Viral

I find the idea of viral information flow one of the more interesting aspects of Internet culture. I first learned this term from marketing books by the marketing guru Seth Godin. Especially in books, Permission Marketing: Turning Strangers Into Friends and Friends Into Customers, Unleashing the ideavirus, and Free Prize Inside: The Next Big Marketing Idea.

I think this is one of the more unique ideas and phenomenon of the web. We all get caught up with these "viral memes" as Anderson refers to them in the Lister book, "New Media". Things catch on, people key into something that resonates with them or the movement of society at the time. These viral trends travel throughout the first adaptors and make it into the minds of everyday people through other pop culture filters.

But does viral marketing have staying power. I believe used as a tool to introduce a new company or product or to liven up an old brand it is useful. A powerful tool. But as with most pop culture trends it does not build brand loyalty. It is a starting point, or a point of action when what you are doing is failing and you need to jump start things.

Unfortunately it is not as easy as putting an ad in the newspaper or running commercials. You must have an intimate knowledge of your customers and never cross the line of "looking" like you are trying to do exactly what you are trying to do, sell them something.