Viral marketing is the practice of motivating people to spread your message for you. Viral marketing can be an extremely productive way to grow your business. Imagine if you created a video and it was viewed 10,000 times! That’d produce significant results, right?

You might not know that Google’s search algorithms take social metrics into consideration when they rank a page. This adds to the potential of viral marketing. It not only boosts awareness – it can boost your page ranking too.

So how do you create a viral message that catches on?

#1 Create a Stir

Controversy is one of the best ways to generate a buzz and get people talking about something. While some industries seem to be prone to controversy, others aren’t. Yet you might be surprise how something as simple as an honest opinion can create a stir.

For example, one corporate attorney’s writing about the copyright issues with Pinterest’s policies and terms resulted in hundreds of links to her site and national coverage. In fact, her article and the stir it caused helped motivate Pinterest to change their terms. And it helped boost awareness for her photography website.

#2 Do Something Unusual or Out of the Ordinary

One of the most common reasons content becomes viral is because it is entertaining. Now entertaining can mean many things. It can surprise people. It can make them laugh. It can also make them think in a new and interesting way.

For example, imagine a relationship coach that shares a video of a couple arguing and inserts a funny voice over or text bubbles into the video. They’re taking a potentially serious issue and adding unexpected humor to it.

#3 Follow Up

Releasing one viral video or one viral report is great. Following it up with another video or report is like adding dry kindling to an already burning fire. It gets hotter. When you’re planning your viral marketing strategy, don’t allow it to be a one-hit wonder. Follow it up and keep the interest flowing.

Finally, be prepared for the influx of interest, drama, comments and feedback. When viral marketing generates results, it can take you by surprise. Many times marketers have found their servers can’t handle the volume, their assistants can’t handle the emails, and they can’t keep up with demand. While you can’t predict the results of a viral marketing campaign, you can plan for them.