This is a presentation given Sept.15, 2010 for BrightTalk. The subject is a basic primer for viral marketing using social media to create brand 'buzz'. The presented is Michael Crosson, a recognized expert in social media, publisher of SocialMediopolis.com, and the founder of the largest social media marketing group on LinkedIn, with over 95,000 members.

1. The Fundamentals of Using Social Media & Word of Mouth to Create Brand Buzz

2. Here’s how the conversation usually starts: Viral? That’s good. A lot of people could potentially see it. No, that’s bad. It’s impossible to control. But if it’s done right, it can be unbelievably valuable. And if we screw it up, it will bite us in the a**. Then let’s do it right. Ok, you go first. I’ll watch. Fine, start by following me on Twitter. Twitter? What’s that?

3. Why bother with this ‘viral’ stuff? Because media has changed. YOU

4. And because the Conversation has evolved

9. Some examples

10. Some examples

11. Some examples http://mashable.com/2010/07/21/coke-happiness-machine/ Coke Machine Happiness: 1 million views in one week!

12. Some examples The Old Spice Man Twitter campaign pushed over 100 million views on YouTube In 30 days! http://mashable.com/2010/07/15/old-spice-stats/

13. Some examples Bill Gerth – @ ComcastCares customer service rep with 45,000 followers – generating a potential 90,000,000 impressions for every message he sends! That kind of exposure in paid media would be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars!

15. More examples The original Numa Numa guy drove over 10,000,000 views on YouTube… But some brilliant mind at an agency inserted the Geico lizard doing a dance behind him and did it all over again…

16. More examples http://www.adverblog.com/archives/003367.htm

17. More examples