Gales Network • Brand building from the inside out

31 January 2008

Don't Put That In Your Mouth, You Don't Know Where It's Been!
A look at Word Of Mouth and Viral Marketing

Happy New Year!

In the new economy, we are constantly reminded of the importance of Word of Mouth and Viral marketing in developing a brand. As these terms are often used interchangeably, little distinction may be seen between the two. But they are different and in a marketplace that relies heavily on both, understanding that difference may be important to your strategy.

Viral marketing is generally defined as the use of social networks to launch the spread of a message, similarly to a virus that propagates in the cells it contacts. These networks can be institutional (MySpace, Facebook) or individual, (your address book). Structured correctly, what marketing guru Seth Godin calls an "ideavirus" can create widespread awareness of a brand, the first step in generating a sale.

In Viral marketing, the message, not the messenger is the most important element. Once launched, the message must encourage its own propulsion. Most often, the fuel that drives the message is its entertainment value, such as a funny product video, a clever photo or an informative story.

These messages can build awareness, but their sales effectiveness is limited by their lack of endorsement. A Viral message about a great deal on a vacation destination is informative, but will not necessarily trigger a purchase, because the source may not be known or trusted.

Word of Mouth marketing has similar attributes to Viral, but just as siblings share genes, they may display different behaviors.

In Word of Mouth marketing, the messenger and message are symbiotic. A WOM marketing message relies greatly on the credibility of its communicator to be effective and spread. It is that endorsement that positions a sale, which is the ultimate goal when building a brand.

A WOM message can achieve scale, but it may not spread exponentially or as quickly as a Viral message. My friend Larry might tell me, and others in his group of foodie friends, about a great meal he had at a new restaurant. We might tell a few friends more, but it's unlikely that thousands will ultimately hear about the flavor of the trout almandine. However, I'm much more likely to try that restaurant, or other product directly recommended by Larry, based largely on his praise. If a clever email flyer for the same restaurant showed up in my inbox, I'd be aware of it, but unlikely to act until someone I trusted endorsed it.

Both Viral and Word of Mouth marketing are valuable tools in the development of a brand. The strength of a Viral message is its ability to create awareness among large groups of consumers. WOM has greater influencing qualities because of the recommendation implied by its communicator. By using them in the right manner, Viral to increase awareness, WOM to close a sale, you can harness their specific strengths to build your brand.

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The Big Ideas Report separates the real issues (Big Ideas) from the noise, so that it’s possible to move forward with confidence or simply converse intelligently with others. We identify issues that have a material impact on your business, define them succinctly and suggest a position, so you can get going. Part fact, part opinion, part alchemy, that’s The Big Ideas Report.