In 2017 our adverts on Tapestry or Rugmaking accidentally went viral across SADC attracting millions of followers across the region. We definitely made digital history as the ads which we shared on Facebook were eventually shared across Whatsapp Platforms in South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Botswana and Malawi.
An atomic explosion that earned us an award from the Zulu Kingdom for the impact of our work across South Africa and KwaZulu Natal Province in particular. What was just an experimental advert turned out to be a complete opposite as thousands responded and we could not manage the avalanche. The power of digital marketing—nobody knows what can happen to content posted!
Is it possible to do a repeat? Yes we did in 2018 with a follow on project of Hatmaking although we could not reach the benchmark we had set in 2017.
We got a firsthand insight of the link between Facebook and Whatsapp—the 2 a formidable power in triggering viral content. Whatever is covered on Facebook and if good enough, eventually goes to Whatsapp where sharing is convenient. In the past there were no restrictions on sharing on Whatsapp but restrictions—one can no longer share forwarded messages to many groups at once—only one group allowed at a time if it’s a forwarded message.
The Share Button is one of the most powerful digital marketing tools and need more analysis. Are you developing content that is easily shared? How many times has your content been shared? Shared across all social media platforms. Do you do content share audits?
We used to have Mambos Chickens dominating social media with their content finding loyal followers. We don’t know what happened—perhaps change in management?
Others are engaging SHARING Teams—the teams share content on their behalf helping to create or trigger viral content. We will research more on this and share with the forum.
The last box for ticking in digital marketing is the SHARE BUTTON—can the content be shared? Not shared by the creator but by independent followers. Is the value in the content or graphics good enough?
