’s U.S. sales for the first time in a decade.
2. Nike's #MakeItCount Campaign: Inspiring Through Storytelling
Nike is known for its emotional advertising, and the “#MakeItCount” campaign is no different. The campaign featured a short film that followed two friends on an epic global journey. The catch? They had a limited budget and had to make every dollar count. Nike partnered with YouTube stars Casey Neistat and Max Joseph to create the viral film, which garnered more than 3 million views in the first 24 hours. The campaign helped boost Nike’s online sales by 25% and is an excellent example of how to use influencer marketing to reach younger audiences.
3. White Fox Boutique's Influencer Strategy: Engaging Gen Z
Australian fashion brand White Fox Boutique leveraged influencer marketing to engage Gen Z consumers. The brand launched the “White Fox University” program, which enlisted student influencers to promote the brand on social media. This campaign helped White Fox resonate with younger shoppers and contributed nearly $74 million in sales in 2024.
4. Vicks' "Touch of Care" Campaign: Connecting Through Emotion
Vicks’ “Touch of Care” campaign features a powerful advertisement that tells the story of a transgender mother caring for her adopted daughter. The emotional narrative highlights themes of love, acceptance, and the different forms that family can take. The ad resonated with audiences and sparked meaningful conversations about gender identity and parenting. Vicks leveraged the viral success of the ad to promote its brand purpose and connect with consumers on a deeper level.
5. Tanishq's "Eka – The One" Campaign: Celebrating Cultural Connections
Jewelry brand Tanishq launched the “Eka – The One” campaign to celebrate the bond between a mother and her daughter-in-law. The heartwarming ad depicts a traditional Indian wedding and the special relationship between the two women. The campaign struck a chord with many Indian families and helped enhance Tanishq’s brand connection.
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Create Viral Shorts In Seconds With Crayo
Crayo AI streamlines the short video production process, allowing users to generate unlimited videos with minimal effort. This tool automatically creates captions, effects, backgrounds, and music, enabling quick transitions from concept to finished product. Users can customize videos by selecting templates for various elements and exporting their creations in seconds.
Crayo also presents a unique opportunity to earn money through TikTok’s creator fund, incentivizing users to create viral content. With its user-friendly interface and innovative features, Crayo AI simplifies short video production for social media and marketing purposes.
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