‘Infected’ is a weekly column by Venntertainment.com documenting Pop Culture in Viral Marketing. ‘Infected’ will also include sporadic ramblings on other random ‘viral’ topics…watch this space!

We spoke about The Flea Factor last week and distinguished the difference between something that is so easy to do, like posting a clip on youtube, and the art of creating a truly remarkable viral marketing campaign.

This week, we discuss the various tools available to marketers around the web, that can assist with a Viral campaign.

Week 4 -

The Top 10 Viral Marketing Tools

Web 2.0

To date, I’ve spoken about the importance of having a quality product and connecting your customers, I’ve spoken about having engaging content online and how there is a huge difference between creating a passing meme, and launching a quality viral marketing campaign.

Context is hugely important in all of this, but having a platform to launch your campaign is just as important.

Below, I outline the Top Ten tools for any viral marketer. Most of these are tools that you will be hugely familiar with, but I thought that it would be beneficial to group them together and explain their use and importance. These are rated in terms of their effectiveness.

Disclaimer: This is not a comprehensive list and merely lists my opinion on some of the tools available on Web 2.0. I’d love to hear constructive comments and generate a discussion on this.

Here we go:

10. Website

This might seem like a bad start. Everybody has a website…I think you would be surprised at the amount of businesses that claim to have a website and on further inspection really don’t or they have a one-pager that hasn’t been updated in a year and a half. Before using any of the following tools, a product should have an impressive, up-to-date and interactive website as a first port of call for customers.

9. Viral Videos

Youtube has been the platform for many a viral video. Videos can clock up hundreds of thousands of hits. The problem is, that more often than not, these videos are merely passing fads/memes and do not link into a product or influence sales. They can be pretty effective as part of a clever viral campaign, but are often used poorly.

8. Vidicasting

This links in with viral videos, but vidi casting is much more targeted and direct and also should be regular. These can be very useful in a corporate context for interviews and features and can connect a customer bass effectively. They can also be used for online series and shows.

7. Social Networking

Everybody has a Myspace, Facebook, Bebo or whatever the next up and coming site is. Businesses and Marketers can cleverly market themselves on these sites, without coming across as being too commercial. By providing thought leadership, being transparent and communicating with your fans, these sites can prove to be an invaluable resource.

6. Blogging

This is something that a lot of people do on a personal basis, but it is also something that businesses, more often than not, make a mess of. Blogging is a unique opportunity for businesses to provide thought leadership and communicate with their customer base. However, it is regularly seen to be ineffective due to poor content, irregularity of posting, poor design and bad tagging. Focusing on these elements will provide a business with a very effective tool.

5. Podcasting

Like Vidi casting, this is often overlooked. Podcasting can be a very interactive way to communicate with a fan or customer base. Again, an under used tool in the corporate world, a well put together interview or show can be posted and downloaded from a businesses site or blog and will encourage people to interact and spread the word.

4. Twitter

I see this as being separate from Blogging and Social Networking. Think of a room packed with people. You have a microphone and everyone in the room will hear what you say. Now, the one snag is: everyone has a microphone, so only those with the loudest voice or the most compelling message will be heard above the noise. However, this is still a wonderful tool that people rarely use to its full potential.

3. ARGs

Alternate Reality Games, or ARGs are one of the most effective ways to grab your fans/customers imaginations and interact with them. Using Trent Reznor’s ‘Year Zero’ campaign or The Dark Knights ‘Why So Serious’ campaign last year, we can see how hard-core fans were drawn in and spread the word about these products better than any tv ads campaign would.

2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Using tagging and search engines cleverly will mean that people will come across your sites and material far quicker and in ways they would not have originally found them. SEO is something that very few people think about and can increase the traffic to your site dramatically.

1. E-books

In my humble opinion, writing a short and snappy e-book, is the most effective way to showcase your expertise on the web. If you are connected with your consumer base using the tool above, and use SEO well, giving away a short, snappy e-book on a topic close t people’s hearts (and connected to your area of business obviously) could go viral. All it takes is one look at people like Chris Guillibeau (traveler), David Meerman Scott (marketer) or Helaine Smith (dentist) to see that no matter what your area, an e-book can effectively market your product.