Inside the host's mind : psychological principles of viral marketing/ created by Joerg Wolter, Vincent Barth, Eva-Maria Barthel, Julia Gröbel, Elena Linden, Yvonne Wolf and Eva Walther

Although viral marketing is a timely and often used concept to promote brand and products, little is known yet about the psychological factors producing a successful marketing campaign. Based on a review and analyses of the literature, the basic psychological principles related to viral marketing success are delineated in this article. Specifically, the following aspects are addressed: motivational and behavioural characteristics of the user, optimal seeding strategies, network selection decisions, positive or negative affect elicited by campaigns, levels of consumer involvement and issues of the technical design. According to our findings we postulate seven important psychological propositions and provide some practical guidance for applying these principles in order to maximise success.