E-Commerce Dictionary
Viral Marketing
Definition
A business strategy that uses existing social networks to promote a product.
Deep Dive
Viral Marketing is a business strategy that leverages existing social networks to rapidly spread information about a product, service, or brand, often in an exponential fashion, akin to how a virus spreads. It relies on compelling, highly shareable content—such as videos, images, or articles—that people are eager to pass along to their friends, family, and colleagues, thereby generating widespread awareness and excitement organically.
Examples & Use Cases
- 1The "Ice Bucket Challenge" for ALS awareness, which rapidly spread across social media platforms through nominations and video sharing
- 2Dollar Shave Club's original humorous YouTube commercial that garnered millions of views and led to a surge in subscriptions due to its unexpected and witty messaging
- 3Dropbox's referral program that offered free additional storage to users for inviting new sign-ups, effectively incentivizing organic user growth.
Related Terms
Word-of-Mouth MarketingSocial Media MarketingGuerrilla MarketingNetwork Effects