A Cure for the Common Viral Marketing Program
According to a recent Nielsen Internet survey, 78 percent of consumers say they trust other consumer’s recommendation over all advertising/marketing avenues. Marketers these days seem to be chomping at the bit to encourage word of mouth and viral marketing. But do they work? So far, the answer is disappointing.
New research from JupiterResearch published in today's issue of 1to1 Weekly shows that only 15 percent of viral marketing efforts of the past year actually succeeded in getting consumers to spread positive word of mouth. For every subservient chicken, there are many more well-intentioned initiatives that sputter out before making an impact. The problem isn't with the campaigns necessarily, but with the ability to tie back the initiatives to actual results. It seems like everything comes down to metrics, doesn't it?
What do you think? Does viral marketing really work?
