The Pitfalls of “Going Viral”

Going viral is the WORST thing you can do!

“Going viral” seems to be the holy grail of marketing strategies, it’s ability to propel people and brands into the public consciousness is yet unrivalled, resulting in a dramatic and sometimes unexpected increase in exposure, popularity and (most importantly) in ad revenue and product sales.

However, this highly sought after status can become a migraine inducing headache.

Take for example PlantATreeCo who encouraged Instagram users to tag them in a pet pictures, and in exchange PlantATreeCo would...plant a tree .

And now they’re on the hook for a barking 4 million.

So how can you ensure your marketing is happy dance inducing , and not face palm worthy?

• Make sure you actually have the resources to do what you say you will - planning for the worst case scenario is better than the bad press of back peddling

• Avoid offering individual items (such as trees or products) that are hard to forecast and quantify

• Test your campaign by limiting the exposure of the ad as much as you can

• Terms and Conditions are an eye sore but can help clarify the scope of your promotional activity

And finally, always think about where you want to take your brand and whether this activity will get you there - make sure you aren't barking up the wrong tree.