With the onslaught of marketing campaigns geared towards Internet users, viral marketing has paved the way and has become one of the top advertising methods.
The principle behind the success of viral marketing is the number of users reached through the campaign. Several viral marketing techniques can be applied to an advertising campaign to succeed. Take a look at the following:
- Creating viral marketing awards.
Creating viral marketing awards helps both companies and users by creating even more users. Awards in viral marketing help innovate the industry more and bring out more effective marketing techniques.
2. Distributing free software.
Anything useful and free gets an instant “fan base” on the Internet. Provide online users with any software they need for free, “ even for a limited time, “ and they will surely grab it.
When using free software, you can run the program to suit any application, check the program’s flow to learn how it works, make improvisations, and have the right to distribute the software for free.
3. Providing a free email account.
This is what Microsoft did to initially launch Hotmail. They put in a “teaser” at the end of the free e-mail messages they send out, providing a link for users to sign-up for a free and private e-mail account.
The word “free” has sparked online users’ interest and the fact that this is something that online users really need. Soon, almost all Microsoft users signed up for a free Hotmail account. This started the viral marketing fever.
4. Providing free web space.
Personal weblogs have become all the buzz on the Internet.
Companies now competing like crazy to offer customers the lowest cost on directory listing and have the biggest space allotments.
This competition will benefit the users in getting their pick from a host of webspace providers and has the greatest deal.
5. Creating a top 100 site.
Online users often need a list of web sites relating to the topic that they need. Creating a top 100 list is one way to build your list and increase your customer base.
6. Offering free e-cards.
Egreetings.com is one company that provides teasers for online users to send electronic greetings cards. They are animated and personalized, so most users take advantage of the offer.
7. Offering free graphics, banners, templates.
Like the marketing of regular consumer products, anything that is free and useful will catch many people’s attention. Banners, graphics, templates, and other items that online users can use are a welcome addition to their freebies list and infuse viral marketing fever.
8. Offering free consultation.
Most online users do not know where to consult about web services or other services in various fields.
Free online consultation websites require you to enter your name, e-mail address, and other pertinent information, and this would help add up to your subscribers and customer base.
9. Offering a specialized link directory.
Specialized links directory helps build a more specific clientele, as the users who need this service can be classified. This technique yields more accurate results.
10. Free newsletter with bonuses.
An online shopping company might use this viral marketing technique. Offering catalogs with free online gift certificates will generate a huge customer base.
11. Free redirect service.
Redirect services give out the new contact information of a web site that changed hosts or servers and redirecting users to a new or personalized domain name. This is an alternative to the much longer and complicated URL’s offered by most web hosts.
12. Free screensavers.
You cannot browse through the Internet and not find popup advertisements for free screensavers. This is one way of getting the user”s e-mail address for a company to start building a solid customer base.
Getting online users to take advantage of free screensavers and emoticons or other downloadables that they can use on their computers is one of the most effective viral marketing techniques.
13. Free autoresponder service.
Autoresponder services add up to your company’s sales by using follow-up e-mail messages in marketing.
14. Free email course.
You cannot believe the wealth of information that you can gain from free e-mail courses. Most free e-books want to share their knowledge with other online users, which is a good way to entice users to your web site.
15. Writing articles and distributing them for reprint with resource box.
When writing articles for free download, make sure to have them reprinted with the resource box.
A resource box is a box on one side of the web page where you got the article, and it shows the complete contact information of the author of a particular article.
16. Using forums and discussion boards that use signatures.
The users of discussion boards and forums have the same interests. By getting their signatures on message boards, you can have a vast array of potential buyers from a specific target market.
17. Starting your own affiliate program.
This is one of the best methods to generate traffic and sales to your site. Here, a specialized link is provided for your affiliates so that users can be veered towards your web site.
18. Providing free guestbook.
A guestbook makes a list of all your online visitors. After a user visits your website, you would contact information for future marketing and mailing purposes.
19. Providing free forums.
Online forums have a lot of participants, which can be a beneficial viral marketing technique.
By applying these viral marketing techniques to promote your products and services, you will surely generate traffic to your web site, build a huge and solid customer base, add to your sales, and contribute to your company’s success.
Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR’S resource box at the bottom of this article is included, and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.
Summary:
Researching on the way to generate traffic through viral marketing techniques could be nerve-wracking. Here are 19 ways.
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