Viral Marketing and Social Networks

Chapter 6

Hybrid Marketing

For viral marketing, interactivity and consumer active involvement lead to a loss of control for marketers over the diffusion of the marketing message and content. Consumers define the type of content, information, and entertainment they need, what they are interested in forwarding, and the channels used for diffusion. From this point of view, once the message is launched, marketers can no longer control how fast the message spreads, its presence on different online platforms, and the reactions of the users. The initial seeding of the message can be controlled and can gain benefits from the Internet, including specific focus on targeted groups; however, once the message is released, companies have little control. Traditional ...