Glossary/Strategy & Frameworks/Viral Marketing
Strategy & Frameworks
Viral Marketing
Marketing designed to spread person to person, popularized by Draper Fisher Jurvetson after Hotmail's 1996-97 'Get your free email' signature growth.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Short answer
Viral marketing is marketing designed to spread from person to person, with each recipient passing the message or product along to others. It was popularized by venture firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson after Hotmail's growth in 1996 and 1997, driven by a 'Get your free email' signature on every message users sent.