Viral Marketing
Viral Marketing
Viral marketing is usually the exchange of free downloadable material in exchange for some type of personal information. Sometimes just an e-mail is required to receive certain downloads, or sometimes just the IP address of the computer that a user is connected to (which can usually be figured out even without a user knowing).
Most of the time viral marketing does very little harm. It is not the same kind of malicious practice of putting dangerous harmful viruses or spy ware onto a person’s computer to steal their identity. Most “innocent” practices of tracking are just to keep tabs on visitors who use products.
The concept of viral marketing is controversial because sometimes it could be construed as spam. However, senders of e-mails to people who have not knowing provided any personal information will usually give current recipients an option to decline receiving further e-mail.
Most honest website owners will also provide some type of terms of agreement for people read stating something to the affect of “By clicking on this link you are aware that we will have access to your personal information to send you a monthly newsletter.”
The overall practice of viral marketing is fairly controversial in nature. Some of the problems caused by viral marketers were addressed at least somewhat, however, with the passing of new Spam laws.
More action may be needed in the future if any new problems arise. Additionally, further action may be needed to protect people from malicious site owners who use web hosting tools to scam people.
How Viral Marketing is Done
Usually online viral marketing is done by the use of a simple viral marketing script. This script could be the download link to a piece of free software, video game, movie, music file, etc.
Two of the most commonly given away viral marketing promotional items that are downloaded from fun sites are smiley faces and screensavers. Usually along with these is a person is required to download something else, such as a search toolbar or other type of tool that contains cookies or other more innocent type of spy tools.
Why Viral Marketing Irritates People
Even companies that do not harm a person’s computer can be annoying to some people. Certain companies will continue to send people more than one e-mail every single day, and it will flood their inboxes-even some of the largest free e-mail inboxes.
True, a person may have agreed to give away his or her e-mail. However, that person may not have necessarily agreed to receive more than one e-mail a week from a company, let along more than one a day.
To some people viral marketing is as annoying as the old days when people would be approached saying they will receive a free gift from a company in exchange for a home phone number, only to be bombarded once a week or more by that company to market products or services.
