“OMG, you’d never believe what I just heard…!”

VIRAL MARKETING… It’s one hell of an internet virus!

Have you ever taken interest in a particular product or service, so much so, you share content about that particular product or service to another user? Uh-oh… if you have, looks like you’ve caught the virus too and you are spreading it fast!

 

 

Social media networks are like a natural habitat for internet viruses. Every time you pick up your device and open any one of your social media networking sites and start interacting with its content, you are contributing to the widespread use of information us marketers like to call “WOM”.

WOM stands for Word-Of-Mouth and did you know; word of mouth is the primary factor behind 20-50% of all purchasing decisions? Crazy huh?

Jonah Berger, a famous professor in marketing, identifies Social Currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical Value and Stories as the main principles of contagiousness that explain why things “catch on”.

 

 

SOCIAL CURRENCY

 

Social Currency… I like that sound of that! Initially when I heard this, I thought ‘getting paid to be social’, living the dream! Unfortunately, that’s not what social currency is, however, social currency can in fact lead to big bucks, but that’s another story for another time my social butterflies.

John Berger believes that is detrimental to make your social media information shareable. By sharing your information on a variety of different platforms, the information you’ve shared becomes easily accessible, continuous and durable.

The more information you allow to be shared on social media, usually means the more popular your content will become. When content you’ve shared becomes popular, you become an influencer to your audience.

When you appeal to your audience, you look more attractive to your audience, ultimately giving you satisfaction (social currency). Well, it’s not dollar signs… but it’s a great confidence boost, so I’m sold!

I once shared a video on Facebook that a like page had posted and within less than an hour my post generated over 180 likes and 73 comments. It went viral in that hour!

 

 

Everyone was jumping on board, tagging their friends, re-sharing the video and not long after, the video was shared all across my newsfeed. Looks like I spread the virus pretty damn fast, (sorry to those who became infected)! Check out the video for yourself below.

 

 

So, I guess you could say I created some social currency for myself, I was satisfied because I appealed to over 180 people on Facebook and hopefully made each and every single one of them laugh, including you! I influenced my followers in some sort of way that created value for myself and my own satisfaction.

 

 

If you’d like to read more about Berger’s six steps check out this link!

Which of the following STEPPS within viral marketing do you mainly use? I’d like to hear in the comments below, are you a social currency person like me?

Until next time, keep spreading content on your social media accounts like you spread your wings social butterflies!

Catcha,

Jasmin x