using viral marketing and email marketing

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

Using viral marketing and email marketing as part of an integrated marketing campaign

By Tink Taylor

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

About Ellipsis Media

Established 8 years Built dotMailer a leading

email marketing service provider

DMA email marketing council member

Websites, microsites, intranets

Specialist expertise Not-for-profit Corporate

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

Case Study - Overview

Effective use of email marketing

Maximising viral website traffic

Raising brand profile and increase organisational awareness

Increasing subscriber lists

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

The Virus

You have to admire the virus. It has a way of

living in secrecy until it is so numerous that it

wins by sheer weight of numbers. It

piggybacks on other hosts and uses their

resources to increase its tribe. And in the right

environment, it grows

exponentially…..doubling with each iteration

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

What does a virus have to do with marketing?

Viral marketing:A strategy that encourages individuals to pass on a marketing message to others.

Like viruses, such strategies take advantage of rapid multiplication to explode the message to thousands, to millions

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

Why do it?

Cost effective way to:

Increase website traffic Raise brand profile Increase organisational

awareness Build like minded product

advocates Create loyalty schemes

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

Characteristics of a viral campaign

Provides for effortless transfer to others

Scales easily from small to very large

Exploits common motivations and behaviours

Utilises existing communication networks

Takes advantage of others' resources

The result is enhanced knowledge of products and services

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

Critical success factors

Establish clear goals Define target audience Approve budget Assign resources internally Accountable project manager Allow sensible timescales Innovative ideas

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

A Case Study: Plastics Europe

Represents the interest of the plastics manufacturing industry in Western Europe at European level and promotes the benefits of plastics in every aspect of life

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

Plastics Europe - Goals

Raised awareness of plastics good uses

Positive environmental issues Subtle product information Link to good cause

Sponsorship of Wateraid*

* Global charity established by water companies eg Thames Water

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

WaterAid Benefits / Aims

Increase e-mail subscriber database

Pool of future donors Raise awareness water

sanitation programmes No financial outlay from the

reader Users involvement Increased donations to the

organisation

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

Integrated Campaign Features

Campaign Functionality Design & build branded microsite Launch via email across Europe Linear ‘call to action’ Daily Competition Daily Quiz Tell-a-friend feature Totaliser of clicks Animations of ‘growing village’ –

triggered email updates Daily email reminders

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

Concerns addressed

Anti fraud click detection Correct permissions and opt ins

Information commissioners office

www.ico.gov.uk

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

How it worked

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

How was it marketed?

Emailed to all WaterAid opt-in contacts

Promoted on WaterAid / PlasticsEurope websites

Promoted through water authorities

Links from partner websites using banner toolkits

Viral messages seeded in web forums / discussion rooms

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

How was it tracked?

dotMailer provides extensive tracking tools Delivered, opened, forwards, opt outs

Microsite content management system tools Daily click reports Anti-fraud click blocking & analysis

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

Campaign outcomes

1.5m clicks (€150,000 donation) in just 6 weeks

bonus of 500,000 clicks (€50,000) in under 1 week

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

The Overall Results

Benefits to Plastics Europe Increased brand awareness Positive environmental message seen

1.5m times

Benefits to Wateraid Increased online donations More supporters to the cause New ‘e-news’ signups

Follow up campaign based around world cup – “kick to give”

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

In Summary

Creative viral marketing allows smaller businesses to punch above their weight

Rapid growth in brand awareness & opt-in lists

Fractional costs of traditional media

Web Design, Development and e-marketing

Contact Details

Tink Taylor - Business Development Director

t: 0208 239 1146e: tink.taylor@ellipsismedia.co.uk

w: www.ellipsismedia.co.uk