Is there a perfect formula you can use to make something go viral online successfully?
I think the answer to that question is a flat-out “NO.”
In their 2007 book, Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies, authors Li and Bernoff present posting viral videos as a viable “talking with the groundswell” strategy. Three years later (a lifetime online), marketing, public relations and advertising professionals are still pitching viral campaigns to clients - despite the inability to predict the outcomes.
Working in business development, I remember sitting in on brainstorming sessions where the idea of creating a viral video would come up. People would get really, really excited. But rarely would anyone point out the potential disastrous consequences.
- While the band OK Go didn’t realize their treadmill music video for “Here It Goes Again” would get nearly 50 million hits in three years - resulting in a YouTube award…
- Domino’s would have preferred the video of their employees’ distasteful behavior wouldn’t have made it’s rounds on the Internet, and ultimately in all major media outlets…
- And Motrin didn’t intend to make the powerful communities of Mommy bloggers mad with their Motrin Moms campaign, which received a ton of press, just not the kind they wanted.
There’s no arguing that viral communication campaigns can be wildly successful, bringing mounds of attention to an organization. But, how often is that the case? For every well-known viral campaign, there must be at least several more miserable flops.
When it comes to harnessing the power of social media, too often organizations focus on the outcomes they want: Twitter followers! Facebook fans! Hits on a YouTube video! Rather than only seeing the end-goal, organizations need to focus on generating great ideas that can be awesomely implemented online.
-Rachel
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