Viral Marketing & Viral Advertising: What's the Difference???

Many people get it confused. The difference between Viral Marketing and Viral Advertising that is. Don't confuse yourself. There really is no difference at all between viral marketing & viral advertising. The two phrases have been basically used interchangeably. However the term Viral Marketing has been - and still is - the most widely used term.

Now without getting too deep and confusing about what the 'general' terms of Marketing and Advertising mean...just look at it like this:

Marketing - is General

Advertising - is Specific

Plain and simple.

In other words, Marketing emcompasses Everything you do to draw a customer to you. Examples: your site design, public relations, the way you write, your mission statement, logo, slogan, even down to the way you arrange you office, and Yes ~ Advertising. In short, MARKETing is just that - it is the MARKETplace of your business. It contains different departments of ANY & EVERYTHING you do on a daily basis toward attracting people to your business.

Now remember Advertising is more specific. It is but one -very important- element found in your overall business MARKETpace (reference above.) Advertising is act of making a Public Announcement about your business via some form of public media (which usually is purchased - for a specific amount of time). Examples: radio ad, tv ad, newspaper ad, web ad, etc. So look at AD-vertising like this: It is the AD department in your business MARKETplace. It is but one -very important- segment included in the overall marketing process.

Hope this gives you a better understanding of the widely confusing terms of marketing and advertising. If not, just like I said, Don't Confuse Yourself. Marketing & Advertising are so close-related with such a fine blurred line that they basically gel as one-in-the-same. And if you always make it a daily practice of thinking 'how every little thing that you do' will benefit your business, then quite frankly, your need to "Advertise" will actually become less and less.