| Viral marketing is the latest trend in online | | | | up everywhere in the blogosphere and on |
| marketing tools, also known as "pass-along," | | | | message boards. |
| "friend-tell-a-friend" and "evangelism" marketing. | | | | Viral advertising bounces like crazy on the |
| Consumers tell one another about a product, | | | | Internet. Yes, it's 2007 in the viral marketing world |
| service or Web site. The so called 'word-of-mouth' | | | | and Internet users aren't so easily impressed with |
| marketing phenomenon saves companies of huge | | | | just any game, contest or video clip. As |
| costs on advertising. | | | | technology evolved, the online games also went |
| The promotional effort in viral marketing is | | | | forward for the better. Since the earliest invention |
| designed to encourage visitors to an online site | | | | of games in computers there has been |
| and makes them pass along a marketing | | | | advancements in leaps and bounds in terms of |
| message for a product, with an attractive | | | | the technology and programming software's used |
| incentive. The incentives vary from a free | | | | to develop games. |
| product to a discount coupon. One of the most | | | | New games appear on the viral market every |
| effective ways to spread enthusiasm about a | | | | day. These online games cover all categories and |
| product is, though, games. Games are not only | | | | needs of the consumers. Any demographic can |
| fun, they are powerful viral products used for | | | | be targeted - moms, dads, teachers, primetime |
| traffic generation, training and education. | | | | TV loyals, city dwellers, rural folk etc. Just name |
| Viral marketing games are fast gaining popularity. | | | | the game and you can find action games, action |
| Such online gamecontests allow the user to play a | | | | games, arcade games, board & card games, |
| game online with a free product as the prize. At | | | | classic games, fighting games, puzzle & word |
| the end of the game, the user is re-directed to | | | | games, car & racing games, shooting games, skill |
| your product site. This ensures a constant stream | | | | games, sports games and strategy games. |
| of visitors to your site and also encourages | | | | Most of us, who use computers for different |
| repeat visits - the two goals of viral marketing. | | | | purposes at present, would admit that playing |
| There are award winning viral games. Original and | | | | games was the first reason of attraction towards |
| addictive games have been played by millions and | | | | computers. Almost everyone would admit that his |
| have massively increased brand awareness and | | | | or her first interaction with computers was |
| customer acquisition for brand owners. A good | | | | through playing a game on it. Even now among |
| example are the very popular Simpson games | | | | millions of individuals, who sit in front of a |
| that are made for the new Simpsons movie and | | | | computer, a vast majority would acknowledge |
| Extreme Pamplona, a game made for Rexona, | | | | that they are still addicted to gaming experiences |
| which has been played millions of times. MTV is | | | | on computers for long hours at a stretch. |
| going to spend millions of dollars on online games | | | | Recent high-speed Internet connections make |
| for promotion. The range of these campaigns | | | | downloading a faster process and one can easily |
| proves that viral is not limited to entertainment | | | | enjoy a full range of levels and degree of |
| brands or games for teenagers and adults. Big | | | | difficulty for the game. No experience can be |
| brands - from Levi Strauss and Fox Television to | | | | more entertaining than of playing a flash |
| traditional warhorses, such as The New York | | | | computer game. |
| Times, Sports Illustrated or Lucky - are popping | | | | |