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Viral Marketing for Webmasters
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What is viral marketingThe term "viral marketing" refers to the idea that people will pass on and share with others content that is interesting and entertaining. This sharing of content with others, often expressed as word of mouth advertising, can grow at an exponential rate like a virus. One person passes the content or information on to several other people who in turn pass it on to several other people and so on. The reach of this type of networking can be truly expansive.On the Internet viral marketing has become the bread and butter of webmasters. One link in the right place at the right time can increase the exposure of a website beyond any other form of networking or linking strategy. It works like the old Pyramid scheme (i.e. chain letters) but used ethically it can be a boon to webmasters who are try to find ways of increasing website traffic.
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Types of viral marketingViral marketing can be used in many ways. The following list is only the tip of the iceberg.
Pass alongA funny video clip or cartoon passed from one web surfer to another is a good example of this type of campaign. People like to share the things that interest them with their friends. Provide your visitor with something interesting and they will pass it along.
RewardsOffer an incentive to your visitors. Downloads, articles and contests are all good ways to get your visitors to refer your website to others. Ask them to tell their friends about your site in exchange for their reward. Done properly this kind of viral marketing is most effective.
StealthHere the idea is to gain referrals without asking for them. Stealth marketing entails the presentation of material that leads visitors to believe that they have discovered your product on their own. Referring to a product or website in an oblique way and not making the pitch obvious is an excellent example of stealth marketing.
GossipPassing along newsworthy or controversial bits of information which in turn is shared with other Internet users can increase website traffic. For example, people love to know intimate details of famous personages. By providing little know facts about famous people you can produce quite an increase in traffic to your website.
DatabaseOnline forums and chat rooms can be developed into a self sustaining network of referrals. The people using these services will encourage their friends to join them. As the popularity of your website grows so will your traffic. Though difficult to set-up such a site it will produce dividends.
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Methods of viral marketingThe way in which you approach your viral marketing campaign will determine how successful you will be. In the following examples some of the methods used to do this are presented. But, like everything else in life, there are many other approaches that can be used effectively. It's up to you to find the one that works best for your particular situation.
Web based formsWhenever you are prompted by a website to send a link or article to a friend you are using one of the methods of viral marketing. When you click on such a link you are generally presented with some kind of Web form. Filling out the form generates an e-mail which is sent to your friend who hopefully will pass it on to others.
E-mailOne of the simplest methods of viral marketing is the use of e-mail. This can be an advertisement or article sent to the people on your mailing list. If this results in the forwarding of your content or link to others viral marketing occurs.
Instant messages and forumsSending links through instant messaging and/or forums is another method of viral marketing. One link presented in a chat room or forum can lead to many more links to your website than you might expect.
Bookmarking
Providing an easy method of bookmarking your website can also lead to an expanding audience. Each time a visitor bookmarks your site the potential for viral marketing is enhanced.
Blogs
Blogs have great potential for creating a effective viral marketing campaign. Information or links on a blog will often be copied to other blogs. With the growing number of blogs on the Internet your reach can expand exponentially.
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