The Internet is a place which thrives on interaction. It’s somewhere where if you put something out for the publics eye – not only will they look at it, they will send it to friends, comment on it, criticize it, praise it and even remix it or edit it. This is an exciting atmosphere to market in, if you’re willing to let go.
Trying to control an Internet marketing campaign is the antithesis of going viral. If you really want something to catch on, you’re going to need to grow a thicker skin and realize that not everyone is going to be positive about what you’re doing online. Hopefully, the positive comments and people enjoying your campaign outnumber the negative, but certainly there will always be some naysayers. This is completely natural, as not everyone is always going to love everything.
It is important that what you put out there initially in your campaign is exactly what you want to communicate, and that you have buy-in from everyone behind it. Let them know of what potentially could happen. But sometimes a little controversy (the right kind of it, at least) is good and will help spread a buzz.
Playing it safe online is fine, but for something to go viral, it must illicit an emotional response in the user – enough so that they will want to forward it to their friends, and then their friends will want to forward it to their friends. This cannot work if you put something out there which plays it safe. Something wild, outrageous, controversial…something that really turns heads and pause for a minute will always be most successful in this space. Just don’t get caught up in a few people’s negativity, especially if many people are enjoying what you’re doing.
Fans of your brand found through this type of promotion can end up being some of your biggest promoters.