“I think, therefore I am.” The quintessential philosophical phrase can also be applied to marketing, believe it or not.
But it’s more like… they think, therefore they buy.
In other words, understanding how your customers think, and how marketing techniques impact their thinking—it’s the key to success.
And that’s never more true than when you’re hoping to make your ad or campaign go viral.
Whether it’s a tweet that gains millions of shares or a brand video that skyrockets in engagement, virality can transform a business overnight. But what separates a viral success from a forgotten attempt? How do you get inside someone’s head—in a positive, productive way? What inspires someone to share an advertisement or brand promotion with everyone they know?
Here’s what to know about the psychology of viral marketing:
- Viral successes tap into emotions. It’s essential to tell a story that is likely to summon a deep and authentic feeling within your audiences. Emotions help people remember concepts and pursue the triggers that bring them out. With audience insights, you can create ads that actually land emotionally with your future customers.
- Sharing is prompted by social cachet. People share content that makes them look good, smart, or “in the know.” If a campaign provides unique insights, humor, or exclusivity, audiences feel compelled to pass it along.
- You can’t overestimate the simplicity principle. Ingenuity is important—but you don’t have to drive yourself crazy chasing a complex formula. The simplicity principle states that content is more likely to be shared when it’s easy to understand, quick to land, and will resonate with a broad audience. Think of some of the trends you’ve recently seen dominating the internet; a majority of them took off because they’re trends that anyone, anywhere can replicate and participate in. And that’s because they stuck to the basics and kept a wide potential audience in mind.
Viral marketing isn’t just about luck—it’s about understanding how human behavior influences sharing patterns.
Mad 4 Marketing can help you better understand what inspires your specific audience and then help you create campaigns that tap into those unique mental mechanisms. Reach out anytime to kick-start your next viral success.