Molson filmed five musicians performing "O Canada" using nothing but instruments made from Molson Canadian bottles and cans. Word of mouth marketing expert Andy Sernovitz explains on his blog why this is the type of video that could and should go viral:

• It's a company marketing video but it doesn't try to "sell".
• It's fun (i.e. you don't have to be edgy).
• It taps into something bigger than the brand.

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A recent survey by American Express found that U.S. small businesses can still count on word-of-mouth as a top way for shoppers to find them, followed closely by the Internet. From Milo, here's an infographic that explains how valuable online reviews (word-of-mouth on the Internet) can be for local businesses.



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Fast spreading "viral" content can build backlinks and website traffic in a short amount of time, and with little effort. But only a tiny amount of web content goes viral. Some would argue that making "viralness" the goal of a piece of content is a fool's errand. And yet, we can analyze content that has already gone viral for clues to its popularity. A.J. Kumar on Entrepreneur.com has done that. Here are his six suggestions for creating content with the potential to spread quickly. Keep in mind that there are no guarantees of "virality".

Absurdity
Many viral videos involve silly or absurd characters (honey badger, Marcel the Shell). A unique, appealing, charming character can greatly increase traffic and brand recognition. But too many failed attempts could damage your brand.

Emerging Trends
Fresh, timely content on a new trend can give you a first mover advantage and attract attention. New content is more likely to be shared. Google gives preferential treatment to timely content.

Content as a Sound Bite
A catchphrase is easy to remember and repeat. Evaluate your headline or opening paragraph as if you were reading it on a newscast. Is a small snippet of your content enough to drive further interest in learning more? If not, continue editing it.

Infographics
"Visually appealing infographics are among some of the most frequently shared types of online content as most people would rather learn through engaging imagery than long paragraphs of text." Pull data from recent studies, then recombine it in new and distinctive ways.

Influencer Clout
An endorsement from an authority in your industry could help make your content go viral. You'll need to have already built relationships with industry thought leaders. Ask them to share your best content.

Offer Value
Provide exceptional value in your article or video. Go above and beyond what your competitors offer.

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From Content+, here's an infographic that shows how content creation can promote ideas, engage targeted audiences and encourage them to take action.



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From SmallBusinessSEM, here's an infographic that shows the building blocks for a successful SEO strategy.



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