Viral+Marketing

toc =Definition=

An Internet/Web based promotional strategy encouraging individuals to forward marketer-initiated meesages to others via e-mail. Viral marketing depends on a ‘high pass-along rate from person to person.’ If a large number of recipients forward a message to a large number of people, the growth of the message builds by continuous pass-along action. [|Hotmail] is the first example of viral marketing which gave away free e-mail addresses and services. All you would have to do is attach a simple tag at the bottom of the free message you would be sending out, stating that you can also get your private, free email address at at the hotmail website. When people get this message they join Hotmail and forward this mesage on to their friends and assosiates, who once again sign up, and the process continues. Hotmail was the first example of viral marketing which was very successful (Viral Marketing). It's subscriber base grew more rapidly than any other company. In it's 1.5 years, Hotmail signed up over 12 million subscribers.

=[|Key Elements of Viral Marketing]=


 * 1) Gives away products or services to consumers.
 * 2) Provides for free and effortless transfer of marketing message to others.
 * 3) Scales easily from small to very large.
 * 4) Exploits common motivations and behaviors.
 * 5) Utilizes existing communication networks.
 * 6) Takes advantage of others' resources.

=Works Cited=

Kerin, Roger A., Steven W. Hartley, and William Rudelius. __Marketing The Core__. 8th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2004. g15-g15

Jurveston, Steve. "Viral Marketing". 2000. Date of Retrieval 23rd February, 2006**.** http://www.dfj.com/cgi-bin/artman/publish/cat_index_28.shtml

Littlejohn, E. “Web Culture and Design: Lesson 1”. 2005 Sheridan Institute of technology and Advance Learning, Oakville Ontario.

Viral Marketing. Available at http://www.marketingterms.com/dictionary/viral_marketing/ [Accessed from 24 February 2006].

Wilson, Ralph. Web Marketing Today. "The Six Simple Principles of Viral Marketing". 2000. Date of Retrieval: 23rd February 2006. http://www.wilsonweb.com/wmt5/viral-principles.htm