Marketing buzz is a term used to describe word-of-mouth marketing that helps to promote a product at an extremely fast pace and to a wide audience. So-called viral marketing through online videos is one of the most common tactics used by companies to generate buzz about their brand or products. The idea is often to create an advertising campaign that is compelling enough to get consumers talking about it. The term “viral” is applied to marketing buzz because people spread the word about the ad or video in a way seemingly like a virus. They tell friends, family, and coworkers about it and post information on blogs or social media sites. The advantage of marketing buzz is that consumers often willingly spread the word about the product or service for free, and therefore it becomes very cost-effective for the business.
Businesses often produce videos to post on sites like YouTube in order to try to create marketing buzz. If enough people watch the video and pass it around through email and social media sites, it can sometimes garner millions of views. Unlike traditional television commercials, consumers will pay close attention to online videos if the materials are compelling enough. These videos commonly use indirect marketing methods so the viewer won’t feel like he or she is watching a commercial. Researchers have found that when it comes to consumer behavior, people in all age groups watch online videos, so this form of marketing has the potential to generate a great deal of buzz.
Some companies have developed tactics to help create marketing buzz about a service or product. For example, they’ll often pay bloggers to write product reviews or to promote a video to their readers. Some marketing companies will even start a fake argument online to try to draw consumers in. In this case, employees at a marketing company will sign up under multiple user names on YouTube or another site. What might look like organically created marketing buzz in the form of a debate in a user forum could actually be several employees working for the same company arguing about the merits of a video or product.
Other forms of marketing buzz are created by using offline methods. Some clothing companies have mailed samples of their product to celebrities, for example. When fashion bloggers and other media outlets mention that a celebrity was wearing the product, the company will then limit its availability. The product can sometimes become a must-have item through word of mouth, because consumers want it and it appears to be difficult to acquire.
