Content is King: Communication Effects of Viral Video Marketing
Abstract: The technological paradigm shift has enabled new forms of communication. Consequently, this offers valuable possibilities for marketers in terms of reach, speed and cost-efficiency. Due to similarities with the spread of a virus, the phenomenon of self-replicating content on the web via social networks and word-of-mouth is commonly referred to as viral marketing. Even though this phenomenon is becoming more frequently used by companies to increase brand awareness and improve brand attitude, there is little academic research on the subject. The objective of this study is to identify factors that affect consumer attitude and behaviour, following the exposure to a viral video, as well as studying how these features interact. In contradiction to previous research on adjacent areas of study, the result indicates that contextual factors do not influence neither the attitude towards the message nor the intention to share it with others. Instead, content has proven to be the single most important feature to improve attitudes and consequently viral circulation. Conclusively, a communication effects model for viral video marketing is presented, illustrating the flows of consumer attitude and behaviour in a digital context.
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