After having captured somebody’s attention for a viral message, it is important to take advantage of this initial curiosity in order to turn it into interest or a recommendation.

Turn attention into interest

After having captivated your audience by a flash game, an original video or an effective e-mailing, it is crucial to use this attention span to:
 make them want to know more
 inform about you service or product
 facilitate the transmission of the buzz by individuals to people around them

A minisite is a complementary solution offering several advantages:

Offer rich complementary information...

Once an internet user has been attracted by the viral message, you have to offer him or her more by providing a maximum of information (technical information, comparisons, witnesses …). This type of content is more easily conveyed by a minisite than by a video that only lasts a few seconds.

...and easy to develop further

Once a viral module (game, video…) is launched it is often difficult to modify, which means a certain loss of control and a lack of flexibility.

The content of a minisite however is not static at all. Thus it is easy to develop content over time, to publish new data according to the results of and the reactions to the viral campaign.

Enlarge your base of qualified contacts

Launching a minisite is also a perfect occasion to create a means to better get to know, evaluate and contact individuals implicated in a viral campaign. Indeed, once they have entered the website it would be wise to offer internet users the possibility to confide to you some of their personal data, for example by registering for a newsletter or a competition game. That way you can acquire an opt-in base of contacts that will be useful for future actions and communications.

Stimulate the amplification of the buzz

An online presence is a good means of amplifying a viral phenomenon. An internet user is much more likely to convey a message to a bigger number of people if
 you provide him with enough information underlining the innovative, superior, interesting, remarkable, credible… character of your message
 you also provide him with tools to facilitate the communication of the buzz to his sphere of influence: modules to send e-cards, tell-a-friend modules, the possibility to challenge a friend in a game for several players…

Mistakes to avoid

But attention, a minisite’s success always depends on the conventions of viral marketing. The character of the website may not be too commercial; you need to explain exactly how internet users’ personal data will be used; you have to offer enough entertainment or value-added information to prevent internet users from leaving the website or even criticising it online…