Editing Viral marketing (section)

{{short description|Marketing strategy that uses existing social networks to promote a product}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Primary sources|date=August 2023}}
{{Original research|date=August 2023}}
{{Essay-like|date=September 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
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'''Viral marketing''' is a business strategy that uses existing social networks to promote a product mainly on various social media platforms. Its name refers to how consumers spread information about a product with other people, much in the same way that a [[virus]] spreads from one person to another.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.marketing-schools.org/types-of-marketing/viral-marketing.html|title=Viral Marketing {{!}} What is Viral Marketing?|website=www.marketing-schools.org|access-date=2018-05-23}}</ref> It can be delivered by [[Word-of-mouth marketing|word of mouth]], or enhanced by the network effects of the [[Internet]] and [[mobile network]]s.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2005-06-22-viral-usat_x.htm | title=USAToday: Viral advertising spreads through marketing plans | work=USA Today | first1=Theresa | last1=Howard | date=2005-06-23 | access-date=2010-05-27}} June 23, 2005, 2005</ref>

The concept is often misused or misunderstood,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/time-rethink-viral-marketing/147753/|title=Why It's Time to Rethink Viral Marketing|access-date=2017-12-22|language=en}}</ref> as people apply it to any successful enough story without taking into account the word "viral".<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Wilson|first=R.F.|date=2000-01-01|title=The Six Simple Principles of Viral Marketing|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248011965|journal=Web Marketing Today|volume=70}}</ref>

Viral advertising is personal and, while coming from an identified sponsor, it does not mean businesses pay for its distribution.<ref>Viral Marketing. The Science of Sharing. Karen Nelson-Field. OUP University Press</ref> Most of the well-known viral ads circulating online are ads paid by a sponsor company, launched either on their own platform (company web page or [[social media]] profile) or on social media websites such as YouTube.<ref>Viral Marketing and Social Networks. Maria Petrescu. Business Expert Press</ref> Consumers receive the page link from a social media network or copy the entire ad from a website and pass it along through e-mail or posting it on a blog, web page or social media profile. Viral marketing may take the form of [[digital video|video clips]], interactive [[Adobe Flash|Flash]] games, [[advergame]]s, [[ebook]]s, [[brandable software]], [[image]]s, [[SMS marketing|text messages]], [[email]] messages, or [[web page]]s. The most commonly utilized transmission vehicles for viral messages include pass-along based, incentive based, trendy based, and undercover based. However, the creative nature of viral marketing enables an "endless amount of potential forms and vehicles the messages can utilize for transmission", including mobile devices.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ndgraphic.com/viral-marketing/|title=Viral Marketing|date=30 July 2012|publisher=Night & Day Graphics|access-date=6 October 2012}}</ref>

The ultimate goal of marketers interested in creating successful viral marketing programs is to create [[viral messages]] that appeal to individuals with high [[social networking potential]] (SNP) and that have a high probability of being presented and spread by these individuals and their competitors in their communications with others in a short period.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://videomarketingbot.com/blog/viral-marketing-understanding-the-latest-catchword/|title=Viral Marketing – Understanding the Latest Catchword|date=11 September 2012|publisher=Video Marketing Bot Pro|access-date=6 October 2012}}</ref>

The term "viral marketing" has also been used [[pejorative]]ly to refer to [[stealth marketing]] campaigns—marketing strategies that advertise a product to people without them knowing they are being marketed to.<ref>{{cite news | url= http://www.marketing-schools.org/types-of-marketing/stealth-marketing.html | title=Stealth Marketing |date=2012|access-date=December 21, 2014}}</ref>