This is a guest post by Febap Liew. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.
How often are we led to believe in the exponential prowess of viral marketing? How specific are we to be certain of how viral marketing works and operates? As I began to ponder about this sort of question myself, being the usual curious me, I started to look around the internet for valuable information. To my surprise, I began to realize that I know nothing about viral marketing. In fact, my discovery led me to find out something much more extraordinary.
What does it really mean by viral?
adj. Of, relating to, or caused by a virus.
What is a virus then?
A minute infectious agent which, with certain exceptions, is not resolved by the light microscope lacks independent metabolism and is able to replicate only within a living host cell.
When I think of viral in such context, I think of zombies and Umbrella Corporation, seriously! How does a zombie react? Mindless, gruesome and serves only one purpose, to feed and spread their virus towards a far greater reach.
Are we really categorizing such infectious terms into our marketing strategy? Do you really want your readers to be mindless zombies so that they could spread what is it you have to offer?
No, inevitably, we don’t want mindless being. Therefore, what we want really is for your marketing strategy to spread exponentially like a virus!
The truth I have deliberately found out essentially what we are really working on is called consumer driven marketing. Consumer driven marketing is defined as a method of promotion that relies on customers helping to market an idea, product or service by choosing to share something with their friends. Such terms are better to be associated positively.
As far as we have gotten through, are you able to grasp hold of an idea or two about the difference between viral marketing and consumer driven marketing?
Inevitably, to some, you may think that may just be a play of words but distinctively, it is very crucial that we determine and set it apart. After going through what I am about to deliver, I am sure you will have a clearer state of definition to what really viral marketing as well as consumer driven marketing will be all about. After this, based on your personal preference, you can pick which sort of spread you are most interested to work on.
Viral marketing : Like a virus, it puts the host at a ‘passive’ state where it ultimately have no choice but to spread and pass on its ‘belief’. Talk about being contaminated.
Consumer driven marketing : Believes in self participation and positively active in its growth. It enables people to react based on self will and interest.
Viral marketing : Assumes that marketing itself will replicate by itself without having a care in the world.
Consumer driven marketing : Assumes that information are spread and shared amongst based on its value contents. It should only be applicable to share, it should also be worthy of performing so.
Viral marketing : Requires a supportive element to boost its marketing efficiency. Cute babies maybe or half naked women. ( I have really come across such methods and I wonder why. Now I know )
Consumer driven marketing : Consider a great amount to why and how people share and deliberately work on its favour.
After going through, what are you really marketing on? Viral marketing or really consumer driven marketing?
Therefore, stop spreading the ‘viruses’. Create something that you believe is of value and share it. Stop treating your audiences as ‘consumers’ but rather fans that would exponentially spread your course of work.
About Author :
Febap Liew is the owner of BlogXic. She shares everything that you would need to know on how to make money online on the world wide web.
About Lee Ka Hoong
Another great post Febap!
I’ve been seeing you everywhere these days haha. But I definitely didn’t completely understand viral marketing until today. I can’t say I understood what it was at all.
I definitelty understand it now though, basically, marketing with some kind of incentive or attention grabber that makes it less of a conscious decision to check out what I have to offer haha. Thanks again
CJ
@Cj
lol..yea i suppose so. I am having so much fun sharing and learning and exposing myself out ;)
I am glad that you have learn a great deal out from this post.
yea, marketing isn’t a one man show. it would require all the help you could get to expand your credibility, product or services online. therefore, what better way than to obtain the help from your fellow readers and customers ( in a good and mutual way of course )
cheers
Febap Liew @ Make Money Online Today recently posted..And You Think Making Money With Blogs Is Easy I Will Proof You Wrong
Hi Febap,
Good point you make there. But some people still like viral marketing. I think viral marketing can also be used in a good way, and not necessarily in a bad way. Sometimes good videos go viral, and people use viral marketing for it.
Kindest,
Nabeel
@Nabeel
Well, viral marketing ; in terms of ‘terming’ and ‘how it operates’ does have significantly marked its place online.
inevitably, how one functions depends greatly on who’s handling it.
As the saying goes, bad things will happen if it falls on bad hands and likewise. LOL
cheers
Nice job in making the distinction between Viral marketing and Consumer driven marketing. I too believe viral marketing requires some marketing to become viral.
Colleen@Kennewick Real Estate recently posted..Funny Faces, Cool Dads
@Collen
Thank you for your comments, collen.
I am glad that you have enjoyed reading.
viral or consumer driven marketing alike requires effort and time to make it happen. Anything that is worth having would instinctively needs these 2 attributes.
;)
cheers
Interesting article, I have reading it 3-4 times and I got different answer to myself what I knows about viral marketing and the good point Joe and Colleen Lane write.
Hey Lennart,
I am glad that you have enjoyed reading. wow 3-4 times and you managed to get different points of perspective to it. :) thank you very much for your compliment.
i hope you will benefit greatly from this article too,aye.
keep up the good work.
Febap Liew@ Make Money Online Today recently posted..If Being Rich Matters To You – Play The Game of Wealth The Right Way
Hi brother how are you. Marketing is the marketing it might be viral or other type of marketing. Our main goal is to drive traffic and generate leads to our site. If someone good in viral marketing then it can also help us for drive traffic.
Hey chandan,
been doing fine ;)
yeap marketing will eventually be marketing. no second doubt about that. whatever marketing that we wish to pursue, either viral or relationship based or consumer driven etc. it all takes effort and time. once we have mastered the ability to take this matter into consideration, we will succeed in terms of marketing.
cheers , buddy
Febap Liew from @ Make Money Online Today recently posted..If Being Rich Matters To You – Play The Game of Wealth The Right Way
Hi Febap! Nice to see your another guest post in myblog2day.com. You have touched a little bit about the virus. Another point to add in is the virus is lifeless.
Great post Febap! Keep your work up! :)
Kok Siong @ Cancer Research recently posted..DNA Preparation of Bone Marrow Sample for Backtracking
hey kok siong,
thank you for your comments.
it really depends on how you define ‘lifeless’.. to me a virus is as lively as it could be.. it spreads, it moves and it is ‘contagious’ ..however, you my dear friend has profound knowledge in terms of a medical application about virus, i believe it can be ‘lifeless’ too. =)
cheers,buddy.
keep up the good work too ,ya.
Febap Liew @ Make Money Online Today recently posted..If Being Rich Matters To You – Play The Game of Wealth The Right Way
The thing about viral marketing is that it eventually dies down and is not viewed as much anymore but its good while it lasts.
Hey bidet,
yes, nothing is of constant. things will eventually dies down unless you put an effort to keep it up, aye.
therefore, you have to keep it up too,yes. =)
cheers
Febap Liew @ Make Money Online Today recently posted..If Being Rich Matters To You – Play The Game of Wealth The Right Way
Very interesting article! I didn’t know the difference between viral marketing and consumer driven marketing. Thanks! :)
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hey joffrey,
thank you for your compliments and comments.
i hope you have enjoyed reading and yes, learn more about it too from this article.
have a nice day.
Febap Liew @ Make Money Online Today recently posted..If Being Rich Matters To You – Play The Game of Wealth The Right Way
Hey there Felap,
You have totally cleared my mind about the difference between Viral Marketing and Consumer driven marketing. The most important difference being that in viral marketing people have to pass on the information because they are compelled too but in consumer driven marketing the content gets passed only if it is worth passing
hey there Alex,
i am glad that my post is of benefits to you. you are right about the difference between viral and consumer driven marketing.
now as the difference are made clear, you can now decide on which that works better for you. =) or maybe you ought to integrate them both?
your call,my friend.
whatever it is, ensure that values are provided
cheers