The Effects of the Social Structure of Digital Networks on Viral Marketing Performance

• Published in: Information systems research Vol. 19; no. 3; pp. 273 - 290
• Main Authors: Bampo, Mauro, Ewing, Michael T, Mather, Dineli R, Stewart, David, Wallace, Mark
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Linthicum INFORMS 01.09.2008; The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS); Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences
• Subjects: Advertising campaigns; Behavior modeling; Computer simulation; Decision making; digital communication; Hyperlinks; Information storage and retrieval systems; Marketing; Modeling; Peer to peer computing; Seeding; Sensitivity analysis; Simulation; Simulations; Social aspects; Social networking; Social networks; Social structure; social structure of digital networks; Social structures; Studies; Transportation equipment industry; Viral marketing; United States

Viral marketing is a form of peer-to-peer communication in which individuals are encouraged to pass on promotional messages within their social networks. Conventional wisdom holds that the viral marketing process is both random and unmanageable. In this paper, we deconstruct the process and investig...