Using Viral Marketing for Health Promotion
Author Information
Author(s): Gunther Eysenbach, Jason Bonander, Lynne Gosselin, Pierre Gosselin, Philippe Poitras
Primary Institution: Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, Toronto, Canada
Hypothesis
Can an Internet viral marketing software platform effectively promote a health website?
Conclusion
The Internet viral marketing platform was effective in attracting a large number of users to a governmental health promotion website.
Supporting Evidence
- The campaign generated 110,200 participants in just 15 days.
- Over 439,275 invitations were sent by participants.
- Two-thirds of the participants were women.
- 31,866 new subscriptions to the e-newsletter were achieved, doubling previous totals.
Takeaway
This study shows that using a fun online game can help spread health information to many people quickly.
Methodology
A viral marketing software platform was adapted for a health promotion website, and participants were invited to join an online game that encouraged them to invite others.
Limitations
The impact on actual health behavior changes could not be measured.
Participant Demographics
Participants included a diverse age range, with 66% being women.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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