5 Secrets to Making Anything Go Viral

Nobody needs to tell you that a viral marketing campaign can increase brand awareness and offer you an unbeatable return on your investment in time and content. You just want to know how to get your own project passed around the Internet by enthusiastic users.

Why does some content take off while other content stalls on the launching pad? The right answer even frustrates serious marketers when they try to analyze the type of content that tends to get followed, shared, and commented upon. However, marketers who master the art and science of creating viral marketing campaigns can use their knowledge to promote almost anything.

5 Tips to Help Your Marketing Campaign Take Off

Viral marketing campaigns seldom happen by accident, and they also share some common traits. These tips may help you understand what you do right and what you could work on a little more.

1. Connect With Your Community

Part of increasing your chance of having a successful campaign relies upon the online platform that you have already constructed. Businesses and personalities that do well on social platforms notice and respond to their communities. They might respond to questions and comments, and sometimes they even mention community members by name to thank them for a contribution. Social media users tend to share content from sources they either love or hate, and you would probably rather be one of the sources that they love.

2. Social Media Users Share Content That Creates an Emotional Response

Take note of celebrities or authors you follow that typically enjoy a lot of sharing and interaction on their social media pages. They don't just post about themselves or their latest project. In fact, these social media successes know their audiences very well. They post content that amuses, supports, and engages their fans and followers. For example, you might let your fans know that you share a popular view on a social issue or donate money to a worthy charity.

3. Be Original

Your social networking platforms should reflect your brand and image. Passing around other brand's memes is more likely to help your community remember that other brand than it is yours.

4. Cooperate with Other Brands

You shouldn't take content from others, but you can enlist their cooperation. This helps a lot for people who still need to build a large social networking platform. If you write romances, find a handful of other romance writers that can help you create content and promote it. If you'd rather not share the spotlight with other writers in your genre, you might seek out authors with books in other categories. You can have a something-for-everybody promotion together. Either way, you are bound to increase your own visibility.

5. Things Take Time

This is the last secret to making anything go viral. You should be testing different types of content and promotional strategies all the time. Creating viral campaigns may be part science and part art, but even masterpieces do not appeal to every critic. Don't give up, but do keep testing out new content types and promotional strategies on your unique community of potential customers.

Kenneth Gillett is the Principal and Founder of Target Marketing. A full service digital marketing agency in New York City guiding authors, speakers & brands to elevate their influence.