Learning Viral: The Basic Viral Model
I have written in the past about how people include “viral” in their marketing plan but are missing the point of what’s really happening. Your site can be growing but not viral! Shocked? How can this be.
Not Viral Model
link to photo
10 people join your site *
10 invites sent per person sent *
10% of those people convert to new users =
10 new users to the site
10 new users / 10 original = 1 viral coefficient / virality level (whatever you want to call it)
Viral means that for every person that joins they bring at least more than themselves. It’s kind of like going on a group date with 1 other person. Viral grows in pairs.
Viral Model
link to photo
10 people join your site *
15 invites per person sent *
10% of those people convert to new users =
15 new users to the site
15 new users / 10 original = 1.5 viral coefficient / virality level
General Viral Formula
X * Y = virality level / viral coefficient
Things you can do to make viral:
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improve x: figure out a way to get them to send more invites. Or return more times to be able to invite more often.
increase y: work on ways the recipient is more likely to accept an invite.
You should check out my Okdork Virgin Guide to get started.
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Noah Kagan wrote Learning Viral: The Basic Viral Model on April 22nd, 2008 and there are 3 comments. There will be one more after you add yours, though. Read more posts by Noah Kagan.
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3 Responses to “Learning Viral: The Basic Viral Model”
April 23rd, 2008
12:56 pm
Noah:
In theory the first model is still viral though isn’t it? (because if the 10% that signs up gets 10% of their friends to sign up - you’re getting a greater than 1:1 return with regards to the absolute - but I guess if your metrics of relative scale are different, then you’re right)
I think that overall though - engagement for something will increase over time after people hear about something. For example, I wouldn’t have signed up for StumbleUpon or LinkedIn a few years back if nobody was on them and the content wasn’t there. Virality is definitely impacted by the size of network and familiarity that the user has with the platform.
April 30th, 2008
8:06 am
Fast Company just did a great article on “Viral Expansion Loops” - you should check it out.
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/125/nings-infinite-ambition.html
June 16th, 2008
12:52 am
Good way to increase traffic to the site. I think Orkut basically grew out of this system. I would have never joined had 3 different friends not sent me invites
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