By: Samantha Hewitt
Nearly every marketing, PR, and social media campaign has one unspoken goal that simply cannot be predicted or planned – going viral. There are definitely some methods to the madness, a few recipes you can follow, and the option to throw lots of money at it with hopes of a massive takeoff, but Internet trends are fleeting and there are no guarantees.
Just last week one of our clients experienced the phenomenon, which rooted from an article our team secured in a local publication more than a year ago. After being syndicated on a few outlets and blogs, the story made its way to the front page of Reddit – again, one year later – which lead to coverage on Teen Vogue, Ashton Kutcher’s A Plus, Digg, Designboom, Bored Panda, and more around the world! In addition, our PR girls are coordinating interviews and facilitating stories from other interested outlets, all in response to the online buzz. More coverage? Don’t tempt us with a good time! We’ve also watched the story stack up on ‘likes,’ comments, and retweets across social media, a key factor in maintaining momentum and boosting exposure.
So what does all of this mean? In our opinion, that there’s viral potential in every great story, and that perhaps the most unpredictable aspect is the timing (you do realize it took Internet dwellers over two decades to discover the Kazoo Kid, right?). And while there are many things that are out of our control, like timing, here are a few things that we think made this story stand out: 1.) It was unique but relatable; 2.) It included an interview with a key player, providing writers with good info and the opportunity to continue and expand that conversation; 3.) It allowed for really great visuals, which were featured in every story we’ve seen shared.
Have you or someone you know ever experienced an unexpected online takeover? Share with us in a comment below, or tweet us at @OlivePRSolution!