YNOT – Viral marketing generally is regarded, and rightfully so, as a promotional strategy that can expand your online presence monumentally, sometimes overnight. Unlike many other online marketing strategies, viral efforts allow marketers to leverage the work of others, and that is what makes the approach both appealing and effective.

Here is a quick review of seven very effective tools almost anyone can incorporate into his or her marketing plan to boost their online presence.

Social networks
Develop relationships with others. Just like in the real world, online relationships can produce uncommon and unexpected results. If even a few of your online connections share your message with those in their own circles, you’ve found a viral way of sharing your message. Social networking is one of the easiest and most effective ways to boost your online presence.

Social bookmarking sites
These site are all about sharing; therefore, their potency cannot be ignored. Bookmarking sites allows users to share and exchange favorites much like they might share a great book with a friend or family member.

Forums
Forums are a great source for answers to questions, but do not overlook the viral potential they also hold. When participating, make sure you include a link to your business in your post’s “signature,” as long as the forum allows that sort of thing. Any useful, insightful or otherwise thought-provoking comments you leave will draw notice, and your link will draw traffic. This is one of the most effective, subtlest and most targeted online marketing strategies you can use. Be warned, though: Jumping into a forum discussion merely to post a “sig spot” can cause other members to ignore or avoid you. Many forums will ban users who do nothing more than pop in to post links.

Blogs
Web 2.0 finds its roots in blogs, which at their best are interactive, highly targeted social sites. Blogs also frequently allow links in signature blocks — but again, commenting on a blog entry solely in order to leave a link to your website is rude and usually not appreciated.

Articles
Submitting articles to trade journals, offering to write “guest blogs” and otherwise finding places where your words of wisdom may receive good traffic can produce extraordinary viral results. Writing articles can be labor-intensive, but the cachet of “expertise” often is worth the effort.

Freebies
Offer visitors to your website some type of free gift if they take a quantifiable action — for example, ask fans to tweet something specific or post about something specific on their blogs. In order to claim the prize, require them to send you a link. Alternatively, offer visitors a free report, video or other small token, and encourage them to share it with their friends. Just make sure your marketing message and links are included, so recipients can find you.

Video
As sites like YouTube prove, videos are a huge hit with the internet community. Short video messages, whether humorous or hard-hitting, can create tremendous buzz for your online presence. If you can hit the hot target of the moment, videos and links to videos spread like wildfire no only on social networks, blogs and websites, but also through email and multimedia mobile messages.

Viral marketing is one of the most effective online marketing strategies in terms of ease of use and results. Try several tools and see what works best for you.

TJ Philpott is an author and internet entrepreneur based in North Carolina. He takes his own advice on the website AffiliateQuickStart.com.