Sustained Virality Playbook - Frameworks and Case Studies for enduring word of mouth
Dive into the 'Sustained Virality Playbook’, a comprehensive guide exploring the mechanics of lasting word-of-mouth impact.
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Referrals and virality have always been, and will continue to be, key ways for businesses to grow. Referrals are when customers and even non-customers suggest a product or service to others. Virality is like a snowball effect; if one person tells many, and they tell even more, the business grows fast. This explosive chain reaction can stem from:
- Customer Referrals: Existing users/customers advocating for your product.
- Network Referrals: When customers as well as non-customers spread a word about your product or service.
- Influencer Referrals: Key personnels with vast audiences amplifying the message.
What makes some viral trends last longer than others? The concept of "sustained virality." Unlike most viral initiatives that shines and then fades, sustained virality keeps a product or idea popular for extended periods. Businesses want to keep their popularity going for a long time. To do this, they need to stay relevant, keep coming up with new ideas, and have a strong bond with their audience. Including community-led growth makes this even stronger. It's like having a group of people talk about and support your initiative, which keeps them interested and encourages more people to join in. This can also make things go viral faster.
A report from Social Media Today says that marketers think referrals are one of the best ways to get quality leads. In fact, 78% of business-to-business marketers say that using referral programs brings in good leads. There are 2 proven ways to kick in virality:
Users get rewards for bringing in new customers. Ex - Dropbox , Uber etc
To create content or features that are shareable. Ex - Memes, or viral video
How to trigger virality in community?
There are 3 foundational blocks to trigger virality from the community
Users/Members exchange value through UGC.
For example, Notion and Airtable grow quickly because community members make helpful templates and share them, helping everyone get better.
They connect around hot topics, case studies, and challenges.
For example, Twitter began as a community to discuss trending topics, case studies, and challenges. Later, LinkedIn experienced significant growth following the same, and more recently, Clubhouse saw rapid expansion.
Presence of influential figures within the community.
Example - Twitter has been a prime example of leveraging virality by using the presence of influential figures to boost growth. Later, Clubhouse achieved similar success during the COVID times and quickly became the talk of the town.
Sustained Virality (Lasting word of mouth)
Top Viral Campaigns - India and USA
Zomato (India)
- Campaign: Early in its life, Zomato understood the importance of user-generated content. They gamified the review process, giving badges and titles like 'Connoisseur' to top reviewers. This incentivized users to share and invite others to the platform.
- Growth Metrics: Before the campaign, Zomato had a moderate user base, in metro cities. After the campaign, it saw a sharp uptick in daily users and reviews. The number of cities it operated in also expanded.
- Analysis: The gamification strategy tapped into user psychology, creating an engaged community. The campaign’s effectiveness lay not just in acquiring new users but in increasing engagement and loyalty among existing ones.
Paytm (India)
- Campaign: Paytm introduced a referral program where users could earn cashback by referring the app to friends and family. Moreover, during the Indian government's demonetization move in 2016, Paytm quickly launched a campaign saying "Paytm Karo" (Do Paytm), tapping into the sudden need for digital transactions.
- Growth Metrics: Before the campaigns, Paytm was a rising digital wallet platform. Post the campaigns, its user base skyrocketed, establishing it as a leading wallet and payments platform in India.
- Analysis: Timing and agility were crucial. By leveraging a national event (demonetization) and coupling it with a referral program, they captured a vast market in a short time.
Freshworks
- Campaign: Freshworks (earlier Freshdesk) started a campaign mocking a competitor's pricing, leading to significant buzz in the B2B software industry.
- Growth Metrics: As a new entrant in the customer support software space, Freshworks initially had modest clientele. Post-campaign, they saw a significant increase in demo requests and client onboardings.
- Analysis: By challenging an established player directly, Freshworks positioned itself as a disruptor in the market. This audacity captured attention and put them on the map, highlighting the value of bold, standout campaigns in B2B sectors.
Dropbox (USA)
- Campaign: Dropbox offered additional free storage space both to the referrer and the referee. This simple incentive led to a massive influx of new users.
- Growth Metrics: Before the campaign, Dropbox had 100K registered users. Post the referral initiative, they went up to 4Mn users in just 15 months, marking a 40x growth.
Airbnb (USA)
- Campaign: Airbnb provided travel credits to users who referred new customers. They also incentivized hosts to refer to other hosts, rapidly scaling their listings.
- Growth Metrics: This referral system played a crucial role in Airbnb's growth. They expanded from a 21K guest arrivals in 2009 to over 80K in 2016.
Sustained Virality Frameworks
To better understand and position your virality / word of mouth campaigns, try to visualize using the “Sustained Virality Framework”.
On one side , we have things that get popular really fast but don't last (Short-term and High Intensity Impact), like a celebrity's surprising tweet. On the other side, we have things that slowly get popular and stay liked for a long time (Long-term and Low Intensity Impact), like a really good product everyone keeps talking about. The best spot is when something gets super popular super fast and stays liked for a long time, just like Apple's famous "Think Different" ad (Long-term and High Intensity Impact).
I classified “Sustained Virality” Quadrant based on two axes:
Intensity of Impact (low to high): Refers to the immediate effect or attention a viral aspect can create.
Duration of Impact (short-term to long-term): Refers to how long the viral effect sustains.
Based on these, we can define four quadrants:
1. Low Intensity, Short-Term (Flash-in-the-Pan):
Example: Memes related to a transient event. They gain rapid attention but fade away quickly.
Realtime Example: The sudden surge in downloads for "FaceApp" due to its aging filter.
Tenets: Immediate gratification, trend-driven.
Objectives: Quick visibility, immediate user acquisition.
Triggers: Social media trends, celebrity endorsements, news coverage.
Pitfalls: Lack of sustained engagement, potential backlash (privacy concerns for FaceApp).
2. High Intensity, Short-Term (Explosive Burst):
Example: A controversial tweet from a celebrity. It garners immediate high attention but may not have lasting impact.
Realtime Example**: The "Popeyes Chicken Sandwich" craze that resulted in sell-outs and long lines.
Tenets: Immediate high impact, often scarcity-driven or controversy-induced.
Objectives: Rapid brand recognition, quick sales or sign-ups.
Triggers: Limited-time offers, controversial statements/events, unique selling proposition.
Pitfalls: Inability to meet demand, potential negative feedback, difficulty in sustaining momentum.
3. Low Intensity, Long-Term (Slow Burn):
Example: Word of mouth for a good product. It may not create an immediate buzz, but it sustains and gradually accumulates significant attention.
Realtime Example: The consistent growth of platforms like "LinkedIn" over years, driven by professional networking needs.
Tenets: Gradual growth, consistent value proposition.
Objectives: Steady user acquisition, long-term engagement, and loyalty.
Triggers: Word of mouth, network effects, consistent value delivery.
Pitfalls: Vulnerability to aggressive competitors, potential stagnation, being overshadowed by flashier trends.
4. High Intensity, Long-Term (Evergreen Virality):
Example: Apple's "Think Different" campaign. It had an immediate profound impact and has been cited and remembered for years.
Another Example: "Apple's iPhone" launch events that consistently generate buzz and drive sales year after year.
Tenets: Strong brand identity, consistent high-impact moments/events.
Objectives: Sustained brand leadership, consistent sales/user growth, long-term engagement.
Triggers: Product innovation, loyal customer base, cultural significance.
Pitfalls: High expectations leading to potential disappointments, reliance on periodic high-impact events, competition catching up.
Alternate ways to achieve sustained virality: How about Virality alongside Community-led Growth?
Case Studies in Virality and Community-Led Growth
Dream11
- Description: Dream11 is a fantasy sports platform where users can create their teams for various sports and participate in leagues.
- Implementation: The platform introduced referral bonuses and free league participations. Its community thrived with online forums and discussions about strategies and player statistics.
- Growth Metrics: From a modest user base, Dream11 has grown to over 100 million users as of 2021. Their campaigns around the Indian Premier League (IPL) further amplified growth.
- Funnel Analysis: The referral brought users into the top of the funnel. The community acted as a middle-funnel nurturing mechanism, engaging users and increasing stickiness.
Zoho
- Implementation: They initiated community forums and provided tools for developers to customise applications. These platforms allowed users to share tips, fixes, and custom tools.
- Growth Metrics: Zoho has seen consistent growth, expanding its suite and boasting a user base of over 60 million users globally as of 2022.
- Funnel Analysis: The community forums and developer tools deepened user engagement, acting as mid-funnel and bottom-funnel assets that increased retention and cross-sell opportunities.
Peloton
- Peloton sells exercise equipment integrated with software for virtual classes.
- Implementation: Peloton cultivated a strong community with leaderboards, badges, and social features. They created hype with viral ads and word-of-mouth endorsements.
- Growth Metrics: Their community-centric approach, combined with virality, propelled Peloton to a market capitalization of over $40 billion in 2020.
- Funnel Analysis: Viral marketing efforts helped in top-of-the-funnel acquisition. The community-driven features fostered a sense of belonging, driving user engagement and retention.
Salesforce
- Implementation: Salesforce's Trailhead is a gamified learning platform. It cultivated a community of "Trailblazers" who engage, learn, and even meet in global events.
- Growth Metrics: Salesforce boasted over 11 million Trailblazers across 1300+ groups in 90 Countries. This community engagement solidified its leadership in the CRM space.
- Funnel Analysis: Trailhead acts as a top and middle funnel asset. It attracts potential users and intensifies engagement of existing users, thus enhancing brand loyalty.
Analysis of Case Studies
1. Dream11 & Zoho: Both companies skillfully blended community engagement with referral programs. The combination of immediate incentive (referral bonuses) with long-term engagement (community forums, discussions) ensured sustained growth.
2. Peloton & Salesforce: They utilized the power of community to transform customers into brand advocates. The community features and educational platforms not only increased product usage but also provided organic marketing through user testimonials and content.
Sustaining Virality through Communities: Frameworks
To build viral campaigns alongside your community-led growth strategies, consider the impact on the funnel through each of the mechanisms. At one corner, we have things like basic utility apps – downloaded but not much talked about. Move a bit, and we find viral sensations like the "Ice Bucket Challenge" which blaze momentarily but might not kindle long-term community interaction. Then there's the opposite, like niche forums – not necessarily viral, but with a deeply involved audience.
The golden quadrant? That's where you have a cult-like blend of both, as seen with platforms like Reddit: deeply engaged communities producing content that hits viral peaks.
To understand this better, i have classified a mix into 2 axis of the quadrants:
Degree of Virality (Low to High): Refers to how quickly and widely something spreads.
Community Engagement (Low to High): Refers to how deeply and consistently a community interacts, contributes, and feels ownership.
Based on these 2 dimensions, we can define four quadrants:
1. Low Virality, Low Community Engagement (Passive Users):
Example: A standard utility app, like a flashlight app. Users might download and use it, but they don't engage deeply or spread it actively.
Another Example: Many of the generic utility apps on the App Store.
Tenets: Basic functionality, widespread applicability.
Objectives: Steady user base, regular downloads.
Triggers: Basic need or functionality (e.g., a calculator app).
Pitfalls: Low user loyalty, high competition.
2. High Virality, Low Community Engagement (Viral Visitors):
Example: Viral video challenges (e.g., the "Ice Bucket Challenge"). They spread quickly but may not foster long-term community engagement.
Realtime Example: "FaceApp", which went viral due to its aging filter but did not have a deep community engagement.
Tenets: Novelty factor, momentary relevance.
Objectives: Spike in downloads or usage.
Triggers: Trending challenges, unique features.
Pitfalls: Short-lived fame, low user retention.
3. Low Virality, High Community Engagement (Loyal Base):
Example: Niche forums or hobbyist groups where members are highly engaged but content doesn't often go viral outside the community.
Another Example: "BoardGameGeek", a niche community for board game enthusiasts.
Tenets: Deep content, targeted user base.
Objectives: High user retention, consistent engagement.
Triggers: Niche interests, deep-rooted community values.
Pitfalls: Limited growth, potential echo chamber effects.
4. High Virality, High Community Engagement (Cult Phenomenon):
Example: Platforms like "Reddit" where tight-knit communities produce content that can often go viral, leading to further community growth and engagement.
Another Example: "Reddit", with its various subreddits and viral content.
Tenets: User-generated content, shared community values.
Objectives: Consistent growth, high retention, and engagement.
Triggers: Memes, trending discussions, influential community members.
Pitfalls: Maintaining quality with growth, potential for community fragmentation.
Conclusion
- Top Funnel: Virality helps in the initial user acquisition. It's the "hook" that brings them in.
- Middle Funnel: This is where community plays a crucial role. Engaging with the community, learning from peers, and feeling a sense of belonging transforms a user into a loyal customer.
- Bottom Funnel: A combination of virality and community ensures higher conversion rates. If a product can be viral and also foster a community, the users are more likely to convert and stay.
For long-term success, organizations need to ensure they don't just focus on quick wins (virality) but also on sustained engagement (community) i.e. "Sustained Virality". While virality might bring a sudden influx of users, it's the community that ensures they stay, engage, and convert.
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