Silent Killer or Silent Success: The Double-Edged Sword of Viral Marketing on Entrepreneurship

Viral marketing has become a popular strategy for businesses to promote their products and services in today’s digital world. By leveraging social media platforms, businesses can gain viral attention that can translate into increased brand awareness, customer engagement, and sales revenue. However, viral marketing can also result in negative consequences if businesses fail to meet the expectations of their customers during the sudden influx in sales. This study aims to explore how customers react to their experiences when visiting a business that has gained viral attention, identify the key factors that contribute to negative emotions and dissatisfaction, and investigate how businesses can proactively manage customer expectations during the viral phase. The study utilized a qualitative interview methodology to gather data from customers who have visited businesses that have gained viral attention. From the interview, seven main standpoints emerged from the data, including parking, crowd management, worker’s attentiveness and communication, quality of the product, service, customer understanding, and customer advocacy. These standpoints are crucial in understanding the factors that contribute to customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction during the viral phase. The study also drew on the social influence theory to explain customers’ behaviour in the context of viral marketing. According to the social influence theory, customers’ decisions and behaviour are influenced by their peers, which can have a significant impact on their perceptions and experiences when visiting a business. In conclusion, viral marketing can be a double-edged sword for businesses, as it can bring significant benefits but also negative consequences if not managed effectively. Lastly, this study provided practical recommendations to optimize their operations and ensure that customers have positive experiences and reaffirm the positive online reviews.