ArtNYC is an art blog – it deals mostly with Art - yet working within the confines of the Internet is also Art, or can be.  I found an article about the Art in Viral Marketing and decided to publish it on ArtNYC rather than Webmetricsguru.com.  

 ”So is viral marketing an art, or is it a science? While most marketers would instinctively consider viral marketing more of a creative art than hard science, science is the essential component. Ignoring one element in favor of the other diminishes your chances of success, no matter what your campaign objective – awareness or action.”

“…Depending on your objectives, you’re likely to approach your viral marketing programs from one of two perspectives. If buzz is your endgame, you’re likely to approach viral marketing as an art form. If you’re after leads and sales, science will likely guide your creative process.”

“….When considering your next viral campaign, think of a slider with “art” on one endpoint and “science” on the other. Now consider your concept and objective. Where on that slider does your program fall? Is it weighted heavily to one side or another? Are you putting all your eggs in one oh-so-cheeky creative basket you’re just certain the world will love? Or are you asking yourself “why in the world would someone share this with their friends?”

In either case, you need to think of ways to move your viral program more to the center. Here’s why. At its most fundamental, viral marketing is a direct response medium, and this is where the science part comes in. Every viral program has an implicit call-to-action: share this with your friends. Without this fundamental element, your campaign by definition cannot be viral.”

I thought the article was good, as far as it went – as it highlighted the Art part of Viral Marketing as a Buzz Generator.   So, last year, when Juan Enriquez asked me to research Blog Buzz for his new book, The Untied States of America, that would fall on the “Art” side of Viral Marketing.