# viral marketing

CEFR B2 · Compound

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/viral-marketing
Updated: 2026-10-10

## Definition

a way of advertising where people share information about a product with their friends, usually on the internet. It works like a virus because the message spreads very quickly from person to person.

For teachers: a method of product promotion that relies on consumers to market an advertisement to others, typically via social media. Operates on the principle of exponential growth, where each recipient is encouraged to pass the content along to their own network.

## Examples

- The company used viral marketing to promote their new game.
- Their viral marketing campaign succeeded because the video was so funny that everyone wanted to share it on their social feeds.
- While traditional advertising pushes a message onto a passive audience, viral marketing leverages existing social networks to achieve organic, self-replicating reach that often exceeds the impact of paid media.

## Synonyms

word-of-mouth

## Usage notes

- Often used as a compound noun; can be used as a countable noun when referring to specific strategies or campaigns.

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