Three Easy Steps To Instant Viral Marketing Success

Would you like to author content that spreads like a virus? It's not that difficult, folks! Just follow these three easy steps to instant viral marketing success!

1. Write great content. Nobody wants to read something boring and dry.
2. Use a catchy subject line, like "Five easy steps" or "Four easy steps" or "Three easy steps".
3. Build a loyal following, one that is willing to share your content on micro-blogging sites like Twitter.

Have you ever noticed that this type of content is rampant in the marketing world? Ever wonder why?

I recently tested different writing styles. For instance, this article on Multichannel Cannibalization offered fairly useful insights. Nobody linked to the article.

This article (49 Vital Multichannel Modeling Tips) spread like a rampant, unchecked virus. The content, while absolutely useful, was disorganized and lacked depth or true explanation --- it was a bullet-point filled, connect-the-dots and color-within-the-lines style of writing.

A consultant told me two years ago that "... stop trying to make your readers think, just tell the audience what you want them to do".

Why do you think we respond to the canned, checklist style of writing so much more frequently than we respond to thoughtful essays? Is it true that we marketers don't want to think, that we simply prefer to be told what to do?