Social media is in a constant state of evolution and growth. Every day there are 500 million Tweets, 4.75 billion items shared on Facebook, and more than 80 million photos uploaded to Instagram. Faced with such a deluge of content, it’s easy to feel like your voice can’t be heard, or is a drop in the social media ocean. But when you do it right, social media can be the most effective way to connect with your target audience.

“Video is the future of content marketing,” according to The Guardian. While this statement may sound provocative and reductive, it also has a ring of truth.

Inspiring others to share your content is a daily battle for content marketers, and this is exactly why we love viral marketing. According to kissmetrics, “a successful viral campaign can have 500–1000 times more impact than a non-viral campaign.” We are always looking for new and innovative ways to increase social engagement, so here’s a look at some of our favorite viral marketing success stories. 

Has your coworker ever stopped a long meeting so the attendees could take a “bio break?” Offered to run something “up the flagpole?” Encouraged you to seize the “low-hanging fruit?” If so, you’re not alone. We hear those bits of jargon all the time—and although it’s painful to admit, we’re guilty of spouting them off, too. In our ongoing quest to abolish meaningless jargon and encourage clear communication (e.g., getting back to brass tacks), we bring you another edition of Jargon Watch.

Participating in event marketing can be a pretty big deal, whether you’re joining an event as an exhibitor or putting on an event of your own. It requires time, resources, and often a substantial budget. But according to the EventTrack 2015 survey, most marketers consider the investment worthwhile. In fact, 48 percent of brands realize ROI between 3:1 and 5:1, and 29 percent report a 10:1 return on their event marketing investments. 

When you read the phrase “house style guide,” do you think it’s time to replace the office carpet? Many employees don’t know anything about their company’s style guide, or even that there is such a thing as an established writing style for a business. That’s a missed opportunity, because many customers find your business online and in print—not in physical offices and brick-and-mortar stores.

B2B buyers like infographics. According to Eccolo Media, 49 percent of B2B technology buyers ranked infographics as “very or extremely” influential in the technology purchase process. A 2014 Demand Gen survey also reported that aside from blog posts, B2B buyers are more likely to share infographics on social media than any other content type.