Viral marketing: a systematic literature review and future research agenda

Purpose - In today's digital age, where information spreads faster than ever, viral marketing has emerged as a powerful strategy for businesses to reach their target audience and achieve exponential growth. Despite the growing importance of viral marketing among academicians and practitioners, the existing research in this area remains fragmented, with various approaches and factors scattered throughout the literature. This fragmentation raises concerns as a lack of alignment may lead to misinterpretation and limit future research. To address this gap, the present study aims to systematically review the literature published on viral marketing. Design/methodology/approach - The study utilizes a systematic literature review (SLR) methodology. About 671 studies were initially identified, and 105 were included in the literature review after screening for eligibility. Findings - The applied approach sheds light on the publication patterns, geographical scope, industrial context, theoretical context, publication sources and research methods employed in studies. Based on the analysis of the literature, the study identifies five major themes: antecedents influencing customer viral decisions, consequences of viral marketing, disseminating channel features, mutation and replication and viral measurement. A theoretical framework is proposed to explain the viral marketing process. Practical implications - The study's implications are relevant for practitioners looking to utilize viral marketing strategies and researchers seeking a deeper understanding of the phenomenon. Furthermore, identifying research gaps and proposing future research questions provide opportunities for further investigation in this evolving field. Originality/value - The paper offers an up-to-date and comprehensive synthesis of existing literature on viral marketing up to January 2025, providing a valuable resource for researchers, marketers and practitioners seeking to understand the latest developments and trends in this dynamic field.