Viral marketing requires two things for success: a message that is useful and a high pass-along rate. Otherwise it is doomed for failure. It’s not enough to have a well-crafted message – but equally critical to ensure it is interesting/ outrageous. Viral marketing can take many shapes: from a simple email forward to people recommending videos to their friends. SMEs should especially consider viral marketing as it is low cost, low risk and has the potential to produce quick results. Viral marketing is a powerful tool that can help deliver offers to your market/ target group, help you build a database and give your brand visibility.

That’s, of course, all very well, but how should a SME build the viral effect? The answers vary for each SME.

But our advice would be to explore the possibility with someone you can trust backing it with a reasonable budget so that you are assured of returns against your brand goals. However, even before considering viral videos here are some questions to think about for an SME:

• Is your audience on the web?

• Will it have broadband to enjoy the video?

• Does it have the time to watch a 1.5 minute video?

• What kind of message strikes your audience and will that message encourage your TG to “forward” the URL as a recommendation to others?

• Does your audience trust your brand to rely on its message, despite the odd comments that can be made against the video online?