Primarily, a review on theoretical foundations and the history of Viral Marketing is shown. Based on this a variety of different definitions were analysed to set up a practical definition for this thesis. Thereafter, possible targets of Viral Marketing are illustrated, followed by necessary elements of Viral Marketing campaigns, and finally by an approach to measure the effectiveness. By means of an online questionnaire, a survey was conducted to collect empirical data from which to analyse Viral Marketing within social networking sites and detect useful information for the practical use of Viral Marketing. The results of the analysis show the accelerating influence of social networking sites and other factors regarding the effectiveness of Viral Marketing. In addition, specific characteristics which make Viral Marketing messages appealing, as well as the preferred types of Viral Marketing messages are illustrated and should help to understand how to create and design an effective Viral Marketing Campaign.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Background
1.2 Objective
1.3 Approach
2 Literature Review
2.1 Etymological Roots of Viral Marketing
2.2 Evolution of Viral Marketing
2.3 Theoretical Foundations
2.3.1 Word-of-Mouth
2.3.2 Electronic Word-of-Mouth
2.3.3 Epidemiology
2.3.4 Memetics
2.3.5 Diffusion of Innovations Theory
2.3.6 The Tipping Point
2.3.7 Social Networks
2.3.8 Conclusion
2.4 Defining Viral Marketing
2.4.1 Amplitude
2.4.2 Characteristics
2.4.2.1 Communication
2.4.2.2 Carrier of Information
2.4.2.3 Diffusion-Channels
2.4.2.4 Message and Content
2.4.3 Conclusion
2.5 Setting Up a Viral Marketing Campaign
2.5.1 Targets of Viral Marketing
2.5.2 Elements of a Viral Marketing Campaigns
2.5.3 Evaluation of a Viral Marketing Campaign
2.5.4 Conclusion
2.6 Classification of Viral Marketing
2.6.1 Viral Marketing within the Marketing-Mix
2.6.2 Viral Marketing within the Communication Mix
2.6.3 Classification to Related Fields
2.6.4 Conclusion
3 Viral Marketing in Social Networks
3.1 Method
3.1.1 Research Model and Research Questions
3.1.2 Research Design and Dataset
3.2 Survey Results
3.2.1 Stage 1: Receipt of a VMM
3.2.2 Stage 2: Decision Point - Consumption
3.2.3 Stage 3: Consumption of Message
3.2.4 Stage 4: Decision Point - Forwarding
3.3 Reflecting the Research Questions
3.3.1 Effects of Social Networking Sites on Viral Marketing
3.3.2 Preferred Types of Viral Marketing
3.3.3 Characterising Attributes
4 Conclusion
4.1 Limitations
4.2 Outlook
Objectives and Core Themes
This master thesis investigates the mechanics and effectiveness of Viral Marketing within online social networks. By establishing a clear definition for Viral Marketing and analyzing the diffusion process, the research aims to provide actionable insights for practitioners on how to design and evaluate campaigns in modern digital environments.
- Theoretical foundations of Viral Marketing and information diffusion
- Empirical analysis of user behavior within Facebook
- Factors influencing the consumption and forwarding of marketing messages
- The impact of tie-strength on message propagation
- Strategies for setting up and measuring successful Viral Marketing campaigns
Excerpt from the book
2.4.2.1 Communication
According to most of the corresponding authors, communication, or sometimes also described as "dissemination of information", should be connected to a brand, a product, or a service of a company. Intuitively this makes sense since without any connection to a brand, product, or service no correlation between objective of the communication and the company can be made and no effects will occur.
While "honesty of communication" was mentioned infrequently, "cost effectiveness" seemed only important for one author. Nevertheless, honesty is an important tenet of Viral Marketing as already the suspicion of dishonesty would disrupt communication between peers and, hence, impede further dissemination. Cost effectiveness, however, means that the set targets would be accomplished without considering the amount of costs (Dictionary 2012g). What outranks cost effectiveness is cost efficiency as it is defined as the best possible cost-performance ratio with regard to the set target (Dictionary 2012h). Herein also lays Viral Marketing's competitive advantage compared to classic marketing.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides the background and objectives of the research, highlighting the shift in the marketing landscape toward viral methods.
2 Literature Review: Synthesizes theoretical foundations including word-of-mouth, epidemiology, memetics, and diffusion of innovations to define Viral Marketing.
3 Viral Marketing in Social Networks: Details the empirical online survey conducted to analyze user motivations and behaviors regarding Viral Marketing Messages.
4 Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, discusses study limitations, and provides an outlook for future research and practical application.
Keywords
Viral Marketing, Social Networks, Word-of-Mouth, eWOM, Diffusion of Innovations, Online Marketing, Consumer Behavior, Facebook, Campaign Management, Marketing Metrics, Memetics, Digital Strategy, Communication Mix, Viral Advertising, Network Effects
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this master thesis?
This work examines how Viral Marketing operates specifically within online social networking platforms, investigating how users receive, consume, and forward marketing messages.
What are the core thematic areas?
The core themes include the theoretical framework of information spread, the role of social networks in marketing, user motivation for sharing content, and methods for evaluating campaign effectiveness.
What is the central research question?
The research explores whether social networking sites have an effect on Viral Marketing diffusion, which message types are preferred by consumers, and how senders and receivers can be characterized.
Which methodology is employed in this research?
The author performed a literature review to build a theoretical model, followed by an empirical online survey conducted on Facebook with 158 participants.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers the etymological roots of the field, theoretical foundations like the Tipping Point and Diffusion of Innovations, the classification of Viral Marketing within the marketing mix, and detailed survey results regarding message consumption stages.
What key terms characterize this research?
Key terms include Viral Marketing, social networks, Word-of-Mouth, user behavior, message diffusion, and campaign evaluation metrics.
How does the author define the role of "Connectors" and "Mavens"?
Drawing on Gladwell’s theory, the author identifies these as influential nodes within social networks that possess an above-average capacity for triggering the viral spread of messages.
What specific finding regarding "social games" is highlighted?
The research notes that while social games are highly effective at self-distribution, they are often perceived as "game-spam" by users if not managed properly within privacy settings.
- Citation du texte
- Sven Wilde (Auteur), 2012, Viral Marketing within Social Networking Sites, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/210773
