Social Media Virality: Reaching the Tipping Point

Abstract

Social media virality has become a key factor in determining how far to extend social media marketing and digital promotion campaigns. The point at which content transitions to viral spread underpins promotion-level decisions. We employ a logistic equation to identify tipping point decisions for viral content online promotions in given contexts. We consider case studies indicative of viral content on social media following a traditional S-curve when examined in a single domain. Our study contributes to understanding the decision mechanics of reaching a tipping point in a manner that reflects the concerns of digital marketers and online marketing strategies generally. We also see our approach to determining this point as furthering social media research in an area of growing importance and assessing how viral content can be managed.