Making marketing go viral.
A lot of senators will scoff at the idea of creating viral content that don't take viral planning seriously,
I do.
The first reason I take it seriously is because I've seen deep research into different customer journeys.
Word of mouth is arguably the single most important part of that journey.
People hear about products from other people.
So one way or another, a good marketer will find a way to drive word of mouth.
The second reason I take morality seriously is because one of the top business schools in the world
does.
There is some serious research on viral marketing that's happening at the Ivy League Business School
at the University of Pennsylvania.
My foundation for viral marketing comes from Professor Jonah Berger, author of the book Contagious.
I'll walk you through this framework that makes things spread virally.
This is the framework called Steps.
Each letter represents a factor in reality.
I'll walk you through each of these social currency.
People like to share things that make them look good to others.
For example, you might share a company's video if it makes you look intelligent.
Triggers people share things when they are triggered to do so with reminders, for example, Irish products
are likely to get shared on St. Patrick's Day because St. Patrick's Day is a trigger.
Emotion people share things that are emotionally arousing, content that makes us angry or uplifted,
are likely to energize us to take action and to share it public.
When something is public, it is far more likely to spread than something that is private.
For example, an Apple laptop with a visible logo is more likely to spread than a laptop with no logo
on it.
Practical value, things that provide practical use for information are likely to get shared.
For example, a tip sheet on buying a new home will likely get shared with a friend who is looking to
buy a new home.
Stories people tend to think more in terms of narratives than in terms of facts and building a brand
message in a story with a beginning, middle and end is more likely to be remembered and shared than
a list of benefits.