digitalOttawa #12: Social & Viral Marketing

When: Tuesday June 12, 2007 at 7pm
Where: The Clock Tower, 575 Bank Street
Type: Discussion
Topic: Social & Viral Marketing

Social Marketing

Social marketing is the systematic application of marketing alongside other concepts and techniques to achieve specific behavioural goals for a social good. Although “social marketing” is sometimes seen only as using standard commercial marketing practices to achieve non-commercial goals, this is not the case, and an over-simplification. The primary aim of “social marketing” is “social good”, while in “commercial marketing” the aim is “financial”. This does not mean that commercial marketers can not contribute to achievement of social good. It is important not to confuse “social marketing” with other types of “commercial marketing” where there is a contribution to a social good involved but not the primary aim.

Source: Wikipedia

Viral Marketing

Viral marketing refer to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness, through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of pathological and computer viruses. It can be word-of-mouth delivered or enhanced by the network effects of the Internet. A phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message voluntarily. Viral promotions may take the form of funny video clips, interactive Flash games, advergames, images, or even SMS text messages.

Source: Wikipedia

10 basic starter tips how to make your site viral

1. Bring traffic to the site by adding a “Recommend This Site” feature
2. Bring traffic to specific page/article by adding a “Share this with a Friend” feature
3. Promote newsletters or promotion by adding a “Forward this to a Friend” feature
4. Increase member registrations by rewarding existing members when they refer friends who sign-up
5. Create “Rewards” or “Incentives” to visitors who recommends your site to their friends
6. Add audio and/or video Podcasts and offer easy ways to link to them from other sites