Does Viral Marketing Actually Work? The Pros and Cons of Hopping on the Internet’s Latest Trends
If you’ve ever felt that society runs on social media, you’re not alone. A brief scroll through any popular social media platform displays a wide variety of trending topics, events, people, and more, all of which likely have nothing to do with your everyday life. Yet, you, and most others, still find time within daily life to scroll social media.
This reality has prompted many businesses to engage with or aim to create online trends in hopes of showing up in more social feeds. If done correctly, viral marketing can propel a company’s brand awareness and bottom line to heights once thought unattainable. While this may sound like a pipe dream, it’s not. Businesses worldwide have used this plan of action to become household names overnight. As journalist Germany Kent said, “One viral post can catapult your brand.”
However, participating in viral marketing doesn’t guarantee positive results for your company. More companies may have tried and failed at viral marketing than have succeeded, and there are endless possibilities as to why. Either way, you should be aware of some big-picture ideas before taking the proverbial plunge. Here are the pros and cons of viral marketing and hopping on the internet’s latest trends.
Pro #1 – It’s Relatively Cheap
No matter which industry your company exists in, operating expenses are, well, expensive. From paying employees to purchasing items your business relies on, money constantly moves in and around your company. As inflation seems to be going nowhere but up, cutting back in some areas makes sense. But who says you can’t be more effective simultaneously?
“Viral marketing makes it all possible,” says Brandon Adcock, Co-Founder and CEO of Nugenix. “At first, you might not be too sure it’s for you, but after seeing what it costs compared to traditional advertising, it’s a no-brainer.”
Promoting your company on the biggest billboard in your city might sound like a fantastic idea until you receive a quote for it. The same can be said about local airtime on radio or television. While there is no doubt your company will get an audience via these mediums, the cost, by comparison, might sway you towards viral marketing.
Pro #2 – “Overnight Success”
While true overnight success is fairly unrealistic in the corporate sphere, viral marketing comes about as close as possible. Thanks in part to the rapid nature of the internet, it’s possible for your company to go from five to 5,000 customers in just a day.
“Never look down your nose at consistent efforts, especially in a professional setting, says Ryan Rottman, co-founder and CEO of OSDB Sports. “There is something to be said for viral marketing in our modern world because it’s impossible to deny the highly accelerated growth rate some companies have experienced.”
This aspect of viral marketing is appealing. If the goal of your business is to summit the mountain of success, this might be the route for you.
Pro #3 – Positive Consumer Perception
How often have you been watching a show or sporting event, and the screen cuts to a commercial you have seen more times than you could count? The jingle is burned into your brain, and for no reason other than the ad, you want nothing to do with the company. Viral marketing helps avoid this reaction from your consumers.
“Viral marketing is a choice we put forth to our possible consumers,” says Maegan Griffin, founder, CEO and nurse practitioner at Skin Pharm. “Do you want to engage with a brand or keep them at arm’s length? People see enough advertising in their life where if you force more on them, they’re quick to turn away.”
The interactions between businesses and consumers are increasingly becoming relational rather than transactional. Viral marketing is one way to accommodate this change and influence positive consumer perception.
Pro #4 – It Casts a Wide Net
On a basic level, marketing is about reaching people with your message. Ideally, you’d like as many eyes as possible on this message to yield more customers. Should you and your team pull off a successful viral marketing campaign, you stand to reach the masses.
“There is no greater gathering of people anywhere in the world than on the internet,” says Josh Weiss, founder and CEO of Reggie. “It might be odd to think about in those terms but realize this; more than two-thirds of the world is online. You won’t ever reach all these people, but you can find a highly populated niche if you go viral.”
You must throw this hypothetical net in the right places, or your catch will be nil. But, a well-timed viral marketing post in the right place can make your daily business life feel like a rocket ship taking off for the stars.
Pro #5 – It Can Increase Consumer Trust
There are certain products whose names have replaced the word for everyday items. Think Band-Aid vs. bandage or Kleenex vs. tissue. This development occurred because consumers trusted that specific product so much that they only use that exact brand. This is called brand credibility, and viral marketing can help get this proverbial ball rolling.
“The general public defaults to which products are popular or most widely used,” says Brooke Galko, marketing coordinator at PUR Cold Pressed Juice. “Viral marketing is possibly the easiest way to create said popularity and build trust with your future clientele.”
Con #1 – Difficulty Assessing Impact
The inherent goal of marketing is to find an audience that latches on to whatever your company is pitching. Given how social media works, specifically how items are shared on social media, it can be challenging to see if your marketing strategies are paying dividends.
“Viral marketing is better left untouched unless you have a crystal-clear idea of what you’re doing and the demographics you’re trying to reach,” says Justin Soleimani, co-founder of Tumble. “There are so many possibilities for what you can do with social media, and this is one of the few situations where you won’t know your results until they happen.”
Waiting in limbo for something to occur in a business setting can feel like sitting on pins and needles. If you are leery of such a feeling, viral marketing may not be for you.
Con #2 – Viral Marketing Is the Casino of Marketing
In the vacuum that is your company’s meeting room, your plan of action for viral marketing may seem bulletproof. However, nothing is more fickle or merciless than the internet. The best efforts of everyone on your payroll may be for naught simply because that’s how the cards fell.
“On the surface, viral marketing might be the most intriguing marketing option because of the potential upside,” says Dan Potter, head of digital at CRAFTD London. “Relying on this practice can be a total gamble because of how subjective all the elements can be.”
Viral marketing can be extremely useful — you just have to be ready to wager on it.
Con #3 – Damaged Public Reputation
The list of viral marketing campaigns that have yielded less than favorable results is endless. One misstep in your digital interactions with consumers can spell doom despite whatever great ideas or products you have standing ready. One common example occurs when consumers “sniff out” a company’s intentions to go viral to make professional headway.
“Every day, the average internet user becomes smarter and smarter simply because they’re using their platforms of choice,” says Jason Panzer, president of HexClad. “Some might call it digital literacy. People, in general, are less likely to engage with social media posts that lack authenticity.”
The last thing you or anyone on your team want to do is work tirelessly for a marketing effort that falls flat on its face — or, even worse, causes the same outcome for your company at large.
Con #4 – Liability Issues
No company, owner, or operator wants to find themselves in the midst of legal issues because of oversight. But this exact situation frequently happens to companies attempting to go viral. Be it accidental copyright infringement or, worst-case scenario, personal injury, some viral marketing strategies have been downright disasters.
“Unless you have top-tier legal advice and a lineup of other thoughtful employees, you may want to steer clear of viral marketing,” says Brian Lee, co-founder and CEO of ARENA CLUB. “There are just too many things that can go wrong when you involve the public.”
With viral marketing in no way guaranteeing positive publicity, you must consider this element before moving forward with your plan.
Con #5 – It’s Not Recreatable
If your company decides to copy the viral marketing plans of others, you might get laughed off the social media sites you posted them on. Internet users are intuitive and seem to have photographic memories at times — making it nearly impossible to piggyback off the success of others.
“Viral marketing relies on organic and genuine content creation, so if you take bits and pieces from other campaigns, it just won’t fly,” says Cody Candee, founder and CEO of Bounce Luggage Storage. “Not everyone can create their own viral content, and that’s ok.”
You have no desire for your company to become a poor imitation of another, so if you find yourself stuck in the realm of viral marketing without a plan of action, it may be time to retreat and find a different approach.
The internet isn’t going to disappear anytime soon — it will likely continue to grow at an unprecedented rate. This lends itself to hopping on the viral marketing train as long as you proceed with caution.
So as to not leave you on a sour note, consider the encouraging words of Michelle Phan, the founder of a large cosmetics brand: “The beauty of the internet is there’s a niche market for everything, and if you can focus on it, you can build a sustainable and viable business of it.”
McClatchy newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.
