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Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content

Ever wondered why some things become popular, and other don't? Why some products become hits while others flop? Why some ideas take off while others languish? What are the key ideas behind viral marketing? This course explains how things catch on and helps you apply these ideas to be more effective at marketing your ideas, brands, or products. You'll learn how to make ideas stick, how to increase your influence, how to generate more word of mouth, and how to use the power of social networks to spread information and influence. Drawing on principles from his best-selling book, "Contagious: Why Things Catch On," Professor Jonah Berger illustrates successful strategies for you to use buzz to create virality so that your campaigns become more shareable on social media and elsewhere. By the end of this course, you'll have a better understanding of how to craft contagious content, build stickier messages, and get any product, idea, or behavior to catch on.

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What's inside

Syllabus

What Makes Ideas Sticky?

In this module, you'll start to learn what makes products, ideas, and behaviors contagious; in other words, why they catch on. You'll explore the science behind why some things become popular while others fail. You'll also discover the key principles, or six SUCCESs” factors that make messages stick. Finally, you'll learn how to make any idea more memorable, whether it’s a pitch to your boss or a lesson you want students to remember.

How Social Influence Shapes Behavior

In this module, you'll examine how social influence shapes everything people do: from the products we buy and candidates we vote for to the food we like and careers we pursue. You’ll learn how people use others to help them make choices and how companies leverage this power to shape the products and services we use. You'll discover when people are more likely to conform or do the same thing as others, and when they are more likely to diverge or do something different. At the end of this module, you'll understand how to avoid being influenced by others and how to use influence to make yourself more successful.

The Power of Word of Mouth

This module will teach you about the power of word of mouth. You’ll learn why word of mouth, or person to person communication, is 10 times as effective as traditional advertising. Further, you’ll discover why some products or ideas get talked about more than others. Why some online content goes viral or some things get more buzz. You’ll learn the six key STEPPS that drive people to share, and how by understanding those drivers, you can make anything more contagious.

Social Networks

In this module, you'll learn what social networks are, and how they shape the spread of information and influence. How the patterns of social ties between people determine what we do, and what catches on. How people we’ve never even met can influence our tastes and preferences. You’ll learn about how strong and weak ties help get people jobs, and whether to concentrate or spread out marketing resources when launching a new product. By the end of this module, you'll not only be able to analyze the success of popular products, ideas, and services, but also apply these insights to make your own stuff more likely to catch on.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops the foundational concepts of virality and the six SUCCESs factors that make messages stick

Examines real-world examples of successful viral marketing strategies

Taught by Jonah Berger, a recognized expert in marketing and viral advertising

Explores the role of social networks in the spread of information and influence

Demystifies complex concepts of marketing and presents them in a clear and engaging way

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Reviews summary

Well-received viral marketing summary

Learners largely praise this easy-to-follow course on Viral Marketing. They appreciate the engaging assignments, simple explanations, and good examples offered as part of this excellent and helpful course. While a handful of students remarked that audio quality could be improved, many students say that this course remains a great use of stories for anyone working in PR or social media.

Course helps you understand how an idea spreads and becomes popular.

"It is a course of social psychology."

"It describes how an idea is spread and why an idea can be viral."

Excellent course with good examples and engaging assignments.

"The course was excellent, I really liked the way that it was presented and the examples he used."

"Enjoyable with simple explanations and good examples!"

Audio quality is a bit weak.

"my only recommendation is to improve the audio, the quality was very low."

"Excellent content. The audio though was weak."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content with these activities:

Analyze social media campaigns

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Analyze social media campaigns to identify the factors that make them successful or unsuccessful.

Browse courses on Social Media Marketing

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Collect data on social media campaigns.
Analyze the data to identify the factors that contribute to the success or failure of the campaigns.
Draw conclusions about the factors that make social media campaigns successful.

Identify the six SUCCESs factors

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Practice identifying the six SUCCESs factors in different examples of viral content.

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Review the six SUCCESs factors.
Find examples of viral content that you think are successful.
Identify the six SUCCESs factors in each example.

Attend a social media marketing conference

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Attend a social media marketing conference to learn from experts and network with other professionals in the field.

Browse courses on Social Media Marketing

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Research social media marketing conferences.
Register for a conference.
Attend the conference and participate in the sessions and networking events.

Five other activities

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Read Contagious: Why Things Catch On

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Read the book "Contagious: Why Things Catch On" to gain a deeper understanding of the principles of virality.

View Magic Words on Amazon

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Read the book.
Take notes on the key concepts.
Apply the concepts to your own work.

Write a blog post about the principles of virality

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Write a blog post that explains the principles of virality and how they can be used to create more effective marketing campaigns.

Browse courses on Viral Marketing

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Research the principles of virality.
Write a blog post that explains the principles of virality and how they can be used to create more effective marketing campaigns.
Promote your blog post through social media and other channels.

Create a viral video

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Create a viral video that demonstrates your understanding of the principles of viral content.

Browse courses on Video Marketing

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Define your target audience.
Develop a creative concept that will appeal to your target audience.
Create a high-quality video that is shareable and engaging.
Promote your video through social media channels.
Monitor your video and make adjustments as needed.

Create a social media campaign

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Create a social media campaign that demonstrates your understanding of the principles of virality.

Browse courses on Social Media Marketing

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Define your target audience.
Develop a creative concept that will appeal to your target audience.
Create high-quality content that is shareable and engaging.
Promote your campaign through social media channels.
Monitor your campaign and make adjustments as needed.

Design a social influence campaign

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Design a social influence campaign that demonstrates your understanding of the principles of social influence.

Browse courses on Social Influence

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Define your target audience.
Identify the desired behavior change.
Develop a strategy to use social influence to promote the desired behavior change.
Create a plan to implement your strategy.
Evaluate the effectiveness of your campaign.

Career center

Learners who complete Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Content Marketing Manager

Content Marketing Managers plan and execute content marketing campaigns to attract and engage customers. They create and distribute content, such as blog posts, articles, infographics, and videos, to educate and inform customers about their products or services. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content may be useful for Content Marketing Managers because it can help them understand how to create content that is more likely to be shared and talked about by consumers. This could lead to increased website traffic, leads, and sales.

See salaries and explore the career path for Content Marketing Manager

Digital Marketing Manager

Digital Marketing Managers plan and execute digital marketing campaigns to promote products, services, or brands. They use a variety of digital marketing channels, such as search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media, and email marketing, to reach target audiences. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content may be useful for Digital Marketing Managers because it can help them understand how to create digital marketing campaigns that are more likely to be shared and talked about by consumers. This could lead to increased website traffic, leads, and sales.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Marketing Manager

Social Media Manager

Social Media Managers plan and execute social media campaigns to promote products, services, or brands. They use social media platforms to connect with consumers, build relationships, and generate leads. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content may be useful for Social Media Managers because it can help them understand how to create social media content that is more likely to be shared and talked about by consumers. This could lead to increased brand awareness, sales, and customer loyalty.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Media Manager

Brand Manager

Brand Managers plan and execute branding campaigns to build and maintain a positive image for their brands. They work with marketing, sales, and product development teams to create and execute branding campaigns that will reach target audiences and drive sales. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content may be useful for Brand Managers because it can help them understand how to create branding campaigns that are more likely to be shared and talked about by consumers. This could lead to increased brand awareness, sales, and customer loyalty.

See salaries and explore the career path for Brand Manager

Product Marketing Manager

Product Marketing Managers plan and execute product marketing campaigns to launch new products or services and to promote existing products or services. They work with product development, sales, and marketing teams to create and execute marketing campaigns that will reach target audiences and drive sales. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content may be useful for Product Marketing Managers because it can help them understand how to create product marketing campaigns that are more likely to be shared and talked about by consumers. This could lead to increased brand awareness, sales, and customer loyalty.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Marketing Manager

Advertising Manager

Advertising Managers plan and execute advertising campaigns to promote products, services, or brands. They work with advertising agencies and other vendors to create and place advertisements in a variety of media, such as television, radio, print, and online. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content may be useful for Advertising Managers because it can help them understand how to create advertising campaigns that are more likely to be shared and talked about by consumers. This could lead to increased brand awareness, sales, and customer loyalty.

See salaries and explore the career path for Advertising Manager

Freelance Writer

Freelance Writers create and edit written content for a variety of clients, such as businesses, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. They may work on a variety of projects, such as marketing materials, website content, and articles. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content may be useful for Freelance Writers because it can help them understand how to create content that is more likely to be shared and talked about by consumers. This could lead to increased brand awareness, sales, and customer loyalty.

See salaries and explore the career path for Freelance Writer

Social Media Specialist

Social Media Specialists plan and execute social media campaigns to promote products, services, or brands. They use social media platforms to connect with consumers, build relationships, and generate leads. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content may be useful for Social Media Specialists because it can help them understand how to create social media content that is more likely to be shared and talked about by consumers. This could lead to increased brand awareness, sales, and customer loyalty.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Media Specialist

Copywriter

Copywriters create and edit written content for a variety of purposes, such as marketing, advertising, public relations, and journalism. They may work for a variety of organizations, including businesses, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content may be useful for Copywriters because it can help them understand how to create content that is more likely to be shared and talked about by consumers. This could lead to increased brand awareness, sales, and customer loyalty.

See salaries and explore the career path for Copywriter

Content Writer

Content Writers create and edit written content for a variety of purposes, such as marketing, advertising, public relations, and journalism. They may work for a variety of organizations, including businesses, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content may be useful for Content Writers because it can help them understand how to create content that is more likely to be shared and talked about by consumers. This could lead to increased brand awareness, sales, and customer loyalty.

See salaries and explore the career path for Content Writer

Influencer

Influencers use their social media platforms to share their thoughts and experiences with their followers. They may work with brands to promote products or services, or they may simply share their own content. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content may be useful for Influencers because it can help them understand how to create content that is more likely to be shared and talked about by consumers. This could lead to increased brand awareness, sales, and opportunities for collaborations with brands.

See salaries and explore the career path for Influencer

Public Relations Specialist

Public Relations Specialists plan and execute public relations campaigns to build and maintain a positive image for their clients. They work with the media, customers, employees, and other stakeholders to create and distribute positive messages about their clients. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content may be useful for Public Relations Specialists because it can help them understand how to create public relations campaigns that are more likely to be picked up and shared by the media. This could lead to increased visibility and positive publicity for their clients.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Relations Specialist

Blogger

Bloggers create and publish content on a regular basis on their own websites or blogs. They may write about a variety of topics, such as personal experiences, current events, or product reviews. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content may be useful for Bloggers because it can help them understand how to create content that is more likely to be shared and talked about by consumers. This could lead to increased website traffic, income from advertising, and opportunities for collaborations with brands.

See salaries and explore the career path for Blogger

Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers plan, implement, and manage marketing campaigns to promote products, services, or brands. They may work for a variety of organizations, including businesses, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content may be useful for Marketing Managers because it can help them understand how to create marketing campaigns that are more likely to be shared and talked about by consumers. This could lead to increased brand awareness, sales, and customer loyalty.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Public relations manager

Public Relations Managers plan and execute public relations campaigns to build and maintain a positive image for their clients. They work with the media, customers, employees, and other stakeholders to create and distribute positive messages about their clients. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content may be useful for Public Relations Managers because it can help them understand how to create public relations campaigns that are more likely to be picked up and shared by the media. This could lead to increased visibility and positive publicity for their clients.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public relations manager

Reading list

We've selected 43 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content.

Invisible Influence

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This is the book the course is based on and serves as an excellent resource to delve deeper into the material covered in the course.

Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape...

Paperback

看不見的影響力：華頓商學院教你看清自己如何受影響，做最好的決定【暢銷慶祝版】: Invisible...

Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content

What's inside

Syllabus

Good to know

Save this course

Reviews summary

Well-received viral marketing summary

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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