The Pros & Cons of Web-Facilitated Viral (Web Prompt)

I have discussed the example of Web-Facilitated Viral (Web Prompt) from the last post, as I mentioned Web-Facilitated Viral is highly relied on the motivation of value-added benefits, therefore, the benefits are (1) the advertiser can leverage the power of netizens to spread its message; (2) building good feelings/reputation from the brand to customers, also, (3) save a lot of advertising cost etc.

However, there are also some trade-offs with the Web-Facilitated Viral, for examples, (1) the value-added benefits are hard to determine because the value is from the point of sender’s view; (2) an effective and efficient website takes time to build and fine-tune etc.

In conclusion, Web-Facilitated Viral (Web Prompt) can be a powerful and cost-efficiency tool to promote a product/brand/company as long as the advertiser has a good tactic.

 

Real Case of Web-Facilitated Viral (Web Prompt)

There is a real case about Web-Facilitated Viral (Web Prompt) from HK Tourism Board. It is a promotion for the event - HK Summer Spectacular. It is not a good example of Web-facilitated viral as the impact is really small.

For a Viral Marketing like Web-Facilitated Viral, a force or an initial in terms of benefits to the sender, such as monetary (coupons) or physiological rewards (share of funs), are required to motivate them sending to relatives. However, in this case, there is no value for the sender and hence, the impact of this campaign is really small. Therefore, this is an unsuccessful case of Web-Facilitated Viral (Web Prompt).

Pros and Cons of Web-facilitated viral(e-mail prompt)

E-mail prompt is user-friendly?
Advantages of e-mail prompt

Company can gererate mass contacts via internet . For example members also can recommend others to visit the website if they also left their friends or colleagues e-mails.Therefore, company can be easier to gerenate mass contacts for promoting.

As the communication process between visitors and company in internet, no matter sent out e-mail or gerenate contacts, company only spent less on the communication but can promote the products or promotio even without boundaries.

Disvantages of e-mail prompt

It is easier to be through as a spam so that people will ignore. It was because e-mail can be left by other people. In this situation, some people may not be willing to receive these kind of message. Therefore, people will be list the types of e-mail as spam.

 Someone may think that e-mail prompt is under owner permission even the sending company is illegal to generate their contacts. Thus, the privacy problem is seriously destroed by e-mail prompt too.

Web-facilitated viral (web prompt)

Web-facilitated viral (or web prompt) is one of the forms of viral marketing. Web-facilitated viral is the web page such as a product catalogue or white paper which contains a link or graphics to “e-mail to a friend” or colleague. A web form is again used to collect data and an email is subsequently sent.

Web-facilitated viral is highly related to the value of the page or content in the users’ minds. The value can be an interesting thing, or benefits to reward the users. Web-facilitated viral can be also viewed as WOM marketing. Web-facilitated viral can be found from the new products promotion that required the effects of viral marketing.

Here are some examples of Web-facilitated viral (or web prompt):
Campbell's

Cottonelle

skype

A real case of e-mail prompt(Web- facilitated viral) in Travel Industry

There is a real case about e-mail prompt(Web- facilitated viral) . In Travel Expert website, we can observe that company would like to increase their customer base via e-mail prompt. It is the normal way for company using website to strengthen customers base if customers left other e-mails there.

  

For example, if I think a travel package is attractive, I could left my friend's e-mail as recommendation for him or her so that share the message to them. Through the e-mail prompt, it is benefical for business to earn the most benefit and promote their products in the fastest way and attract mass customers with lower cost.

However, it is not a successful case in E-mail prompt in travel industry. Travel Expart doesn't have good brand name, therefore,viral effect is not obvious to forward out by customers because may not everyone think it is a good product. Also,customers normally having their choices base on their own opinion. Consequently, people will have own need to choose individual package too.

Reference: 
Travel Expert(2011). Retrieved July 12
From http://www.travelexpert.com.hk/en/package_TellYourFriend.asp?Uid=337

Web- facilitated viral ,What is it?

Web - facilitated viral ( e-mail prompt). The e-mail includes a link or graphic with 'e-mail a friend' or 'e-mail a colleague 'in a web page. Company is useful to collect visitor's e-mail and then forward  and sometimes with optional message. The company then send a separate message to the friend or colleague.

That's mean when you visit a website which you found something interest or useful, you can write down your friend or colleague's email  with a button with 'e-mail a friend'. Therefore, company can depend on the e-mail address and then send the separate e-mail as forward to your friend or colleague. It is useful for company to collect e-mail address for their database.

Reference: 
Viral Marketing (2011). Retrieved July 12
From Internet Marketing, Strategy,Implementation and Practice (fourth edition)