VIRAL MARKETING IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR: CRAFTING MESSAGES THAT CREATE AWARENESS AND CALL AN AUDIENCE TO ACTION

The nonprofit organization (NPO) sector has seen growth and with growth an increased need for nonprofits to compete with other NPOs when looking for clients, volunteers, and donors. Nonprofits often lack resources (knowhow and execution) for a marketing campaign. The emergence of controlled viral marketing offers a number of possibilities for NPOs looking to spread awareness and increase involvement. The purpose of this research is to explore common themes among previous viral marketing campaigns and identify factors likely to lead to viral spread. The research uses Berger and Mills NPO frameworks to qualitatively and quantitatively assess NPO marketing sector efforts. Results indicate that successful NPO viral campaigns should create an emotional connection, use credible sources, have social relevance to the viewer, and make it easy to distribute/share viral content with others. This research gives NPOs guidelines in developing compelling online content with the potential to go viral, thereby increasing their visibility and call to action.