Big-seed strategy
The weaknesses of viral marketing lie in two concepts: over-reliance on pass-along rates and seed users. The strategy requires starting with a small number of seed users and hoping for a high pass-along rate to gain legs. Generally, pass-along rates cannot be controlled. However, through a smart media strategy, agencies have the capability to grow the number of seed users initially exposed to a piece of content.
As an alternative to traditional viral marketing, agencies can employ a big-seed distribution strategy. In doing so, a planner assumes a low pass-along rate for any piece of content. To counteract the effects of the low pass-along rate, the planner makes efforts through paid placements, syndication or sponsorships to grow the number of initial seed users exposed to the piece of content. Thus, instead of relying on a small number of seed users, the planner relies on a large number of guaranteed exposures.
By employing this strategy, a piece of emerging media content reaches a larger number of seed users and has greater potential to reach an audience willing to pass along the content. Moreover, every additional exposure gained thorough pass-alongs can be considered as over-delivery or added value to the initial planned exposure.
This strategy tends to be more reliable for reproducing success than traditional viral marketing and has greater potential for reaching the most people with content.
A big-seed case study
In fall, 2007, Mediasmith worked with Sega of America to distribute four videos. Of the four videos, the first of the series was promoted using paid media placements and editorial sponsorships. The other three videos were seeded normally and received little promotion.
The video that earned the most views was the one that was supported with media and sponsorships. The video received 797,000 views -- more views than the other three videos combined. The scenario shows that media support helps grow the seed of initial users and gives a video a greater chance to take off than simply seeding the video and hoping for viral growth.
The scenario makes the case for the need of media seeding and content distribution strategy in emerging media.
Media seeding and content distribution, fully defined
To elaborate on the above discussion, media seeding and content distribution essentially entails the following steps:
- Taking a piece of emerging technology content meant to be shared and utilizing innovative media planning, buying and execution to grow the initial number of seed users exposed to the content.
- Gathering statistical intelligence with regards to views, embeds, shares, etc., to identify which content pieces are most popular and which means of distribution are most successful.
- Analyzing intelligence to find and implement methodologies that produce high numbers of initial seed views, as well as discovering means to increase reproduction rates.
By using the strategy detailed above, producers and agencies have the chance to create consistently large audiences for content pieces.
<< Previous page | Next page >>
