When Viral is a Good Thing

Would Susan Boyle have become the worldwide sensation she is today without the Internet?  Undoubtedly not.

The video of her debut performance on Britain’s Got Talent was posted on YouTube and to date has received over 53 million views.  Her debut album shot to #1 in the UK and the U.S., making it the best-selling debut of last year.

And that, in a nutshell, is the power of viral marketing.

Not many of us have the talent of a Susan Boyle.  But there are a few things you can do to market your business in a viral fashion:

Viral link building. Having other sites link to yours because you have a unique product or service helps you build your brand on the Web.  You can use social network sites like Digg, delicious, Fark , etc. to get the word out quickly.

Video. With the proliferation of cheap video technology, it’s really inexpensive to promote your product or service with video and post on the Internet.  Most cell phones these days have video – shoot a quick flick of someone using your product in a unique way (if it’s a celebrity or sports star, all the better!), upload it and watch the crowds watching you!

E-book. A good eBook full of useful information will not only keep people returning to your website, it will also furnish you with an opportunity to gather email addresses for your marketing database.

E-newsletter. Creating an e-newsletter and encouraging people to sign up via your website lets you establish a direct dialog with your customers and, if it contains interesting and useful information, they may pass it along to others and help you spread your marketing message.

Thinking virally in a good way may be just what you need to spread your product or service around the world – which is the best prescription for making money!