The recipe for a winning website

So you’ve hit viral nirvana with a video or story or promotion or contest that is so intriguing, so electrifying, that people are flocking to your website. Now what? Here are a few pointers for what to do in Singapore to keep those people coming back.

Feed them
Never underestimate the power of conversational currency. People have always loved to have things to talk about, and that has only intensified in the digital age. Give them plenty of content to work with. At VolvoCars.com, visitors can watch video extracts from LIV magazine about some of the world’s most fascinating people and places, and experience music from Sweden’s up and coming bands. In advance of the launch of the all new Volvo S60 last year, we weren’t permitted to show photos of the actual car, which was to remains secret until the debut; instead we created a two-part video documentary about a Turkish painter, Esref Armagnan, who, blind since birth, was invited to experience the car via touch and reproduce his image of it in a painting. Thanks to viral spread, tens of thousands of people viewed both videos, and the painting was subsequently sold, with proceeds benefiting the World Blind Union.

Put them at the center of the action
Mountain Dew’s DEWmocracy was a seven-stage, yearlong program that invited thousands of the soft drink’s most loyal fans to create a new flavor. Using a variety of social networks, including Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, the promotion invited participants in every stage of development, from flavor and color to naming and package design. When the three new products voted in were ready to hit store shelves, the online fan base was even invited to collaborate in creating the television ads.

Soften the hard sell
Even when the intent of the site is commercial, it typically is better to let the brand or product be a supporting player rather than taking on the star role. Schick sponsored “Clean Break”, an online action series centered on sports that, like the new Schick Hydro razor, deliver “unexpected hydration” (think surfing, wakeboarding and river rafting). The focus was on two athletic buddies, Brady and J.J., and their sporting adventures. Not a razor in sight. Viewers came back to the YouTube channel to catch the latest episode, not to learn about male grooming, but Schick’s messages still made it through.

Teach them
Today’s consumers are hungry for information – especially when it makes life easier or more satisfying. At Kraftrecipes.com, visitors can attend “cooking school”, watching videos with step-by-step recipes and tips, and even inputting ingredients they have on hand in order to call up recipes that feature those items. In the Community section, cooks can exchange recipes, upload images of their favorite dishes, join discussion groups, and post their own blog essays. The trick is to combine elements in such a way as to create a site that is both “sticky” (keeping people there) and “bouncy” (making it easy for them to share content with others). That’s what keeps the buzz alive.

Naomi Troni, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Euro RSCG Worldwide