Posts Tagged online viral marketing

Arcade Fire: Social Media and a #1 Album

Posted by seo in Viral Marketing, social media on August 16, 2010

As Katy Perry, Drake, Eminem and Lady Gaga dominate the summer music charts, it was nice to see a change at the top spot. Congrats to Arcade Fire! But what really helped them get there? Good music, unique live performances, loyal fans or a focused social media marketing plan? How about all of the above? Earlier this month, the band even played a live show from New York’s Madison Square Garden, which was streamed in real-time on YouTube.

A look at Arcade Fire’s social media profiles reveals that they are effective because they are so well-maintained. It’s also refreshing to see a band expand beyond just using MySpace. All the profiles are linked to their main site, where fans can find tour information and buy the new album. Over 97,000 digital sales have also helped Arcade Fire secure the #1 spot.

The ease and shareability through social media has given Arcade Fire (and tons of other bands) an opportunity to reach new fans that they wouldn’t have otherwise. A new Arcade Fire fan reveals, “I just found out about this band today and I must say, I’m quite impressed. They are amazing.” Isn’t this glowing review an example of what any band or business would like to have said about them?

‘Modern Man’ is currently my favorite track off the album. Check it out!

, , , , , , ,

No Comments

The Secret to the Best Viral Content

Posted by seo in social media on July 16, 2010

After some technical difficulties, the SEOmoz webinar about viral content was finally underway. When you hear about ‘viral content’, most people think that it’s a weird/outrageous campaign à la the new Old Spice ads. After hearing Rand Fishkin’s presentation of successful case studies, it was interesting to see the real secret behind the most realistic cases of viral content – the content is useful and relevant to their target audience!

Viral success in this case means that the sites are shared and  receive linkage from many different domains. Here are some of my favorite examples of viral success that were presented:

Epicurious
This neat interactive site shows a seasonal map of the US. You can click different states and months to find the best seasonal ingredients during any specific time. It’s a simple idea that’s easy to pull off but not that easy to think of. Kudos to Epicurious!

OkCupid
The popular dating site featured a write up dispelling myths about the success of profile pictures. For example, women seem to get the most responses with a flirty, smiley face. Interestingly enough, men who received the most responses from their profile picture were not smiling. This is an interesting and fun article that even got OkCupid a write-up in the New York Times.

Boston
This was one mildly successful example that could’ve been improved. During the presentation, I thought it was great that it was critiqued so that others can learn about formatting and design when thinking of their viral efforts. The site showcases exciting tidbits about how the CIA used magic and trickery in their tactics.

, , , ,

No Comments

Online Viral Marketing Catches Sports Fever in 2010

Posted by seo in Viral Marketing, social media on June 16, 2010

Doodle Jump and the World Cup
I’m not a huge sports fan, so I never got the fervor that fans feel during the finals, championships, etc… until this year! I’ve also been paying more attention to online viral marketing and internet memes that come from these events. Soccer is the most watched sport in the entire world and Doodle Jump is one of the most popular iPhone apps, so it’s no wonder that these would go hand in hand for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This addicting game features creatures that represent team Italy, Norway, Japan and more. Instead of shooting regular balls, our beloved Doodle shoots out a fountain of soccer balls.

Death to the Vuvuzela
If you tuned into the World Cup, you’ll notice a distinctly annoying horn noise in the background. Half-sheep baaa and half-bee swarming, the vuvuzela is a South African stadium horn. Fans like to use it to show their enthusiasm, distract the opposing team, or just to make A LOT of noise. Sports officials have even made attempts to ban the instrument as they are so loud it can even lead to hearing loss. Check out Mashable’s wrap up on the vuvuzela. Someone has created a Twitter account with updates that mimic the instrument’s sound while another vuvuzela-hater has even uploaded an Ewok remix.

Social Media Stats: Lakers vs. Celtics
With the LA Lakers and Boston Celtics tied at 3-3, it’s winner take all at Game 7 of the NBA Finals tomorrow. While the Celtics have home court advantage, Laker fans are sure to riot whether the team wins or loses. Let’s take a look at these long-time rivals and how their social media stats compare:

  • Facebook – Celtics: 827,550 fans | Lakers: 1,272,429 fans
  • Twitter – Celtics: 57,447 followers | Lakers: 1,559,464 followers
  • Twitter mentions via TweetVolume – Celtics: 1,620,000 times | Lakers: 4,130,000 times
  • Google search results – Celtics: 18,800,000 results | Lakers 26,600,000 results

With that in mind, we’ll see who the true winners are after tomorrow night … go Lakers!

Photo credit: Doodle Jump in the App Store

, , , ,

1 Comment

Glee and Social Media Advertising

Posted by seo in Local Search Marketing Workshop on May 4, 2010

“Gleeks” Love Social Media Advertising
Have you caught an episode of Glee? If not, you’re missing out on what tons of fans (self-proclaimed “Gleeks”) are watching. The show has been on Fox for a year now and has received critical praise from viewers and critics alike. The show basically follows fictional high school characters while incorporating reworked versions of songs like “Hello Goodbye”, “Halo” and “Like a Prayer”. Doesn’t everyone like a good cover song? Each episode boosts Glee’s single, as well as the original song, on the iTunes charts. After the homage episode to Madonna, the material girl saw a 44% increase in her catalog of songs! It doesn’t just stop at TV time though. A look at Glee’s social media advertising shows that they’re very active on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube.

A Haven for Online Viral Marketing
How can a simple song spark an online viral marketing fire? Let’s face it, people adore classic hits. Whether it’s a guilty pleasure or an old favorite, people are more likely to get attached to things that they’re familiar with. Check out the cast’s version of Journey’s hit. What do you think? These new renditions have inspired fans to record and upload their own versions of the songs. MySpace even held a Glee karaoke contest. But it doesn’t just stop there. Glee is one of the most tweeted about shows ever! As if they needed to gain more momentum, Glee held a contest for their die-hard fans last summer. Fans would register their social media accounts and gain points every time they mentioned Glee. The contest was a success and the fan with the most points won a trip to meet the cast.

Glee and the Fox Network have done an amazing job at keeping fans happy this past year. Let’s see if they can keep people interested with the upcoming season!

, , ,

1 Comment