In Internet Marketing, if your goal is to quickly spread your marketing message to a large number of people, one of the most effective ways to do so is through viral marketing.

A viral Internet marketing campaign is just as effective as word-of-mouth advertising because people pass on your marketing message to one another quickly and constantly. It works just like a virus -- hence the name viral marketing -- in that information is spread and passed around from one person to another. Unlike a virus, however, viral marketing does not do any harm. On the contrary, its effects on the brand or product being talked about are positive.

As an Internet marketing tool, viral marketing has been proven to be effective in such initiatives as the 'Subservient Chicken' campaign of Burger King, the 'Blair Witch' movie and the Gmail launch.

The Internet is an ideal milieu for viral marketing, especially given the popularity of e-mail and the existence of many social networks like Facebook and Friendster. In addition, given the Internet's ability to add graphics and animation to the marketing message, viral marketing campaigns have the potential to be quite magical.

Here are some simple strategies that can make your viral Internet marketing campaign a hit:

1. Give away products or services
   When it comes to Internet marketing, there's nothing quite like giving something away for free. It's an instant attention-getter. People can't help spreading the word about free stuff online to their family and friends. As an Internet marketing strategy, getting away something for nothing is a surefire grabber. If you offer something big enough, you can practically hear the gold rush heading your way.
2. Make your marketing message easy to convey to others
   In real life, the most powerful viruses are very contagious and easily transfer from one person to another. That's one of the essentials of an effective viral Internet marketing campaign as well. It must be contained in a medium that's easy to pass along or copy, such as e-mail, graphics, a software download or a link to a Web site. That way, you take full advantage of the Internet's capacity to easily pass stuff along.
3. Try to exploit motivations
   If your viral marketing campaign appeals to people's greed or sex drive or their desire to be understood, well-liked, admired or loved, it has a chance to become a great success. An excellent example of such a viral Internet marketing campaign are those 'Netscape Now' buttons distributed by Netscape. During the Internet's infancy, everyone wanted to show that they were part of that new technological revolution because that made them appear to be hip, cool and in. The Netscape Now buttons achieved just that. They were so successful that people searched everywhere to find them.
4. Make use of other people's communication network
   For instance, affiliate programs are prime examples of an Internet marketing tool that makes use of people's communications network. You see, most people have their own personal network consisting of between eight to 12 of their closest friends and family members as well as a larger network of dozens and dozens of acquaintances. Find a way to tap into these communications networks and you will have an viral Internet marketing program that delivers.