Anyone producing online content aspires to make his/her content Viral. But is it so easy to make your content reach millions of people? Obviously, it’s not. Every day hundreds of thousands of content are being produced worldwide both individually and commercially. But how many of them actually catch people’s attention. Very few, right? The pieces of content that get viral don’t get so by fluke rather they click due to the application of fruitful viral marketing techniques.

They contain hooks that wow the audience. If you wish to make your content viral, you have to supplement such hooks in your content. You have to know what will blow the mind of the audience. What will prompt them to share the content among others? Not necessarily, your content has to be always funny and humorous to get viral. There are plenty of contents that got viral because they stirred emotion or enlightenment among viewers. So, the bottom line is, your content has to have the necessary substance to create that sensation among people.

This write-up will walk you through 7 salient and proven viral marketing techniques that every successful marketer is following. No one can guarantee that so and so strategies will make a piece of content viral. But when you follow proven guidelines, it beefs up the chances of a marketing campaign to take off. Without further ado, let’s get to the point straight away-

Set your Target Audience and Platforms:

As a marketer when you think of running a campaign, what comes to your mind at the very beginning? Targeting audience and platforms, right? Viral marketing is also no different from that. Once you set your target audience and channels, you can proceed through the subsequent steps. Many a time, we set our target audience but overlook target platforms. Sometimes, we set our target platforms but brush aside the target audience. But if you want to ace your Viral Marketing Campaign, both these factors carry plenty of weight.

If you wish to promote home décor, your target audience should be women aged 20-25 and your target channel should be Pinterest. Why? Because as per statistics, 80% of young girls stay active on Pinterest. Hence, integrating Pinterest into your viral marketing campaign will not just be smart but also fruitful. So, no way to override targeting audience and channels!!!

Compel your Audience with Catchy Videos:

Going viral on social media isn’t a walk in a park rather it’s an uphill task. Hence, you have to act smartly and put all your efforts and energy to pull in your audience. Well-produced videos with appropriate hooks can do the tricks for you. No matter whether you are a for-profit or a non-profit organization, with videos you can hook people in no time if you incorporate engaging substance in your content. Given the escalating demand for YouTube, you should never hesitate to take advantage of this cracking platform.

After you upload a thrilling or thought-provoking video on YouTube, you can promote it on forums like Quora along with sharing it with your friends and relatives. If they find it smashing, they will share it with their known ones. Once the video starts notching up constant views, YouTube will also rank it on top of the search results. So, it’s the icing on the cake for your viral marketing campaign!!! In addition, many people are likely to embed the video on their websites or blogs if they find hooks in it. So, your job is producing a charming video and sharing it. Rest of the job your target audience will do.

Produce an Emotional Attachment:

Another way to blow the mind of your audience is to stir a particular feeling in them. You have to elicit an emotional hook from the elements of your content. Your content can make them cry, laugh, create a feeling of love or hate, or entertain in other ways. When any of these things happen, they are likely to share it among their known ones enhancing the chances of making it viral.

Just think about some of the viral marketing campaigns that took off. What actually made them viral? If you reflect on all the viral content mindfully, you will note that each of them had an emotional appeal contained in it. Take the example of “Dove: The Real Beauty Sketches” which earned millions of views not only in its English version but also in other languages. Why people got pulled in by it? Because it made them cry about the concept of women’s beauty. It showcased that women are more beautiful than they think.

Offer Giveaways if you are a Commercial Venture:

Who doesn’t love freebies? Rarely, you will find anyone refusing to take anything free. So, one of the quickest ways to entice your audience is to provide products or services free of cost. No doubt, you will incur a bit of loss if you do so but technically, it’s not a loss. In fact, it’s an investment for future profit and this type of activity will help hook your prospects and brand your business. You may be wondering how it will bring profit. Just ponder over the point that when you offer your product or service for free, is that everything? No, it’s not.

When people receive freebies, they eyeball your other products and services. They keep them at the back of their minds and when required, they will approach you. Along with that, they will also share and promote your offerings among their kith and kin. Take Hotmail for example which nailed its business by offering free e-mail, free software, and free mobile apps services. So, pumping some extra bucks in giveaways pay off in the long run!!!

Hunt for a Great and Noble Cause:

Every day tens of thousands of heartrending incidents are taking place around the world. Many of them can be resolved if they receive public attention. If you can find such an issue and develop a cracking idea to promote it, your viral marketing campaign must click. What’s crucial here is that your idea has to be original, unique, and interesting.

The best example, in this case, we can present to you is the “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge” campaign by the ALS association. The amyotrophic lateral disease was totally an unknown disease to most people before the campaign was launched. After the launch of the campaign, people around the globe not only got familiar with the disease but also started spreading awareness about it by participating in the challenge. The challenge was to pour an ice-cold bucket of water on oneself, invite others to join, and give charity to the ALS association. In a short space of time, it caught people’s attention and nailed raising $115 million.

Don’t Exaggerate your Message:

Many brands come up with mind-blowing ideas and messages but they don’t click? You know why? Because they fail to keep their messages simple and intelligible. They complicate their messages so much that people get into bewilderment. They add multiple CTAs or err in producing the content, thereby puzzling and distracting the audience. Hence, it’s very salient that you put forth your message simply and convincingly.

The viral campaign of Old Spice is an ideal example of a simple representation of a brand’s message. Old Spice detected that ladies are the ones who choose the necessary items for their men. So, they created a brand character called “Old Spice man” who shows up flamboyantly in the ad. He then holds a product of Old Spice pitching women to buy their men’s products simply but smartly. There was a sense of humor in the ad but the message was simple and crystal clear.

Lastly, Don’t Override Social Outreach:

In this age of social media, if you don’t take advantage of social media for your viral marketing campaign, it’s not worth it! No matter whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, you should avail each of these platforms to maximize your reach. There are several ways to reach out to your target audience on social media.

The most effective one can be connecting with influencers. But you have to be smart enough while you do that. You shouldn’t just directly tell them to share your content. Rather, you can ask for their feedback or acknowledge them that you have mentioned them in your content. If they find your content useful for their followers, they will automatically share it among their followers. Besides that, you can even share it yourself with your target audience. Pumping some bucks for content promotion on social media isn’t also a bad idea at all as it will come off eventually.

Final Thought

What’s your goal behind running a viral marketing campaign? Is it branding or just spreading awareness? So, set your objective upfront. If your goal is branding your business, you have to act smartly and wisely. What do we mean by “smartly and wisely”? If you come up with an idea that is funny, overwhelming, and watchable but devoid of brand message, you can get umpteen views and shares but it won’t add any value to your brand. But you want both and so you have to focus on an underlying brand message.

To wrap up, a viral marketing campaign is always fun. Which brand doesn’t enjoy if it finds its content is getting millions of shares and views? But you can achieve success only if you adopt the right strategies. Additionally, don’t forget that a piece of content doesn’t go viral on its own. So, take the necessary steps following the 7 aforementioned strategies to make your content viral. Hopefully, it will be just a matter of time before you get a boom!!!

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