So…we told you that viral marketing wasn’t some sort of disease. It can be used to spread your brand like wildfire and get people a’talkin’.

But it can also go very, very bad. Like shutting down a school bad.

Now, in the case of shut down school, the viral video makers still get publicity out of the whole thing. And many of their target market probably think their product is dead on funny. So, in the end, was the video that caused the whole stir a good or a bad thing?

Depends on who you ask.

And, can viral marketing turn on your business and turn your prospects off?

Sure.

When you develop your viral marketing messages you have to weigh the good against the bad. Weigh the risk of offending some members of the public. Ideally, BEFORE you send it out there in the free world.

But maybe controversy is what you want. Evaluate your product or service. Evaluate your target market. A life coach cannot get away with viral marketing controversy like a maker of fake vomit. Gross, but absolutely true!

So think before you go viral and remember your target audience! They are the people you are aiming to get the good response from!