Can our latest project spread by viral means alone?

[altyfc]

Hello there

I am interested to hear the community's feedback on whether our latest project which we've just completed and grow virally - and by that I mean by viral means alone. If it can't (or even if it can, I suppose), what else do you think I should be doing?

The tool/website in question can be found at http://www.aardvarkmap.net

It allows you to create a customised Google Maps map that you can send by email or add to your website... all in a matter of minutes.

The design is deliberately simple, to hopefully reflect the simplicity and ease with which you can create the maps.

When someone adds a map to their site, it will come with a discrete text link that simply reads 'add a map to your site' and links to Aardvark Map, thus hopefully 'spreading the word' to a wider audience.

Is this enough or do I need to be doing more?

Thanks

Aaron

[weslinda]

Well, to grow virally you'll need people starting the conversation about your site to start the viral growth...

What is your plan to get that initial exposure that will be needed?

[altyfc]

We have a number of established sites which will be using the facility which I am hoping will help to give it a kickstart.

We also have a mailing list of people that have used our tools before and would like to be kept informed.

I am hoping that these two factors will help give it an initial impetus.

[Nomax5]

I'm a very small developer and thus have no marketing budget so I always try to have some form of viral marketing strategy built in

examples are...

my online email letterhead site www.onlineletterhead.com makes email letterheads for free which contain a discrete link to my website. I can see this in action as I often get little clusters of activity from specific regions of the world. For instance I made a couple of promotional letterheads for companies in Australia and now Australia is my 3rd most popular country.

My most recent attempt at using a viral marketing technique is www.linkswebsitespeople.com which attempts to bring people with related (relevant) websites together with a view to exchanging links, its difficult to explain how I use viral marketing but you should be able to see how I've done it from the video I've made on the main page.

My view in general is that it does no harm.

hope this helps

Roy

[Keimos]

Hi Aaron,

In answer to your question.

Albeit with an answer. How the hell are you meant to use this. I am a Land Surveyor by trade and your logic defeats me.

I can see what you are trying to achieve but the box that keeps appearing is annoying. I cannot see wher I want to get to and I had to figure out where I was trying to get to. Oh Zoom in.

The hardest part, and I can see what you are trying to do, was to use your site. (By the way the help did not appear)

Viral marketing is word of mouth, I like your concept but you need to work on the ease of use. Sort that, then the rest will come.

Keith

[AjiNIMC]

To make something viral,

It should be tried, so is it free? (I will check it tonight)
Is there an incentive to spread the world? (affiliate stuff)
Is it targetted at real users or webmasters? need to different marketing for different segments. Viral marketing is new study alltogther.

[newhomeplans]

What are the system requirements? I can't generate a map of any location using Firefox on an old but reliable '98se platform. It does however work with IE on XPpro.

Allen Jones
Salmon Arm
British Columbia

[altyfc]

We're in the process of making some changes... I shall post again shortly.

Aaron

[Peter (IMC)]

Viral Marketing, I think, requires a very strong emotional push. If it is a tool then I don't see the emotional push.

You need to have a huge potential audience, otherwise there just aren't enough people to keep it virally growing.

But I could be wrong, I wish I had mastered the art of viral marketing, but it just isn't that simple.

[altyfc]

OK, we have a new design now and I'd be grateful for comments on the look and feel of the site.

We've also included some example maps to show people what you can do with this tool.

My thoughts are that with a discrete "Add a map like this" link on all maps, that word has the potential to spread... what do you think? I know people can do Google Maps for themselves, but this is a user-friendly method... and has the option to plot additional data (eg. hotels) for those that want it. Does it have potential, do you think?

Aaron

[MtraX]

Add a tell a friend field with name and email to the site and generate an automatic html email that goes out to the friend. If you add user management you can personalise the email that goes out as well by saying something like 'Mike has just visited <yoursite>.com and thinks you'd like it too. Click here to visit.' This will also help you establish a database to send future updates to.

[altyfc]

I've tried recommend-it scripts in the past and always found that the spammers eventually get on to them... :(

[MtraX]

Yeah, you're right, it's such a big problem at the moment. I'm actually going to start a new thread on this...

[altyfc]

Just an update on the viral progress of the site... it's been live since around 13th October but only properly live with the new design for a week or so, and in that time more than 600 maps have been created using the tool.

Not a bad start, don't you think?

Aaron

[altyfc]

This is my first time back at WPW in a long, long time.

I'm pleased to be able to tell you that - just over two years down the line from our original launch - a total of 62,522 maps have been created using this tool. (Oh, and if you're interested... 117,173 have been plotted with it. :))